Windows 10 Start Menu Folders & Tiles Guide
This guide explains how Windows 10 Start menu folders and tiles work, including how to create, rename, and manage them. You’ll learn the difference between app tiles and folders, how to organize your Start layout, and how to fix common issues.
Background: How Start Menu Tiles Evolved
Windows 10’s Start menu combines the traditional list of apps with the live tiles introduced in Windows 8. Tiles are the rectangular buttons that appear on the right side of the Start menu, each representing an app or a shortcut. They can be resized, moved, and grouped. Live tiles can display dynamic content like weather, news, or calendar updates. Folders in the Start menu are a way to group multiple tiles together into a single tile, saving space and reducing clutter. This feature was added in the Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703) and has remained in later versions.
How to Create a Folder in the Start Menu
Creating a folder is simple and requires only dragging and dropping tiles onto each other.
- Open the Start menu by pressing the Windows key or clicking the Start button.
- Locate a tile you want to include in the folder.
- Drag that tile onto another tile that you want to group with it. As you hover over the second tile, a small folder outline appears.
- Release the mouse button. The two tiles merge into a single folder tile.
- To add more tiles, drag them onto the folder tile.
You can also create a folder using the keyboard: select a tile with the arrow keys, then press Ctrl+Shift and use the arrow keys to move it onto another tile.
How to Rename, Resize, and Manage Folders
Once you have a folder, you can customize it:
- Rename: Click the folder tile, then click the name field at the top of the folder window. Type a new name and press Enter.
- Resize the folder tile: Right-click the folder tile, select Resize, and choose Small, Medium, Large, or Wide. The folder tile itself can be resized, but the tiles inside it remain their original size.
- Remove a tile from a folder: Open the folder, drag the tile out of the folder window and onto the Start menu grid.
- Delete a folder: Drag all tiles out of the folder. When the folder becomes empty, it disappears automatically.
You can also move folders around the Start menu just like individual tiles.
Organizing Tiles with Groups and Headers
Beyond folders, you can organize tiles into groups, each with a name. To create a group, drag a tile to an empty area of the Start menu until a gray bar appears. Then click the bar to type a group name. Groups help you separate apps by category, such as “Work,� “Games,� or “Utilities.� Folders work within groups, so you can have a group called “Media� containing a folder for video apps and another for music apps.
Common Problems and Fixes
Users often encounter a few issues when working with Start menu tiles and folders:
- Folder won’t create: Make sure you are dragging directly onto another tile and holding for a moment until the folder outline appears. If it still fails, try restarting Windows Explorer (via Task Manager) or signing out and back in.
- Live tiles not updating: Some apps stop updating live tiles after being placed in a folder. This is a known limitation—live tile content may only refresh when the folder is open. To keep live updates, leave the tile outside a folder.
- Start menu not opening: If the Start menu itself fails, use PowerShell (as administrator) and run
Get-AppxPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}to re-register built-in apps. This often fixes tile and Start menu issues. - Missing tiles after an update: Windows updates can reset your Start layout. You can back up your layout using the export feature in Settings > Personalization > Start (available in Windows 10 Enterprise and Education editions).
Comparing Folders vs. Groups vs. Pinning
It’s helpful to understand the three ways to organize Start menu items:
- Pinned tiles: Individual app shortcuts on the grid. They take up space but show live content.
- Folders: Combine multiple tiles into one tile. Saves space but hides the individual tiles until opened.
- Groups: Named sections of the Start menu that can contain both tiles and folders. They provide visual separation without hiding content.
Use folders for apps you rarely open but still want handy. Use groups for categories you frequently switch between. Use individual tiles for your most-used apps or those with useful live tiles.
Safety and System Impact
Creating folders or moving tiles has no negative impact on system performance or stability. It only changes the visual layout. However, be cautious when using third-party Start menu customization tools—they may modify system files and cause issues. Stick to built-in methods for reliability. Also, if you’re on a managed work computer, group policy may restrict Start menu changes; in that case, folders might not be available.
Alternatives to Built-in Folders
If you find the built-in folder feature limiting, consider these alternatives:
- Use the All Apps list: Instead of tiles, browse the alphabetical list of all installed apps. You can pin apps from there directly to the Start menu, but you can’t group them in folders there.
- Create desktop shortcuts: For quick access, create folders on your desktop and place shortcuts inside them. This doesn’t affect the Start menu but offers similar organization.
- Third-party Start menu replacements: Tools like Open-Shell (open source) allow extensive customization, including grouping and tabs. They run alongside Windows and don’t modify system files, but they do replace the default Start menu appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a folder inside another folder?
No, Windows 10 does not support nested folders. You can only have one level of folders in the Start menu.
How do I remove a folder without deleting the apps?
Drag all tiles out of the folder. The folder disappears automatically, and the apps remain on the Start menu or in the All Apps list.
Why is my folder tile blank or showing a generic icon?
This can happen if the folder contains only tiles for apps that don’t provide a custom icon. Try renaming the folder or adding a tile for an app with a distinctive icon. Restarting Windows Explorer may also refresh icons.
Do folders work on Windows 11?
Windows 11 uses a different Start menu layout, but it also supports folders by dragging one app onto another. The process is similar, though the interface looks different.
Can I sync my Start menu layout with folders across devices?
If you sign in with a Microsoft account and have sync enabled, Windows can sync your Start layout, including folders, across devices. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings and ensure “Start menu� is toggled on.
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