StartIsBack restores a Start menu and Start button for Windows 8 and Windows 10, according to its page.
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Spencer
Spencer brings a classic Windows XP-style Start menu to Windows 10 and Windows 11, according to its project page.
About Spencer
Spencer is a Windows application that shows a Windows XP-style Start menu on newer Windows versions. It provides access to Start Menu entries in one view, with direct entries for Control Panel, administrator command line and the Run dialog.
It is distributed as a ZIP file that can be pinned to the taskbar and used alongside the Windows 11 Start button, with an option to open it by shortcut key. Listed support includes Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8 through Windows 2000, and Windows Server, with installation also available through Winget and Chocolatey.
Key features
- Shows XP-style Start menu with access to Start Menu entries
- Provides direct access to Control Panel, admin command line and Run
- Runs alongside Windows 11 Start button when pinned to taskbar
- Opens with user-defined shortcut key set in icon properties
- Shift or Control-click folders to open Explorer or context menu
- Installs from ZIP file or via Winget and Chocolatey commands
Best for: Windows 10 and Windows 11 users who want an XP-style Start menu alongside the standard Start button.
Good for
- Works alongside the Windows 11 Start button without replacing it
- Supports Windows versions from Windows 2000 through Windows 11 and Server
- Offered in multiple interface languages including Japanese and Arabic
Spencer at a glance
- Website
- the-sz.com/products/spencer
- Category
- Software & Utilities › System Utilities
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Web, Windows
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Spencer alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
StartAllBack restores and adjusts Windows 11 taskbar, Start menu, context menu, and File Explorer interface elements.
Use Quick Access Popup as a customizable Windows launcher with a context-menu style layout for accessing selected items quickly.
psmux brings tmux-style terminal multiplexing to PowerShell, Windows Terminal, and cmd.exe through a native Windows implementation.
Open source
24 alternativesPopular in System Utilities
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