Displaying a Menu of Items on the Start Menu in Windows 7

Setting up some of the links and shortcuts on your Start menu to expand into a menu can save you from a few clicks here and there. For instance, instead of clicking on the Computer shortcut and then having to click on the C drive, you can set up the Computer shortcut as a menu and then all you have to do is hover over the Computer shortcut on the Start menu and select the C drive. Figure 1 shows an example of Computer shortcut menu.

Figure 1: Example of menu option for Computer on the Start menu



1. Clicking on Start menu items with an arrow opens a submenu showing the contents of that item.

2. Submenu showing contents of Computer

Follow the below steps to display menus for links and shortcut items on the Start menu:

1) Right-click on the Taskbar and select Properties.

2) Select the Start Menu tab.

3) Follow the below steps if you are using the Classic Start Menu option:

a) Click on the Customize button.

b) In the Advanced Start Menu Options section, as shown in Figure 2, check the items you want to be expanded as a menu. Windows 7 permits you to expand Control Panel, Documents, Network Connections, Pictures, and Printers.

Figure 2: Customization settings for the Classic Start Menu style



1. Check the items you want to expand on the Start menu.

4) Follow the below steps if you are using the Start Menu option:

a) Click on the Customize button.

b) Specify which items you want to be expanded as a menu by checking the Display As a Menu option, as shown in Figure 3, on the appropriate item(s). Windows 7 permits you to expand Control Panel, Documents, Network Connections, Pictures, and Printers.

5) Click OK.

Figure 3: Customization settings for the Start Menu style



1. Checking Display As Menu makes the Control Panel menu fly out from the Start menu.

2. Checking Display As a Link makes the Control Panel window open.