Ever since the first glimpses of Windows 8 were shown back in June 2011, PC users have been complaining about Microsoft’s decision to drop the Start menu and replace the same with Modern UI-style Start screen. While Microsoft has restored the Start button in Windows 8.1, it helps you switch to the Start screen and doesn’t reveal the Start menu.
A number of free and paid software have been released over the last two years to disable the Start screen and add Windows 7-style Start menu to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
Apart from Windows enthusiasts and developers, even some PC manufactures have been shipping their own custom Start menu with Windows 8 computers. For instance, HP computers that ship pre-installed with Windows 8 include a software named Quick Start that works as Start menu.
Users who have been using HP computers probably have observed that the Quick Start (HP’s version of Start menu) isn’t as intuitive as the Windows 7 Start menu. In fact, the free Start menu programs out there such as ViStart, Classic Shell, and IObit Start Menu 8 offer more features and look much better than the HP’s Quick Start (all of them look pretty similar to the Start menu in Windows 7).
While the HP Quick Start lets you pin your favourite programs to the right-hand side of the Start menu and search programs right-from the Start menu search box, you might just want to uninstall Quick Start and start using the Start screen, or uninstall Quick Start and then install a better program such as ViStart, Start Menu 8, or Classic Shell.
Uninstalling HP Quick Start is relatively simple. Complete the given below steps to uninstall Quick Start from your computer.
How to uninstall HP Quick Start menu:
Step 1: Open Run dialog box by simultaneously pressing Windows logo and R keys. Type appwiz.cpl in the box and press Enter key to open Programs and Features window.
Step 2: Here, locate the entry titled HP Quick Start, right-click on it and click Uninstall button.
Step 3: Click Yes button for the confirmation prompt to continue uninstalling HP Quick Start.
Step 4: After uninstalling Quick Start, you you can either continue using the Start screen to launch programs and pin your favourite files and programs, or install a third-party Start menu program such as Classic Start or IObit Start Menu 8.
NOTE: For users who would like to use the Start screen but aren’t sure how to, we suggest watching how to use the Start screen video guide. You can customize the Start screen using these free tools and also show taskbar in the Start screen.
Christine Stafford says
I inadvertently removed the quick start icon, and presumably the program, from my computer and just want to re-install it without having to re-install Windows 8.1. Is there a way to do that??
Daniel says
I’m looking for the link to install HP Quick Start in my PC window 8.1 touch screen!