# Open-Shell Software

> Documentation and download guidance for the Open-Shell Windows menu project. This domain publishes guides; Open-Shell contributors develop the software.

Content checked: 2026-10-30. Stable download covered: 4.4.198. No hands-on Windows lab or installer-scan result is claimed.

## Main pages
- [Open-Shell 4.4.198](https://openshellsoftware.com/): Open-Shell download guidance for Windows 10 and 11. Explore classic Start menu styles, installation steps, settings, fixes, and the GitHub project.
- [Download Open-Shell for Windows](https://openshellsoftware.com/download/): Download Open-Shell 4.4.198 from the GitHub project. Check the installer filename, published SHA-256, release channel, and installation steps.
- [Open-Shell for Windows 10](https://openshellsoftware.com/windows-10/): Set up Open Shell on Windows 10. Check your build, select menu components, preserve settings, and diagnose compatibility or Start-button problems.
- [Open-Shell for Windows 11](https://openshellsoftware.com/windows-11/): Set up Open Shell on Windows 11. Check your build, select menu components, preserve settings, and diagnose compatibility or Start-button problems.
- [Open-Shell on GitHub](https://openshellsoftware.com/github/): Find the Open-Shell GitHub repository, release installer, documentation, and issue tracker. Distinguish setup files from source archives and previews.
- [Configure Open-Shell Menu](https://openshellsoftware.com/menu/): Customize Open Shell Menu styles, search, shortcuts, keyboard controls, skins, and buttons. Build a working baseline and back up settings before changes.
- [Open-Shell guides](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/): Find Open-Shell installation, menu customization, Windows compatibility, backup, troubleshooting, and comparison guides organized by task.
- [About this website](https://openshellsoftware.com/about/): Learn what openshellsoftware.com publishes, how it attributes the Open-Shell project, and the limits of its documentation and download guidance.
- [Editorial policy](https://openshellsoftware.com/editorial-policy/): Read the source, correction, update, and attribution rules used for the Open-Shell download and configuration guides.
- [Testing methodology and limits](https://openshellsoftware.com/testing-methodology/): Understand the difference between website checks, published installer metadata, documentation review, and hands-on Windows testing.
- [Authors and attribution](https://openshellsoftware.com/authors/): See who is credited for this website’s documentation, the separate Open-Shell software project, and the limits of review claims.
- [Contact and support routes](https://openshellsoftware.com/contact/): Find the appropriate route for Open-Shell software issues and understand the current limitations of this website’s editorial contact information.
- [Open-Shell software license](https://openshellsoftware.com/license/): Review the project’s MIT license, distinguish website documentation from software ownership, and check the source of the linked installer.
- [Sources and reference material](https://openshellsoftware.com/sources/): Browse the Open-Shell project, release assets, wiki, Microsoft documentation, and primary references used in the website guides.

## Task guides
- [How to install Open-Shell on a Windows PC](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/install/): Install & update
- [Open-Shell components: Menu, Explorer, and updater](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/choose-components/): Install & update
- [Open-Shell first-run setup checklist](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/first-run/): Install & update
- [Update Open-Shell without losing your layout](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/update/): Install & update
- [Open-Shell stable releases vs preview builds](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/stable-vs-preview/): Install & update
- [Verify an Open-Shell download with SHA-256](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/verify-download/): Install & update
- [Check the Open-Shell installer signature](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/check-signature/): Install & update
- [Install Open-Shell with WinGet](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/winget/): Install & update
- [Prepare an offline Open-Shell installation](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/offline-install/): Install & update
- [Is there a portable Open-Shell version?](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/portable/): Install & update
- [Open-Shell on Windows ARM64: what to check](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/arm64/): Install & update
- [Open-Shell administrator permissions explained](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/administrator-rights/): Install & update
- [Uninstall Open-Shell and return to Windows Start](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/uninstall/): Install & update
- [Repair an Open-Shell installation](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/repair-installation/): Troubleshooting
- [Back up Open-Shell settings to XML](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/backup-settings/): Settings & layout
- [Restore an Open-Shell XML configuration](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/restore-settings/): Settings & layout
- [Reset Open-Shell settings without reinstalling Windows](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/reset-settings/): Settings & layout
- [Move an Open-Shell layout to another PC](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/move-settings/): Settings & layout
- [Choose Classic, two-column, or Windows 7 menu style](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/menu-styles/): Settings & layout
- [Set up a Windows 7-style menu with Open-Shell](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/windows-7-style/): Settings & layout
- [How to open all Open-Shell settings](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/open-settings/): Settings & layout
- [Customize Open-Shell menu items and order](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/customize-menu-items/): Settings & layout
- [Pin applications to an Open-Shell menu](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/pin-apps/): Settings & layout
- [Add useful folder shortcuts to Open-Shell](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/folder-shortcuts/): Settings & layout
- [Configure Open-Shell search behavior](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/search-settings/): Settings & layout
- [Choose what the Windows key opens](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/windows-key-controls/): Settings & layout
- [Make Open-Shell start for the correct Windows user](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/start-with-windows/): Settings & layout
- [Temporarily disable Open-Shell without uninstalling](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/disable-temporarily/): Settings & layout
- [Adjust Open-Shell menu animation speed](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/animations/): Appearance
- [Install and select an Open-Shell skin](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/skins/): Appearance
- [Configure a readable dark Open-Shell menu](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/dark-menu/): Appearance
- [Use a custom Start button in Open-Shell](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/custom-start-button/): Appearance
- [Fix Open-Shell Start button size and scaling](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/button-size-dpi/): Appearance
- [Improve Open-Shell menu text readability](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/font-size/): Appearance
- [Use Open-Shell with high-contrast accessibility settings](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/high-contrast/): Appearance
- [Check Open-Shell on multiple monitors](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/multi-monitor/): Appearance
- [What Open-Shell can and cannot change on the taskbar](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/taskbar-limits/): Compatibility
- [Understand the Classic Explorer component](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/classic-explorer/): Explorer
- [Customize the Classic Explorer toolbar](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/explorer-toolbar/): Explorer
- [Configure Classic Explorer status-bar information](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/explorer-status-bar/): Explorer
- [Open-Shell and application Open/Save dialogs](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/file-dialog-limitations/): Explorer
- [Check Open-Shell after a Windows feature update](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/windows-update/): Compatibility
- [Open-Shell upgrade tasks on managed Windows PCs](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/managed-upgrade/): Compatibility
- [Open-Shell not opening: isolate the failing step](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/not-opening/): Troubleshooting
- [Open-Shell settings not saving between sessions](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/settings-not-saving/): Troubleshooting
- [Fix Open-Shell menu search problems](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/search-not-working/): Troubleshooting
- [Open-Shell Start button does not respond](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/start-button-not-working/): Troubleshooting
- [Missing or incorrect icons in Open-Shell](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/icons-missing/): Troubleshooting
- [Diagnose a slow Open-Shell menu](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/menu-slow/): Troubleshooting
- [Troubleshoot Explorer crashes with Open-Shell installed](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/explorer-crash/): Troubleshooting
- [Open-Shell XML backup and import problems](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/xml-backup-problems/): Troubleshooting
- [Windows blocks the Open-Shell installer: what to check](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/installer-blocked/): Troubleshooting
- [Change the Open-Shell interface language](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/language/): Personalization
- [Navigate Open-Shell with the keyboard](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/keyboard-navigation/): Personalization
- [Control Open-Shell update notifications](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/updater-preferences/): Install & update
- [Collect an Open-Shell diagnostic log carefully](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/log-file/): Troubleshooting
- [Write a useful Open-Shell bug report](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/report-bug/): Troubleshooting
- [Move from Classic Shell to Open-Shell](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/classic-shell-migration/): Compatibility
- [Open-Shell alternatives: match the feature you need](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/alternatives/): Comparisons
- [Open-Shell vs Classic Shell: lineage and migration](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/vs-classic-shell/): Comparisons
- [Open-Shell vs StartAllBack for Windows 11](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/vs-startallback/): Comparisons
- [Open-Shell vs Start11: menus, control, and licensing](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/vs-start11/): Comparisons
- [Open-Shell vs ExplorerPatcher: different shell roles](https://openshellsoftware.com/guides/vs-explorerpatcher/): Comparisons

## Important limits

No licensing, ownership, safety, benchmark, or indexing guarantee is implied. Respect the cited project sources. This index is a navigation aid, not a crawler permission or ranking mechanism.