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Stardock Releases Start11 v2

New Start Menu Designs, Taskbar Enhancements and Enterprise Features are Now Available

New Start Menu Designs, Taskbar Enhancements and Enterprise Features are Now Available in Start11 v2

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Stardock released Start11 v2, the industry's most advanced Start menu, today. This program allows users to fully customize the Windows 10 and 11 Start menu experience with unique features, designs, and restore classic functionality from previous versions of Windows.

New with Start11 v2 are three new Start menu styles that seamlessly blend with Windows 10 and 11. Each new style is centered around a different theme: Apps, Professional, and Launcher, and are fully customizable from top to bottom.

Start11 v2 is also enhancing the taskbar with new functionality that makes it faster to access your files and folders. By using our new folder menu option, you can pin any folder to the taskbar and access its contents directly from the taskbar without opening File Explorer.

And new today, you can round the corners of the taskbar to give it a modern design that makes your desktop look like the next version of Windows.

"This is a significant update and ships with more than two dozen new features” said Brad Sams, General Manager of Stardock Software. “And we are also introducing new enterprise features as well, including the ability to load a Start menu configuration on login, kiosk functionality that lets you lock components of the Start menu, and improved tooling for advanced deployments.”

Also new with Start11 v2 is an updated search experience with native integration with the Everything search engine. Additionally, Start11 v2 introduces the ability to backup and restore your settings from a file, improved animations when navigating within the Start menus, tinting for a unified icon experience, options for removing folders from the ‘all apps list’, and many more.

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How to upgrade from Start 11 v1 to v2 using Object Desktop? Is it necessary to uninstall v1?

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Quoting consumer5,

reply 1

How to upgrade from Start 11 v1 to v2 using Object Desktop? Is it necessary to uninstall v1?

Hello,
No, you should able to install v2 over v1 and all the setting from v1 should carry over. Just remember to reboot immediately after v2 installation finished. By the way, to get the latest version it is best to download the installer directly from your account page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Hello I have v1, can I update to V2? When I try to install V2 it doesn't recognize the key I got with v1.

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Quoting LexBoosT40,

reply 3

Hello I have v1, can I update to V2? When I try to install V2 it doesn't recognize the key I got with v1.

Hello,
Sorry, you can not update to v2, but you can upgrade to v2, you will get a new key when you purchase v2. Please refer here: https://forums.stardock.com/523474/start11-v2-upgrade-faq

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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ok nice upgrade work, thanks !

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Quoting LexBoosT40,

reply 5

ok nice upgrade work, thanks !

Great.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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So, until you add the ability to dock the taskbar in the old locations Windows used to be able to like the side of the monitor etc. the software is pretty useless to me. I stream and have multiple monitors. I like to have my taskbar on my portrait monitor docked to the side vertically. Really wish you guys would implement this. I'm using a different vendor to accomplish this but I'd switch if the functionality I need were there.

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Quoting dspearing,

reply 7

Hello,
Sorry, but, from what I know Start11 V2 currently don't support side taskbar.

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Hello,
Sorry, but, from what I know Start11 V2 currently don't support side taskbar.

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

I know...that's why I said until you add it, the software is useless to me. Either there is a language barrier or sometimes I think you all don't read the comment completely.

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Quoting dspearing,

reply 9

I know...that's why I said until you add it, the software is useless to me. Either there is a language barrier or sometimes I think you all don't read the comment completely.

Hello,
I have forwarded your request to the Stardock Support Team for their review and recommendations. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We really do appreciate your feedback, Thanks

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Am using Object Desktop. "Open" Fences 5 or Start11 v2 does not change the version being used (Fences 4 or Start11 v1). What's the trick to upgrade? Thanks.

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Quoting consumer5,

reply 11

Am using Object Desktop. "Open" Fences 5 or Start11 v2 does not change the version being used (Fences 4 or Start11 v1). What's the trick to upgrade? Thanks.

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Do you have Active Object Desktop subscription? If your subs still active. You should be able to download Fences 5 and Start11 v2 from Account : https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products. Should be listed under "View available Downloads" clickable link.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Thank you Basj. I have an active Object Desktop subscription. Could not upgrade using Object Desktop. What did work was downloading the apps (Fences 5, Start 11 v2) and installing them, using my Object Desktop license code for registration.

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Quoting consumer5,

reply 13

Could not upgrade using Object Desktop

Great to know you solved your issue. Yes, sometimes ODM has server issue.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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I will buy it right after it provides me with the option to keep the weather unchanged, i.e., on the left side with a proper description. This is the only thing I like on the Windows 11 taskbar, and I don't want to change that. Now, placed between icons, it looks to me like it's totally out of place.

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Quoting Ravn79,

reply 15

Hello,

If you do not turn on the Start11 Enhance taskbar function, you still should be able to have your Widget/Weather on the left.

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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I know, but I need some other functions that Start11 provides. Most notably, the option to not combine icons.

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Quoting Ravn79,

reply 17

I know, but I need some other functions that Start11 provides. Most notably, the option to not combine icons.

Windows 11 currently have option not to "combine taskbar button and hide labels"

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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What the actual F? You just released the same program again with a v2, discontinued the first version and we have to purchase it again? This is the most blatant money grab I ever saw, what is wrong with you?

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Quoting Caydenz,

reply 19

Actually, Start11 v1 still supported and continue to work on Windows 10 and 11. Do you have any issue running Start11 v1 currently?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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Quoting basj,

reply 18

Windows 11 currently have option not to "combine taskbar button and hide labels"

I don't want to combine buttons or see any labels. Now I will need to find another software to do just that?

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Quoting Ravn79,

reply 21

I don't want to combine buttons or see any labels. Now I will need to find another software to do just that?

Okay, now I understand, just that you did not mentioned the hide the labels part. I have forwarded your request to the Stardock Support Team for their review and recommendations. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We really do appreciate your feedback, Thanks

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Quoting basj,

reply 22

Thanks. In the meantime, I found software that can uncombine taskbar buttons without showing labels. It's called Windhawk. But it lacks some of the functions that Start11 offers.

Additionally, many people are searching for a way to hide the network and volume icons in system tray. Apart from using space, there's a software called EarTrumpet, which allows you to control the sound level of individual apps, but in Windows 11, you end up having two volume icons.

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Quoting Ravn79,

reply 23

Thanks. In the meantime, I found software that can uncombine taskbar buttons without showing labels. It's called Windhawk. But it lacks some of the functions that Start11 offers.

If you select Enhanced taskbar and set "Never combine taskbar buttons" and check "Always hide text on buttons regardless of group state," you will accomplish your requested feature.

Unfortunately, with the Enhanced taskbar, if you want to use Stardock autohide and also center the taskbar buttons, there is an issue which might scramble the taskbar buttons when closing a window while the taskbar is hidden. This is a known issue and hopefully will be resolved in a future update.

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