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Classic Shell
Classic Shell is a computer program for Microsoft Windows that provides user interface elements intended to restore familiar features from past versions of Windows.[4] It focuses on the Start menu, File Explorer and Internet Explorer — three major components of the Windows shell although it also does some minor tweaks for the Windows Taskbar. In particular, it can serve as a Start menu replacement for Windows 8 and Windows 10 systems. Developed by Ivo Beltchev, it was first released in 2009, and has been downloaded nearly 40 million times by the end of 2024.[5][6] Development by Beltchev has ceased, and the project's source code has been released. Development has been picked up by volunteers on GitHub under the name Open-Shell.[7] Features and architectureClassic Shell is packaged as a suite of three components, all optional and independent of each other:
Classic Shell is programmed in C++. Although it modifies Windows behaviors, it does not do so by modifying or tweaking Windows registry settings or replacing or patching system files — all modifications are done using Windows APIs.[citation needed] It is localized into more than 30 languages, including right-to-left support for Arabic and Hebrew.[8] Classic Start MenuClassic Start Menu is a replacement for the Windows Start Menu. Features include:
Besides restoring past behavior, there are several new features. These include showing the menu next to the taskbar when it is vertical, multi-monitor support, launching multiple programs at once, custom shutdown-related actions, Universal app launching, expanding any file folder as cascading menus, and additional keyboard shortcuts. The search box can search the system path, can show partial matches, and can show all results inside the menu. Classic Start Menu can also modify Windows 8's new UI features, such as hot corners only on the desktop without disabling them inside Universal apps. Classic ExplorerClassic Explorer is an add-on to Windows File Explorer, implemented as various shell extensions. It does not replace
HistoryClassic Shell began as a tool for personal use,[11] and saw its first public release in 2009.[12] Over time, the Start Menu component evolved to be a customizable launcher that also integrated a search box and other features of the Windows 7 Start Menu. The Explorer and IE components appeared later. While earlier versions were compatible with Windows Vista and later, versions since 3.9.0 no longer support Windows Vista/Server 2008.[13] Classic Shell was never popular or necessary on Vista in the first place[citation needed] because Vista, like XP, came with the ability to revert to a classic start menu. Classic Shell is released as free and open-source under the MIT license.[3] Founder Ivo Beltchev announced the end of development in December 2017.[14] Open-ShellSince 2018, Classic Shell has been developed as an open source program under the name Open-Shell.[7] Open-Shell has remained functionally similar to Classic Shell, but it has added some small features and addressed several bugs, many caused by new versions of Windows. Some of the changes in Open-Shell include:
Like Classic Shell, Open-Shell is released under the MIT License.[15] The latest stable version dates from 16 Aug 2023.[16] ReceptionClassic Shell was a fairly popular interface enhancement in the Windows 7 life cycle but became much more widely used after the release and negative reception of Windows 8 (with its lack of a Start menu).[17] It has seen coverage in such publications as Lifehacker,[18] Neowin,[4] Ghacks,[19] ZDNet,[20] PC World,[21] TechRepublic,[22] MakeUseOf,[23] and Betanews.[24] See alsoReferences
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