Download StartIsBack++ beta 3

After Microsoft gave up the classic start menu in Windows 8, various free and paid tools quickly appeared that added this. StartIsBack is an example of this and falls into the latter category. It adds a start button and a start menu to Windows 8 and 10, which work as they did in Windows 7 and earlier. Both the appearance and the functionality can be completely adjusted to personal taste. The version with a plus at the end is for Windows 8.1, without is suitable for Windows 8. The version for Windows 10, with a double plus at the end, is in development and the third beta release has appeared. A license the program costs three, five or ten dollars and can be used on one, two or five computers. The changelog so far looks like this:

Beta 1

• Live badges for modern apps on taskbar and Start menu!
• Ability to reduce resource usage by disabling newer Start menu and Cortana processes from prelaunching
• Ability to use adequately sized (32×32) large icons and larger start menu button on taskbar
• Modern icon glyphs on Start menu right hand pane
• Modern blur, drop shadow and immersive context menus for start menu
• Fully dynamic DPI aware start menu and configuration app
• Lots of new minor additions and tweaks

Beta 3

• You can disable resource hogging XAML beasts ShellExperienceHost.exe and SearchUI.exe from pre-launching.
  This setting should be harmless as they will be started as needed (when you use Cortana, Network/Volume/Battery/Action Center/Start menu flyouts)
• Terminate modern apps with close button setting is reinstated
  I have mixed results if modern apps suspend themselves when closed on Win10
• Obligatory bug fixes and improvements for newer Win10 builds

Beta 3

• Modern icons on taskbar and start menu now show live tiles badges!
• Modern icons are shown in start menu without color plating