How to Create Folders in Windows 11 Start Menu

Organizing your applications in the Windows 11 Start Menu helps declutter your workspace and makes your favorite programs easier to find. Starting with the Windows 11 22H2 update, Microsoft introduced native support for Start Menu folders in the Pinned section. This guide provides a straightforward walkthrough on how to create, name, edit, and remove app folders in your Windows 11 Start Menu.

Steps to Create an App Folder

1. Open the Start Menu: Click the Start button on your taskbar or press the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. Locate Your Pinned Apps: Ensure the apps you want to group together are already pinned to the Start Menu. If an app is not pinned, go to All apps, right-click the app, and select Pin to Start.
3. Drag and Drop: Click and hold the icon of one pinned app, drag it directly over another pinned app icon, and release the mouse button.
4. Folder Creation: The two apps will automatically combine into a single folder icon showing mini previews of the apps inside.

How to Name or Rename a Folder

1. Click on the newly created folder to open its expanded view.
2. Click on the text field labeled Edit name located above the app icons.
3. Type your preferred name (e.g., “Work,” “Browsers,” or “Games”) and press Enter.

Adding or Removing Apps from a Folder

• To add more apps: Drag any other pinned app from the Start Menu and drop it into the existing folder.
• To remove an app: Open the folder, click and hold the app you wish to remove, and drag it outside the folder boundary back onto the main Pinned area.

How to Delete a Folder

Windows 11 does not have a dedicated delete button for Start Menu folders. To delete a folder, simply drag all the apps out of the folder one by one. Once only one app remains inside, the folder will automatically dissolve back into a standard app icon.