Transform your Windows 11 Start Menu to achieve a sleek Windows 12 look by following these simple steps using the Windows 11 Start Menu Styler Windhawk mod. This guide will walk you through the installation and customization process to enhance your Start Menu’s appearance effortlessly.

This theme is based on 1920*1080 and 100dpi, so it may look irregular at resolutions below that.

Steps to Install Windhawk and the Mod:

Download and install Windhawk.

Open Windhawk and go to “Explore” in the upper right menu.

Search for “Windows 11 Start Menu Styler” and click “Details.”

Click “Install” and accept any pop-ups.

After installing the mod:
Open the “Settings” tab → paste the YAML-formatted code into “Textual mode” or
Open the “Advanced” tab → paste the JSON-formatted code into “Mod settings”

Mode Code

theme: VinStar
disableNewStartMenuLayout: legacyClassicLayout
styleConstants:
  - FlowDirection=0
  - Text=
  - Visibility=Visible
  - Visibility2=Collapsed
controlStyles:
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#UndockedRoot
    styles:
      - Margin=-260,-85,0,0
      - MaxWidth=450
      - Visibility=$Visibility
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#AllAppsRoot
    styles:
      - Margin=250,0,0,0
      - Transform3D:=<CompositeTransform3D TranslateX="-580" />
      - Visibility=$Visibility
      - Width=320
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Button#CloseAllAppsButton
    styles:
      - Visibility=$Visibility2
  - target: StartDocked.StartSizingFrame
    styles:
      - MaxHeight=690
      - MaxWidth=690
      - MinWidth=690
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#ShowMoreSuggestions
    styles:
      - Visibility=$Visibility2
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Button#ShowAllAppsButton
    styles:
      - Visibility=$Visibility2
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.GridView#RecommendedList > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ScrollViewer#ScrollViewer > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border#Root > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ScrollContentPresenter#ScrollContentPresenter > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ItemsPresenter > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ItemsWrapGrid > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.GridViewItem
    styles:
      - MaxWidth=380
      - MinWidth=380
  - target: StartDocked.AllAppsGridListView#AppsList
    styles:
      - Background:=pink
      - Padding=0,3,6,16
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#AllAppsPaneHeader
    styles:
      - Margin=47,-125,0,0
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#SuggestionsParentContainer
    styles:
      - Height=168
      - Margin=-20,0,0,0
  - target: StartDocked.NavigationPaneView#NavigationPane
    styles:
      - FlowDirection=$FlowDirection
      - Margin=30,0,30,0
  - target: StartDocked.PowerOptionsView#PowerButton
    styles:
      - FlowDirection=$FlowDirection
  - target: StartDocked.AppListView#NavigationPanePlacesListView
    styles:
      - FlowDirection=1
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ListViewItem
    styles:
      - FlowDirection=$FlowDirection
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ItemsStackPanel > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ListViewItem
    styles:
      - FlowDirection=$FlowDirection
  - target: StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton#StartMenuSearchBox
    styles:
      - Margin=23,101,23,14
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.TextBlock#NoSuggestionsWithoutSettingsLink
    styles:
      - Margin=11,0,48,0
  - target: StartDocked.LauncherFrame > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#RootGrid > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#RootContent > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#MainContent > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#InnerContent > Windows.UI.Xaml.Shapes.Rectangle
    styles:
      - Margin=67,7,0,21
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.SemanticZoom#ZoomControl
    styles:
      - IsZoomOutButtonEnabled=true
      - Margin=0
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Button#ZoomOutButton > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ContentPresenter#ContentPresenter > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.TextBlock
    styles:
      - Text=$Text
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Button#ZoomOutButton
    styles:
      - Background=Transparent
      - BorderBrush=Transparent
      - CornerRadius=4
      - FontSize=14
      - Height=28
      - Margin=-1,-76,50,0
      - VerticalAlignment=0
      - Width=28
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ListView#ZoomAppsList
    styles:
      - Padding=86,0,27,0
  - target: StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton
    styles:
      - Height=35
      - Margin=440,25,20,0
  - target: StartMenu.PinnedList
    styles:
      - Height=335
      - Margin=0,0,0,-20
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.TextBlock#PinnedListHeaderText
    styles:
      - Margin=-30,0,0,0
      - Visibility=$Visibility
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#TopLevelSuggestionsListHeader
    styles:
      - Margin=35,0,0,0
  - target: StartDocked.LauncherFrame > Grid#RootGrid > Grid#RootContent > Grid#MainContent > Grid#InnerContent > Rectangle
    styles:
      - Visibility=$Visibility2
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border#ContentBorder > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#DroppedFlickerWorkaroundWrapper > Border#BackgroundBorder
    styles:
      - Margin=2
  - target: Rectangle[4]
    styles:
      - Margin=0,-20,0,0
  - target: GridView#RecommendedList
    styles:
      - Margin=-20,0,20,0
  - target: Border#AcrylicBorder
    styles:
      - Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor="{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}" FallbackColor="{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}" TintOpacity="0" TintLuminosityOpacity=".85" Opacity="1"/>
      - CornerRadius=12
  - target: Border#AcrylicOverlay
    styles:
      - BorderThickness=0
      - CornerRadius=12,5,5,0
      - Margin=0,0,260,2
  - target: StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton > Grid > Border
    styles:
      - Background:=<SolidColorBrush Color="{ThemeResource SystemChromeAltHighColor}" Opacity=".8"/>
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.TextBlock#MoreSuggestionsListHeaderText.TextBlock
    styles:
      - Text=$Text
  - target: StartMenu:ExpandedFolderList
    styles:
      - Margin=0,0,10,0
  - target: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ContentPresenter#ZoomedOutPresenter
    styles:
      - Margin=-70,0,0,0
  - target: Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.PipsPager#PinnedListPipsPager
    styles:
      - Visibility=$Visibility2

Paste the code into the Settings > Textual Mode.

How to remove Recommended

To remove the recommended section from the start menu, paste the following code just above the closing brace }at the end of the script in “Advanced > Mod Settings”

,
  "controlStyles[37].target": "StartMenu.PinnedList",
  "controlStyles[37].styles[0]": "Height=573",
  "controlStyles[38].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#TopLevelSuggestionsListHeader",
  "controlStyles[38].styles[0]": "Visibility=Collapsed",
  "controlStyles[39].target": "GridView#RecommendedList",
  "controlStyles[39].styles[0]": "Visibility=Collapsed"

Paste the code into the Advanced > Mod settings.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can easily transform your Windows 11 Start Menu to resemble the modern and sleek Windows 12 concept style. This customization not only enhances the visual appeal but also provides a refreshed user experience, making your Start Menu more enjoyable and functional.

Screen size 1920*1080 and above

Summary Box

NameWindows 12 Start Menu

CategoryWindows 11 Start Menu Styler

PlatformWindows 11

DeveloperVIN STAR

Windhawk Mod Styles

12 Comments

Gruba October 26, 2024 at 12:13 pm


Hello, is it possible to get the dark mode wallpaper? it is very cool. The link in the Youtube video does not have this wallpaper.
Kazama November 16, 2024 at 1:36 am


The “Recommended Remove” option that you showed is not working.
1. Nhu January 18, 2025 at 4:39 pm
  
  
  You should read that one, that one says”To remove the recommended section from the start menu, paste the following code just above the closing brace }at the end of the script”
Silfilia December 5, 2024 at 3:16 pm


For “Recommended Remove” to work, you need to put a “,” after the (“controlStyles[37].styles[0]”: “Margin=-70,0,0,0”) >> (“controlStyles[37].styles[0]”: “Margin=-70,0,0,0”,). And after that, insert the script “Recommended Remove”
Anonymous December 28, 2024 at 5:42 pm


didnt do anythin, followed instructions exactly as written. The translucent theme makes the start menu translucent but nothing else works, my start menu is in the exact same format as before
Awais December 31, 2024 at 1:22 am


is it possible to change the look of this style? The app list on the left side and the pinned icons on the right but the below buttons should remain the same way, profile icon on the left and power menu on the right….
Mandeep Dhakal January 21, 2025 at 8:31 am


Hello i Need help. How can i make it translucent. plz I made start menu translucent but I could not make the expendad search box translucent. could you help me plz. I tryed somuch but could not.
Thank YOU plz help.
1. Outer January 21, 2025 at 6:04 pm
  
  
  Find this line
  ”controlStyles[34].target”: “StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton > Grid > Border”,
  “controlStyles[34].styles[0]”: “Background:=<SolidColorBrush Color=\”{ThemeResource SystemChromeAltHighColor}\” Opacity=\”.8\”/>”,
  and Replace
  “controlStyles[34].styles[0]”: “Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\”{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\” FallbackColor=\”{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\” TintOpacity=\”0\” TintLuminosityOpacity=\”0\” Opacity=\”1\”/>”,
casper January 30, 2025 at 5:25 am


Is there a way to get the accompanying glass skin for the taskbar like in the photo?
1. VIN STAR February 5, 2025 at 6:21 pm
  
  
  here – https://www.vinstartheme.com/modern-taskbar/
Hoàng Nam October 6, 2025 at 3:08 pm


My Start Menu is cutting the P of “Pinned”
Anonymous January 24, 2026 at 7:38 pm


an easily transform Windows 10’s Start Menu to resemble the modern and sleek Windows 12 Start Menu concept style?

Windows 12 Start Menu