Windows 10: How to remove items from the Start Menu

The Windows 10 Start Menu is not as customizable as it used to be in Windows 7. While the part on the right (the tiles) can be easily removed and added by right-clicking them, the traditional part on the left (folders and shortcuts) is not customizable any more. In Windows 7, you could right-click on a shortcut and then delete or rename it. Not any more in Windows 10.

There are tricks to modify the Windows 10 Start Menu shortcuts anyway. Find the instructions to do so below:

Traditional Applications

The traditional applications (like Word) still create their Start Menu items in the file system under:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

So you can go there in File Explorer and delete or rename stuff.

Modern Apps

Unfortunately, Modern Apps don't store their shortcuts in the file system. They store it in the registry and databases. The best way to get rid of a Start Menu item is to uninstall the program. So if you don't want to have "Calculator" in the Start Menu, uninstall it.

But some Modern Apps cannot be uninstalled as this is blocked by Microsoft. For some of those, you can use Power Shell or you can at least disable them by renaming the folder in the SystemApps directory. Renaming the folder does not remove the Start Menu item, though.

For 3 items in the Start Menu, none of the above methods worked, I could not get them removed from the Start Menu:

Connect (Miracast)
Mixed Reality Portal
Wireless Display Media Viewer

So the solution I found is the following:

  • Change a flag in the Apps database for those packages to make them uninstallable
  • Uninstall those packages with Power Shell

This will remove the items from the Start Menu. Here are the steps in detail.

  1. Download the tool PSEXEC from Microsoft/Sysinternals: https://technet.microsoft.com/de-de/sysinternals/bb897553.aspx
    Unzip it to your hard disk
  2. Download the tool SQLLite Browser from: http://sqlitebrowser.org/
    Choose "Portable App" and install it
  3. Start a cmd box as Administrator
  4. CD to the directory where PSEXEC.exe sits
  5. Type
    psexec.exe -i -s -d cmd.exe
    to start a second cmd box with system rights
  6. In that second command box, CD to the directory where SQLLiteDatabaseBrowserPortable.exe sits
  7. Type
    SQLiteDatabaseBrowserPortable.exe
  8. Once SQLLite is open, click on the “Open Database” button at the top
  9. Choose the following database:
    C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\
    StateRepository-Machine.srd
  10. Now, click on the “Browse Data” tab, and change the table to “Package”
  11. Look under the PackageFullName column for the following 3 packages
    Windows.MiracastView _6.3.0.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
    Microsoft.Windows.HolographicFirstRun _10.0.15063.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
    Microsoft.PPIProjection _10.0.15063.0_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
  12. For all 3 packages, set the column IsInbox to 0
  13. Click on "Save changes"
  14. Now start Power Shell as Administrator
  15. Run the uninstallation for the 3 apps
    get-appxpackage -allusers | where {$_.name -like “*mira*”} | remove-appxpackage
    get-appxpackage -allusers | where {$_.name -like “*holographicfirstrun*”} | remove-appxpackage
    get-appxpackage -allusers | where {$_.name -like “*ppiprojection*”} | remove-appxpackage

Now all three entries in the Start Menu should be gone. Of course, you can also uninstall other non-uninstallable apps with this method.

Remember, that this is not an official way supported by Microsoft, but it worked fine for me.

29 thoughts on “Windows 10: How to remove items from the Start Menu”

  1. This method seems to no longer work with the latest 1903 feature update... Has anyone figured out how to remove Connect after the 1903 feature update?

  2. Excelent!
    By the same way I removed from start menu Game Bar (all "xbox" items) and Phone.
    Win10 ver. 1809

  3. Thanks, has been working for me (and many other machines around me). Recently however, I had to re-install windows, tried but got stuck at step 5.
    It doesn't open a second cmd box and after many minutes on "Connecting with PsExec service on [computer name]..." says
    "Error establishing communication with PsExec service on IX:
    The network path was not found."

    I've tried numerous things including checking sfc and restoring health via dism but nothing seems to work.
    Windows version 1803 (build 17134.407).

    1. Same. Need services. Try:

      @echo off

      cd /d "~dp0"

      sc stop PSEXESVC && sc delete PSEXESVC && del /f /q /a "%windir%\PSEXESVC.exe"

      sc config LanmanWorkstation start= demand && sc start LanmanWorkstation

      sc config LanmanServer start= demand && sc start LanmanServer

      sc config lmhosts start= demand && sc start lmhosts

      "%cd%\psexec.exe" -i -s -d cmd.exe

      sc stop PSEXESVC && sc delete PSEXESVC && del /f /q /a "%windir%\PSEXESVC.exe"

      ---

      Thank you for the article. A addition:
      Firstly, need delete the "TRG_AFTER_UPDATE_Package_SRJournal" from Triggers in SQLiteDatabaseBrowser. Otherwise, IsInbox can't to 0.

      1. Firstly, need delete the "TRG_AFTER_UPDATE_Package_SRJournal" from Triggers in SQLiteDatabaseBrowser. Otherwise, IsInbox can't to 0.

        wow, thanks!!, i couldnt do it since the october update, with this trick was possible, i guess Microsoft will put things harder in every update, they should leave the options to the users.

  4. I keep getting an error when I open the StateRepository-Machine.srd and it says "Could not open database file. Reason: Disk I/O error"

  5. Thanks to this Tip. Good job. I have Apply this solution on my own professional laptop.
    But unfortunately, we cannot apply this workaround for mass deployment. As I’m working with MDT and Windows 10 1803 Gold image for my firm.

    It’s really STUPID of Microsoft team to impose this mixed reality 4universal app in the start menu.
    Because in professional environment, not everybody can spend money to buy Hardware compliant for Reality Device.
    And we do not want such stuff SPOIL the start menu.

  6. Hey!

    After you do this another app shows up in start menu called mixed reality viewer or sth like that. To remove it you need to do another command in powershell:

    get-appxpackage -allusers | where {$_.name -like “*3dviewer*”} | remove-appxpackage

    1. I wonder - is it possible to delete start menu links to Microsoft Edge and Feedback Hub this way also?

  7. Not sure if anyone still looks at this thread but it was very helpful. I got it removed but eventually Mixed Reality Portal comes back as a new app. Any suggestions on how to remove it and not communicate so it installs again or for new users.

    Any suggestions on how to use this with MDT and imaging?

    Thanks for your help. Great work.

  8. Thank you sir! This just made my day! Ive been trying to remove the mixed reality from start menu for some time now with no success. This worked first try. Thanks!

  9. There is a much easier solution to remove the Wireless display viewer and other stubborn shortcuts without doing crazy stuff. Just make a new folder in the start menu and call it anything. Move the start menu items into that folder, then delete the folder. Problem solved. No crazy registry or SQL hacks!

      1. Yes, but the entries might come back when you do the half-yearly Windows upgrade (e.g. Creators Update). You would have to do it again after the upgrade.

  10. I have downloaded the PS Tools, unzipped it and downloaded the SQLiteDatebaseBrowser Portable App. After that, I do not know how to do Steps #3-#7. Sorry I'm not an expert when it comes to working with SQL, SQLite, etc. Is there anyone that can help me on this? Any help will be appreciated.

  11. Great Tutorial!
    Thank you very much indeed.
    Only thing is that it seems to me that there is some confusion between packages and Start Menu entries / Apps. In fact, it is the Microsoft.PPIProjection command which makes the Connect shortcut disappear and not the MiracastView command which in turn should work with WDMV. Unless it is both of them, actually. Uhmmmm...
    Would you mind to check this out?

      1. Admin, whoever found this ... Pretty tricky ... You should mention that the people have to change "SQLite database files("*.db .....") to All files(*) choosing "StateRepository-Machine.srd" ... Thank you very much, michael

  12. i got stuck here
    i couldnt find the way StateRepository-Machine.srd

    Choose the following database:
    C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\
    StateRepository-Machine.srd

  13. Thanks alot for this.

    However, I am left with 2 questions:
    1. Besides uninstalling the app completely, is there any possibility to simply remove the entry in the start menu?

    2. Messing around with the StateRepository file, I have found that there is a column labeled "Logo", that is pointing to a .png file within the WindowsApps folder.
    Since 1703 it appears that I cannot replace these files anymore. Would there be any possibility to change the StateRepository, in order to point to a different/custom icon file?
    I have tried changing it to a file outside the app folder (i.e. in WindowsApps) but without success.

    Cheers

    pakz

    1. For 1. I did not find any possibility to just remove it from the Start Menu. It must be buried really deep inside some config file.

      Regarding 2. I have not played with the Logo column, so I cannot really help you there either.

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