<p>If you have the need to customize the Windows 10 Start Menu and Taskbar using Group policy, in this article you will learn how to do it.</p>
<p>Log in to Windows and set the Start Menu as you wish. This means, create or remove applications tiles, resize tiles etc.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone wp-image-2933 size-full" title="customize Windows 10 Start Menu and Taskbar " src="https://www.wincert.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/win10-start-menu.png" alt="customize Windows 10 Start Menu and Taskbar " width="554" height="518" /></p>
<p>Once you&#8217;re done, run the command prompt (CMD) and type the following command:</p>
<p><strong>Export-StartLayout -path C:\temp\startlayout.xml</strong></p>
<p>This command will export your Start Menu layout to <strong>.xml</strong> file.</p>
<p>It should look similar to this:</p>
<pre><;LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification" xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout">; 
<;LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />; 
<;DefaultLayoutOverride>; 
<;StartLayoutCollection>; 
<;defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">; 
<;start:Group Name="">; 
<;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Excel.lnk" />; 
 <;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Word.lnk" />; 
 <;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Access.lnk" />; 
 <;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="4" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Acrobat Reader DC.lnk" />; 
 <;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Snipping Tool.lnk" />; 
 <;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Explorer.lnk" />; 
 <;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint.lnk" />; 
<;/start:Group>; 
<;/defaultlayout:StartLayout>; 
<;/StartLayoutCollection>; 
<;/DefaultLayoutOverride>; 
<;/LayoutModificationTemplate>;</pre>
<p>For some reason, Internet Explorer shortcut wasn&#8217;t appearing in the Start Menu once I have applied this XML through Group Policy so to solve this I had to change this line:</p>
<pre><;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Explorer.lnk" />;</pre>
<p>to this:</p>
<pre><;start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk" />;</pre>
<p>Also, you have to copy Internet Explorer.lnk shortcut file to <strong>%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk</strong> in order to get this to work.</p>
<p>To force this Start Menu layout with Group Policy, create a new <strong>Group Policy object</strong>, link it to <strong>Computers container</strong> and edit the newly created policy in the following way:</p>
<p>Navigate to <strong>Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | Start Menu and Taskbar</strong></p>
<p>In the right pane click on the <strong>Start Screen Layout</strong></p>
<p>Use UNC path to the <strong>XML</strong> file you have exported before. I recommend creating a subfolder in <strong>SYSVOL\%domainname%\</strong> folder and putting the <strong>XML</strong> file in it.</p>
<p>Additionally, if you would like to customize the Taskbar, you&#8217;ll have to add the following code just after the <strong><;/DefaultLayoutOverride>;</strong> tag:</p>
<pre><;CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">; 
<;defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>; 
<;taskbar:TaskbarPinList>; 
<;taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />; 
<;taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Internet Explorer.lnk" />; 
<;/taskbar:TaskbarPinList>; 
<;/defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>; 
<;/CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>;</pre>
<p>This will add the custom Taskbar layout using the same policy and XML file. With policy set as above, your Taskbar will have only File Explorer and Internet Explorer shortcuts.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone wp-image-2935 size-full" title="customize Windows 10 Start Menu and Taskbar " src="https://www.wincert.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/taskbar.png" alt="customize Windows 10 Start Menu and Taskbar " width="446" height="59" /></p>
<p>If anyone will not be able to customize Windows 10 Start Menu and Taskbar using this guide, please post below and I&#8217;ll try to help.</p>