StartAllBack

StartAllBack versus the older StartIsBack editions

Start with your operating system, not the visual style you want. The publisher calls StartAllBack its Windows 11 edition; StartIsBack++ serves Windows 10, while StartIsBack and StartIsBack+ are tailored to Windows 8 and 8.1. A Windows 7-style taskbar is an appearance option, not a Windows 7 system requirement.

That distinction matters when following an older guide. A guide written for StartIsBack++ can describe a similar-looking menu while linking a different program. The download on this page is the official StartAllBack dispatcher, whose retained HEAD response identified the 3.9.28 EXE without transferring its body.

Choose the taskbar behavior you actually miss

The clearest reason to use StartAllBack is a concrete taskbar preference: readable task labels, a vertical edge position, smaller or larger icons, or more control over spacing. The official feature list also includes centering icons without moving the Start button and splitting the bar into translucent segments. These are distinct choices, not a requirement to adopt one complete retro preset.

The publisher says Start menu and taskbar styles can be selected separately. That makes it reasonable to choose the part you need rather than treating the application as an all-or-nothing theme pack. Configuration is opened through Properties on the Start button or opened Start menu, according to the family FAQ.

For a focused setup, start with one taskbar change from that list: labels if you want text beside icons, an edge position if you want a side taskbar, or icon margins if spacing is the problem. Open Properties by right-clicking the Start button or the opened Start menu, then choose the taskbar and menu styles separately. This is a suggested way to use the documented controls, not a claim that a particular preset was installed or tested here.

What changes beyond the Start menu

Explorer-related options include a restyled Ribbon and Command Bar, a bottom details pane and the older search-box style. The publisher also lists extended dark-mode coverage for dialogs and new rounded acrylic context menus. Those controls affect the Windows shell itself; they are not another independent file manager.

The retained publisher screenshot shows a classic two-column menu, a search field, system shortcuts and labeled taskbar buttons against a horses wallpaper. Its taskbar clock shows 5 October 2021. It illustrates the interface direction, not the appearance of version 3.9.28 or every feature in that release; it was not produced by installing the program for this entry.

Read release history before matching a Windows build

The retained official history lists support for the then-current 23H2/24H2 builds in 3.8 on 31 July 2024, 25H2 support in 3.9.15 on 4 September 2025, and formal 26H2 support in 3.9.26 on 21 September 2026. Version 3.9.27 then fixes dark mode with 26H2 features, followed by 3.9.28 improvements and fixes on 12 October 2026. These are version-specific release notes, not a complete minimum-build matrix or blanket support for every Insider image.

For a machine whose shell changed after an update, compare the Windows release with the publisher’s current notes rather than copying an old package number from a screenshot. No Windows installation, upgrade, performance measurement or compatibility test was carried out for this entry.

Use the publisher route and read the licence

The official site exposes both its download link and a machine-scope WinGet command: winget install StartIsBack.StartAllBack --scope machine. This entry links the original download dispatcher. Its retained HEAD-only check followed the publisher redirect to StartAllBack_3.9.28_setup.exe with application/octet-stream; that is package identity evidence, not a malware assessment.

A licence is purchased through the publisher’s linked StartIsBack site, and activation is online. The shared family FAQ and StartAllBack version history contain different trial-duration statements, so this entry deliberately does not promise an exact evaluation length. The current installer and purchase terms, not an old review, determine the applicable licence.

Publisher-documented disable and uninstall paths

The official family FAQ explicitly names StartIsBack/StartAllBack in its recovery advice: hold Escape while logging in to disable all functionality when an older application version has problems after a Windows update. This is a publisher-documented escape route, not a recovery operation tested here.

For removal, the same FAQ directs users to Control Panel, Programs and Features, then Uninstall. Its wording says to find StartIsBack even though the question covers both products; use the installed product entry rather than deleting unrelated Windows shell files. No manual DLL replacement, security-setting change or unofficial repair script is prescribed.