How to Find Apps Faster

Written by Barry Dysert (last updated December 7, 2020)

I'm always looking for ways to make myself more efficient on the computer. One way I've found is to speed up how long it takes me to find an app that I want to use. There are many ways to find apps, of course, and probably my favorite way is to press the Windows key and start typing the app name. This is great if the app you're looking for has been indexed so that the Start menu can find it. But what about those apps that don't fit this category?

You can still use the Start menu to find your apps by using a special feature of the Start menu to quickly zero in on the app you want to use. You'll notice that the Windows 10 Start menu is divided into sections, and each section is preceded by a single letter to indicate the names of the apps below that letter: (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Start menu.

Now that the Start menu is displayed, if you want to launch an app that's near its bottom (for example, an app that would be listed in the "W" section) you don't need to scroll all the way down to find it. You can simply click any letter of a section header—like the "A" above all the Apps that begin with an "A"—and your Start menu will transform to something like an index. (Make sure you click the "A" heading; don't type the letter "A.") (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Start menu as an index.

Now you can click the "W" and the traditional Start menu appears, but it has instantly jumped down to the Apps that begin with "W." You can now launch an app in the "W" section like normal, and you didn't have to waste time scrolling through the Start menu to get to it.

 This tip (1213) applies to Windows 10.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

Deleting Events in Your Event Logs

You don't need to worry about event logs filling up your disk, but you still may want to clean them out eventually. This ...

Discover More

Using the ChkDsk Utility

The ChkDsk utility is a nice feature of Windows that lets you keep tabs on the health of your disk drives. This tip tells ...

Discover More

Sorting a Folder

When you have a lot of files in a folder, it is helpful to be able to know how to sort through all the files. Windows 10 ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Using Folder Properties to Count the Number of Files or Folders

Would knowing the number of files inside a folder be helpful? You can use the Folder Properties to count the items within ...

Discover More

Clipboard History

Windows has had cut and paste functionality for years. Windows 10 improves the Clipboard functionality by including a new ...

Discover More

Understanding the WinX Menu

Windows provides a special menu that allows you to easily access many common tools in the operating system. Here's the ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five minus 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

Newest Tips
Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.