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Windows XP Taskbar - Toolbar - Start Menu - Add or Remove Frequently Used Software Shortcuts on the Start Menu

SUMMARY: Customize your Windows XP Start menu - let it show more (or fewer) frequently-used software shortcuts.

By default, when you click on the Windows XP "Start" menu, shortcuts to programs that Windows XP believes you most-frequently access will appear, based on usage habits. This can be quite convenient in that you don't need to navigate multiple menus to find the software you need most. However:

1. You may find that not enough shortcuts are visible on the "Start" menu and want more.

2. For privacy reasons, especially if you share your computer with others, you may not want people to know the names of software packages you use the most.

You can tweak the number of programs Windows XP shows directly on the "Start" menu.

1. Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar, choosing "Properties".

2. When the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "Start Menu" tab.

3. Click "Customize" next to "Start Menu".

4. When the "Customize Start Menu" dialog box appears, next to "Number of programs on Start menu", choose a number from 0-30, as desired.

5. If you need to clear the shortcuts completely, click the "Clear List" button.

6. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.