Windows 10's Start menu is home to numerous shortcuts, primarily to the applications you have installed, key folders, and settings. But it can be used to house so much more, and Start Menu Manager is a free, open source tool that enables you to create a wide range of custom shortcuts in the Start menu to help boost your productivity.

Using this handy software, you can create shortcuts to software, websites, files, folders, commands or even create shortcuts that perform multiple actions in a row. Start Menu Manager is incredibly simple to used when it comes to creating most types of shortcuts, and all of your creations are stored in a JSON file that can be used to transfer settings to another computer, or just create a backup.

But while the ability to create customisable shortcuts to local on online content is very handy, it is arguably the Multi-Action option which is the most useful. With this feature, you can create a shortcut that, for example, opens all of the applications you need to start your daily work, the folder you store your documents in, and the website you need to log into your CMS.

The beauty of Multi-Action shortcuts is simply that they are so incredibly versatile. You can create a range of shortcuts that gear you up for different work – or play – scenarios with a single click.

Start Menu Manager is deceptively simple. At first glance it really may not seem like it offers very much, but in reality it is a tool that gives you a huge amount of control – you just need to think up how it can best help you. There are no rules, no guidance, just the power to make your computing life a little easier.