Add “Downloads” folder to the Windows Vista Start menu

July 10th, 2008 • Filed Under • by Ramesh Srinivasan

We saw how to add the Videos folder to the Windows Vista Start menu. Here is another registry hack to add the Downloads folder to the Start menu by replacing Games.

Note: The registry hack below replaces Games link in the Start menu with Downloads. If you apply this hack, the Games Explorer functionality will get disabled. However, you can run individual games from Start, All Programs, Games folder. Also, instructions are provided in this article on how to reverse the changes.

Replacing Start menu Games with Downloads

1. Download downloads-sm-vista.zip and save the file to your Desktop

2. Unzip the file and extract the two .REG files to your Desktop

3. Right-click on the file downloads_sm.reg and choose Merge

4. Click Yes when asked for confirmation.

5. Logoff and login back (or restart explorer.exe) so that the Start menu is updated.

Editor’s Note: The Info Tip text ("Play and manage games on your computer") that appears when you hover the mouse cursor over the Videos icon seems to be unchangeable.

Undo Information

To reverse the above registry hack, right-click on the file undo-downloads_sm.reg (included in the above Zip file) and choose Merge. Click Yes when asked for confirmation. Logoff and login back.


Copyright © 2008 Ramesh Srinivasan. All rights reserved.

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There Are 3 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Peter on 13 July 2008:

    Is there any way to get it to open as a menu, and not a link please?

  2. Comment by Richard on 2 September 2008:

    Thanks for the information! One question:

    Is there a way to replace a folder on the start menu with anything else using a registry hack? I wanted to replace the useless Games folder with another folder that I created that isn’t a standard part of Vista (unlike Videos, Downloads etc.). I understand the registry hack has something to do with the CLSID of the folder, but I don’t know how to obtain the CLSID of the folder. I’m also totally ignorant of how the registry works, so it’s all a bit confusing.

    If you can help at all, I’d be most grateful.

  3. Comment by Ryan on 7 September 2008:

    Thank you tons for this! I’ve wished that Downloads could be in the start menu for quite a while now! haha

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