How to add a name to a Start menu folder on Windows 10

Windows 10 now lets you name each folder you create in the Start menu, and in this guide, you'll learn how to do it.

Start menu folder name on Windows 10
Start menu folder name on Windows 10

In the Creators Update, Windows 10 introduced “folders” in the Start menu, which is another way to organize and personalize your tiles. The process to create a new folder is easy. The only thing you need to do is to drag and drop a tile on top of another tile to create a new folder.

The only caveat is that the feature didn’t offer an option to name the folder like it’s possible when grouping tiles into sections. However, starting with Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update), the Start menu now allows you to use custom names for every folder you create, which not only makes the experience a little more complete, but it also helps you to quickly understand at glance the apps inside the folder without having to open it.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to use a custom name for folders in the Start menu.

How to add a custom name Start menu folders

On Windows 10, you can name your Start menu folders using these steps:

  1. Open Start.

  2. Click a folder tile to open it. If you don’t have any folders, you can simply drag a tile on top of another to create a new folder.

  3. Click the folder header, which should read “Name folder.”

  4. Type a descriptive name for the folder and press Enter.

    Start menu folder name option
    Start menu folder name option

After completing the steps, you’ll notice the custom name in the lower-left corner of the tile.

If you don’t see this option in the Start menu, it’s because you’re not running the supported version of Windows 10. The ability to rename folders is available starting Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) and later.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.