Start menu button not center aligned - Windows 11

from Stardock Forums

After sidegrading from three displays all running 2560x1440 displays to a 4K + a 2560x1440 display, the start button is no longer center aligned. I currently only have two physical monitors. I also have a virtual monitor that is only active when streaming games to my Nvidia Shield, but removing the virtual monitor entirely seems to make no difference, and it was also there before changing the physical displays, when the start button was center aligned on all three physical displays without any issues.

Windows 11, 23H2
Start11 2.11 through Steam.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix, or is this just another bug?

start menu products
1,542 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. But, do note that Center aligned only work for two monitors. As your two monitors setup, have you tried restarting Explorer.exe and see if the Start button move to center. Try any of these steps to restart Explorer.exe : https://www.howtogeek.com/198815/use-this-secret-trick-to-close-and-restart-explorerexe-in-windows/

If that don't work. We need more information.

  1. Windows 11 full version and OS Build number.
  2. Start11 full version number.
  3. Just as a test, If you change monitor 1 to landscape orientation, restart explorer.exe, does the issue resolved?

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello Basj

As I write in the original post I am running Windows 11, 23H2 and Start11 2.11 through Steam.

Restarting Explorer makes no difference. I only have two monitors, as the third is a disconnected virtual monitor - and removing it does not solve the problem.

Also, the center aligned start menu button has worked fine for me with three monitors for as long as I've used it - it is only after switching out two QHD for one 4K monitor that it has stopped working.

Regards
Balder

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

We need Full version and OS Build number. Please use Winver.exe. Its something like this

and

Quoting basj, reply 1

Just as a test, If you change monitor 1 to landscape orientation, restart explorer.exe, does the issue resolved?
End of basj's quote

Does it work on?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello Basj

Changing monitor 1 to landscape and restarting explorer makes no difference.

My windows info is:

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Great, thank you for the information. Please try these. Uninstall Start11, reboot immediately right after uninstall is done. Re-install Start11 via Steam, reboot immediately again, right after installation is done. Retest it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi Basj

I did as you tried, and while it didn't solve the problem, I think it might've pointed to where the problem is.

Immediately after reinstalling the center alignment was okay. I could switch between left and center alignment without any problems. I noticed that the setting in Start11 is simultaneously applied in the Windows taskbar settings, as shown in the screenshots below.

However as soon as I enable "Let Start11 enhance the taskbar" the Windows taskbar setting is set to left regardless of what setting is chosen in Start11.

To summarize: when Start11 is not enhancing the taskbar everything works fine. When Start11 is set to enhance the taskbar, the start button is left-aligned even though the rest of the icons on the taskbar are allowed to remain in the center.

Any other suggestions?

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

I just realized that when I was using 3 QHD monitors (+ the virtual display) I didn't have Start11 set to enhance the taskbar. It seems the 2-monitor limitation for center-aligning the taskbar, is only for when Start11 isn't enhancing the taskbar.

Removing the virtual display and its drivers in device manager - even though it was already disabled - made the start button become center aligned again.

So I guess my problem falls under the already known limitation. Any idea of the timeframe for when this limitation will be overcome?

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Glad you have figure that out. As for the when Start11 will be able to support center start button on more than 2 monitors, there is no official announcement on it yet. From what I know, the limitation has something to do on how Windows 11 handles its taskbar. Hopefully something change in Windows 11 in the future that making Start button possible on more than 2 monitors.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant