(190) Microsoft Intune - Set Inital Start Menu for Windows 11 23H2
- Mr B SOE way
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
A customer reached out with wanting to set an initial start menu layout for their Windows 11 23H2 fleet, unfortunately for them if they were on Windows 11 24H2, we could use the .json and simply use the settings catalog option.

In this case, I attempted with start2.bin option as a win32 app which didn't give me the best success till I attempted using a remediation script.
What you will need to do first is:
Customise your start menu what you like to show up
Run PowerShell ISE and run the following:
$bytes = [IO.File]::ReadAllBytes("$ENV:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\start2.bin")
$base64String = [Convert]::ToBase64String($bytes)
$base64String | Out-File -FilePath C:\Temp\start2-base64.txt -Encoding ASCIIWhat this will do is convert the start2.bin file as base64 coding and you will dump the converted coding into this section $startMenuBase64
Save the below script to whatever you name you desire .ps1
$datetime = Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMddHHmmss'
$filename = "Transcript-deploy-startmenu-${datetime}.txt"
$Transcript = Join-Path -Path . -ChildPath $filename
Start-Transcript -Path $Transcript
# Start menu start2.bin in base64 format
$startMenuBase64 = "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"
# Decode and write the file
$bytes = [Convert]::FromBase64String($startMenuBase64)
# Define your destination path—adjust as needed per your environment:
$dest = Join-Path $ENV:LOCALAPPDATA '\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\start2.bin'
# Ensure the directory exists
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path (Split-Path $dest) -Force | Out-Null
# Write the bytes
[IO.File]::WriteAllBytes($dest, $bytes)
try {
Stop-Process -Name StartMenuExperienceHost -Force
Write-Host "start2.bin deployed to $dest"
exit 0
}
catch {
Write-Output "Initial Start-menu configuration failed: $($_)"
exit 1
}Next create the remediation script, only upload the 'detection' script as above to

Then select 'Run this script using the logged-on credentials' as 'Yes'
I tested this with wiped enrollment and tested which displayed as such.

I then customised it with using different shortcuts added to the start menu which sticks and doesn't drop off.
The whole point of this test was to make sure any end users who add their specific start menu items will be there after X number of restarts which I have recorded.



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