Windows 7 Start Button Changer: Change Windows 7 Start Button With One Click

Windows 7 Start Button Changer is a free tiny portable tool that allows you to change your Windows 7 start orb/button with just one click.

Just follow the 1-2-3 simple steps to change your start orb:

1. Run the tool as administrator and click on “Select & Change Start Button”.

2. When it asks for the new start orb bitmap, either choose from any of the sample start orb bitmaps provided or choose the one you have.
If you have changed the start orb bitmap for the first time using this tool then it will create a backup of the unmodified explorer.exe.

3. The Windows Explorer will now restart automatically and you will get the new start orb/button which you choosed.

If you want to revert to the original start orb then click on “Restore Original Explorer Backup”.

The credits of the 10 sample start orb bitmaps are mentioned in the “Credits.txt” file in the 10 Sample Orbs folder.

Download Link

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  • alien m15x
    Hi. I'm running Windows 7 64-bit.i have the latest version of the program and i am manually taking ownership but the problem is that i only see the first icon of the bmp image in all of the 10 sample orbs and others i download from deviant art.mouse pointer over the start button doesn't change anything not even when i press it.what is the problem?
  • Odd. Does the orb change in the default orb?
  • Alien M15x
    yes.when i press original explorer it comes back to default.what am i doing wrong?Do i have to put the W7SBC folder in a specific location?
  • You don't have to put the W7SBC folder in a specific location. Just tell me that does the orb change when you select the original orb?
  • Alien M15x
    yes when i select the original orb it changes back to the original.the explorer_backup_w7sbc.exe exists in my Windows folder
  • Does Windows change the orb icon when you hover over it now?
  • rush1984
    Mine doesnt change when i mouse over it or click either, ive tried lots of difrent orbs but i only get a static orb, when i chnage back to normal it works fine
  • This bug will be fixed in the next version.
  • X_Chrono
    I have the same problem, and I'm using Win 7 Pro. edition also.....

    The latest version is working, but it's just a static orb.....

    no hover when u put cursor on or click the button, just show the first pic of orb (the top one) and not showing the second and the third pic....

    please help....
  • It will be fixed in the next version.
  • shockky
    XD
  • Ita2
    No me Aparicio continua Con El icono de las ventanas
    gracias
    Que me suiguiere?
  • MarsMellow
    Very Nice Work! I only have 1 question: When I set my text size (DPI) to 125% (Medium) It doesn't work anymore, It even doesn't after I tried take ownership of explorer.exe. Also tried resizing the .bmp image to 125% with paint, but nothing seems to help.

    Any Ideas?

    Thanks in advance,

    Grtz,

    MarsMellow
  • In v3.0, it will support all DPIs.
  • n1nj4lo
    What do you save the BMP's as? 16 Bit 1. R5 G6 B5, 2. A1 R5 G5 B5, 3. X1 R5 G5 B5, 24 Bit 4. R8 G8 B8 or 32 Bit 5. A8 R8 G8 B8, 6. X8 R8 G8 B8? Thanks, I want to create some startbar icons of my own, but the last time I tried it worked but it showed a white boarder around it..
  • Have a look at the following video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-9FC6P0lKU
  • Fleon
    Hey, just a heads up- only works when the DPI is set to 100%. If you set it to 125% it doesn't work!
  • I know that. v2.5 will change the orb in all DPIs.
  • Joel
    hi !
    same error here.
    Service Pack 6 did not work.
  • Service Pack 6? Windows 7 SP1 is not yet out.
  • Robert
    Hi, I still get the "Unhandled Exception" Framework.NET Error.
    Yes, I used the latest version and admin rights. Error appears anyhow.
    Maybe it has sth to do with the Win 7 Version since my Notebook shows the same error as my desktop machine and both use Win 7 Pro (x64 & x32).

    Could u try on a Win7 Pro PC yourself to check that?
  • Marcelo
    Resolution "Unhandled Exception" Framework.NET Error.

    Change the Permissions of the explorer.exe file to Full Control.
  • Aemony
    When using 1.0 on x64 I get a "Procedure call or argument not valid" error upon selecting an image, every time. Have tried more than ten times with the same result.
  • Which version of Windows 7 are you using?
  • Aemony
    Not that it should matter, but it's the Ultimate edition.
  • I am also using Ultimate and it's working perfect. Will find a solution though.
  • John
    Any chance of you making a tool for ExplorerFrame.dll aswell?
  • kX
    Error in 64 bits :/ any solution?
  • wagga
    it's only for seven ultimate or other version also?
  • It shall work fine with other versions also.
  • Wazza
    Thanks man but the link always brings us to version 1.0 where is version 3.0????
  • The latest version available is v1.0. v3 was the old version.
  • Mike
    Ok I used v1.0 and it still wouldn't change my start orb . It just closes explorer.exe automatically and I have to restart explorer.exe manually and the start orb stays the same . Like I mentioned before I already went ahead and got full ownership of C:\Windows and I did change my start orb manually once before . I'm to change my start orb once more now with your tool. By the way great job on creating the tool.
  • Mike
    Wasn't there V3 out ? I remember downloading Start Orb Changer V3 which fixes alot of the errors .
  • The latest version fixes more bugs than v3.
  • Mike
    What version is the latest one after v3? Ver 1.0 ? Cause it won't change my start orb . I have already took ownership of the entire C:\windows folder and manually changed my start orb before manually I want to use the windows 7 start orb changer to change my orb again but it wont change it just stops my explorer.exe and I have to restart the explorer.exe . No errors pop up .
  • Sieg
    I missed my "c:\windows\explorer.exe" since I upgraded to win7 from xp. I just installed my xp in some partition and the driver letter doesn't change to "c:" automatically during win7 upgrading. so please take place the "c:\windows" with "%windir%" variables for these pool people. Thanks at all :-)
  • Please download the latest version of Windows 7 Start Button Changer from the following link:
    http://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-7-start-b...
  • I have already tried that but it doesn't work at all. Will try to find a fix though.
  • Your change log says "Added support for jpg, png and gif file types" however when I go to select my icon set I can only select BMP files. I use Gimp for image editing and I am unable to create transparent BMP files. How am I supposed to use png or gif?
  • In version 3 the support for jpg, png and gif file types is gone to fix a major bug. To see how to make a start orb bitmap check this video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-9FC6P0lKU&feat...
  • [ kbrito ]
    Ah... Hello...
    I get a bug using this program, when i try to open a sample it says "Procedure call or argument not valid".
    Here's a screenshot:
    http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g103/Kbrito6/...

    Can't use it...
  • Did you try running it as administrator?
  • [ kbrito ]
    Yeah... I tried, same thing. ._.
  • [ kbrito ]
    So... is there any solution for this?
  • Please download the latest version of Windows 7 Start Button Changer from the following link:
    http://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-7-start-b...
  • tecnococo
    Hi i have de same problem of changbc423, i have windows spanish 32 bit and other that 64 bits but error continue, i install de visual basic run time and de new verison v3. thanks tecnococo
  • Did you try running it as administrator?
  • tecnococo
    yes i am run your aplication on administartor, but the erro continue adicionaly run r.exe always as administartor but not work for me..
  • changngoc423
  • Please download the latest version of Windows 7 Start Button Changer from the following link:
    http://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-7-start-b...
  • 很不错的作品,希望可以和您成为朋友!~
  • Thanks for Sharing.
  • very nice utility! Great job kishan.

    Is it Open Source, I would like to learn how this is developed :)
  • It is not open source and I am still working on it. Someone reported that installing this update will fix your problem :
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx...

    Let me know if it works.
  • Vipul_Taneja
    :) nice tool .... Me too love to learn this... vb
    /'?
  • Yup, VB 2008.
  • fnks
    plz you can shared me the source code of the star button changer? PLZ!!!!!!
    If you shared me the source codeI would greatly appreciate it
    So, Thanks.
  • Nope. Sorry.
  • Vipul_Taneja
    Hey.. can u help?
  • What's the problem?
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