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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWindows 11 does not offer a consumer-facing export button for your manually arranged Start menu pins. The commonly documented workaround is to copy the Start menu layout file—start.bin on older releases or start2.bin on newer ones—from the current user’s StartMenuExperienceHost folder, then replace the active file and restart the Start menu process. This file-copy method is version-sensitive: the Windows 11 Forum tutorial that documents it warns that its options no longer work in Windows 11 version 24H2 and later. For managed computers, Microsoft-supported provisioning and organization backup are safer choices.
What is actually being backed up?
Windows describes the upper part of Start as the Pinned section: “This section consists of pins arranged in a grid.” A pin is an entry that points to an installed application, a shortcut, or another Start-compatible link. Windows keeps the arrangement and those references in a binary layout file used by StartMenuExperienceHost.
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The file is not a picture of your Start menu and it is not a complete application backup. It normally preserves which links are pinned and where they appear. It does not contain the application installer, user data, or guaranteed copies of custom icon artwork. If the referenced program, shortcut, or package is missing on the destination installation, the restored entry can appear as a broken or unusable icon.
The filename depends on the Windows 11 release discussed in the documented manual workflow:
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| Windows release | Common layout file | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 21H2 | start.bin |
Binary references to pinned links and their arrangement |
| Windows 11 22H2 through 24H2 in the tutorial’s description | start2.bin |
Binary references to pinned links and their arrangement |
| Windows 11 24H2 and later | Not a dependable target for this workaround | The Windows 11 Forum tutorial says its options no longer work |
Because Microsoft does not present these binary files as a supported personal export format, treat the procedure as a release-specific recovery experiment rather than a guaranteed migration feature.
Where start.bin and start2.bin are stored
Current user
For the account currently signed in, open this folder in File Explorer:
%LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalState
The quickest way to reach it is to press Win+E, select the address bar, paste the path, and press Enter. Look for start.bin or start2.bin. Do not assume that both files are present; use the file that your installation actively maintains.
Another user profile
An administrator working with a different local profile can browse to:
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C:Users<user profile folder name>AppDataLocalPackagesMicrosoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalState
Replace the text in angle brackets with the profile directory name. The user profile must be the one whose Start layout you intend to preserve. Copying a file from the wrong profile will not reproduce the desired menu.
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Use this procedure only on a Windows release for which the file workflow is still observed. The tutorial documenting it carries an explicit warning for Windows 11 24H2 and later.
- Sign in to the Windows account whose pins you want to preserve.
- Press Win+E to open File Explorer.
- Open
%LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewyLocalState. - Identify the active file,
start.binorstart2.bin. If you are unsure which one is current, note the file names and modification times before making changes; do not rename or edit either file. - Copy the file to a separate, safe location. A dated folder on another volume or a protected network location is preferable to leaving the only copy beside the original.
- Record the Windows 11 release and the user profile associated with the copy. A layout file from one release or account should not be treated as interchangeable with every other installation.
Copying is safer than moving. Keep the original in place so Start continues to work, and make additional copies after significant layout changes if you need several restore points.
Manual restore procedure
Restoring requires replacing the active layout file, then causing StartMenuExperienceHost to load it again. The file can be locked while that user is logged in, so a simple paste may fail until the Start menu process is closed or stopped.
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- Sign in to the destination account and close open Start menus and other work that should not be interrupted.
- Open the destination
LocalStatefolder using the same path shown above. - Make a safety copy of the destination’s existing
start.binorstart2.bin, if present. This gives you a way back if the imported layout behaves unexpectedly. - Close or stop the Start menu process for the current account. Use Task Manager to locate the Start menu host process, end it, and avoid ending unrelated Windows processes.
- Remove the active layout file from the destination
LocalStatefolder. - Paste the saved file into that exact folder, preserving its original filename.
- Start the Start menu process again, or restart the PC. When the current account opens Start, Windows should read the replacement file if that release still supports this workflow.
If Windows immediately creates a new file, Start shows no useful pins, or the old arrangement does not appear, restore the safety copy you made in step 3 and restart again. Such behavior is especially significant on Windows 11 24H2 and later, where the tutorial’s method is explicitly reported as no longer working.
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What can make a restored pin fail?
The application is not installed
The binary stores references, not the application itself. If you move to a clean Windows installation without installing the same programs, the corresponding pins may be broken. Reinstall the application or recreate the shortcut before judging the layout file.
The shortcut changed
A pin that targeted a manually created shortcut can stop resolving when the shortcut path, drive letter, or target executable changes. Recreate the shortcut at the expected location or pin the current shortcut after the restore.
The icon artwork is custom
Because the file is a layout reference rather than an icon repository, custom artwork is not guaranteed to travel with it. Keep the original icon files and any associated shortcuts separately if their appearance matters.
The file is locked
StartMenuExperienceHost can hold the layout open while the account is active. End the Start menu process before replacing the file, or restart the PC after copying it. Do not delete files in the package directory indiscriminately; target only the active layout file.
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The Windows release is unsupported
The Windows 11 Forum tutorial, updated August 29, 2026, states: “The options in this tutorial no longer work in Windows 11 version 24H2+.” This is a direct warning against presenting the binary-copy procedure as a universal Windows 11 solution. If the computer is on 24H2 or a later release, use a supported provisioning or organization method instead of repeatedly forcing an old file into place.
Supported Microsoft approaches
Managed provisioning with LayoutModification.json
Microsoft documents LayoutModification.json for configuring Start pins in managed Windows images. It is intended for OEM, provisioning, and organizational deployment rather than for exporting one person’s hand-arranged menu.
The documented configuration separates pins into primaryOEMPins and secondaryOEMPins. Microsoft states that OEMs can add up to four items in each configurable group. That limit describes the OEM configuration groups; it is not a claim that a personal Start menu can contain only eight pins. Use this method when you are building or provisioning a repeatable image and need a defined baseline on many devices.
Consumer Windows Backup
Microsoft’s consumer Windows Backup can back up selected files, themes, settings, many installed apps, and Wi-Fi information when used with a personal Microsoft account. Its documented settings catalog includes “Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists.” That setting controls recommendations and related history, not a complete export of every manually arranged item in the Pinned grid.
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Windows Backup for Organizations
Microsoft’s Windows IT Pro documentation describes Windows Backup for Organizations as a path that can restore Windows settings and the list of installed Microsoft Store apps to a user’s Start menu on Microsoft Entra joined devices. This is the strongest supported option in the supplied material for organizational migrations, but eligibility, licensing, rollout configuration, and current policy requirements must be checked for the tenant and Windows release in use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which method fits your situation?
| Approach | Windows-version position | Personal or managed scope | Preserves | Administrative rights | Support status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Copy start.bin or start2.bin |
Release-sensitive; tutorial warns against 24H2+ | Usually one local user; another profile may require an administrator | Pin references and arrangement, when compatible | Not normally for the current profile; often needed for another profile | Undocumented binary workflow |
LayoutModification.json |
For supported provisioning and image-customization scenarios | Managed images, OEM, and organizational deployment | Configured baseline pins, with documented OEM group limits | Deployment or image-management privileges | Microsoft-documented configuration method |
| Consumer Windows Backup | Windows 10 and Windows 11 features vary by setting | Personal Microsoft account | Selected files, settings, themes, many installed apps, Wi-Fi information, and documented recommendations | Account access; no claim of an ad-hoc pin export | Microsoft-supported, limited scope |
| Windows Backup for Organizations | Applies to supported organizational deployments | Microsoft Entra joined devices and managed users | Windows settings and the list of installed Microsoft Store apps restored to Start, subject to policy | Tenant and deployment administration | Microsoft-supported organizational path |
The deciding question is not simply whether a file exists. Ask whether the destination uses the same Windows release, whether the applications and shortcuts still exist, whether you are moving one personal profile or many managed devices, and whether you need a Microsoft-supported process.
A safer migration checklist
- Write down the source Windows 11 release, edition, and user profile before copying anything.
- Capture the names and installation sources of the applications represented by important pins.
- Save custom shortcut targets and icon files separately; the layout binary does not guarantee them.
- Keep an untouched copy of the destination layout before attempting a restore.
- Test the copied file on a noncritical account or device first, especially when crossing releases.
- Use a supported provisioning or organization backup path for managed fleets rather than distributing undocumented binary files.
- On Windows 11 24H2 or later, do not treat the legacy file procedure as a dependable recovery plan.
Practical decision guide
You are restoring one older personal installation
If the source and destination are compatible releases and the tutorial’s workflow applies, copy the active file, stop StartMenuExperienceHost, replace the file, and restart the process. Expect to reinstall missing applications and repair shortcuts separately.
You are moving to Windows 11 24H2 or newer
Plan as though the binary method is unavailable. Recreate critical pins after installing their applications, and use Microsoft’s documented backup features for the settings they explicitly cover. Do not promise that a saved start2.bin will restore the complete grid.
You manage multiple Entra joined devices
Evaluate Windows Backup for Organizations and your organization’s policies first. For a standardized baseline, configure Start with LayoutModification.json during provisioning. These approaches address repeatability and governance that a copied per-user file cannot provide.
You only need recommendations or recent-file behavior
Consumer Windows Backup’s documented Start-related setting concerns recommended files, recent files in File Explorer, and Jump Lists. It should not be selected as proof that the manually arranged Pinned grid will be exported and recreated exactly.
Bottom line
The legacy answer to “where is start2.bin?” is the StartMenuExperienceHost LocalState folder under the user’s local app-data package. Copying that file can preserve pin references on compatible older Windows 11 releases, but it is not an application backup and cannot guarantee icons or shortcuts that no longer exist. Since the documenting tutorial warns that the method no longer works in Windows 11 24H2 and later, use Microsoft-supported provisioning or organization backup for current managed deployments and treat manual file replacement only as a carefully tested, version-specific fallback.
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