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@James Kindon has an article explaining how to use FSLogix App Masking to customize the start menu: https://jkindon.com/appmasking-the-windows-start-menu/

Thanks @Kasper Johansen...will have a read and relay back my findings

Moving away from IWC then? Future proof choice I guess 😉

Ha yh So installed the rules editor..made my changes and it's looking good... really like it !!! 2 questions, must you update image to changes rules or just update the rules via gpo using a copy? 2ndly these start menu blogs..they still use a custom start layout..even though you can hide what's not needed...what is reasoning behind that

The layoutmodification.xml can be used to "clear out" the pinned tiles and taskbar shortcuts. You can however also use it to build a custom set of pinned tiles in the start menu. Personally I prefer to clear out the pinned tiles, and let the users pin whatever they want, or use WEM for shortcut pinning.

Thanks, I've been able to remove the tiles via fslogix - hoping it is done correctly, as looks good in testing Regarding the editing of these rules, must it be done on the master image, or can I copy that fxr file and push it out via gpo?

Don't put them in the master image, just copy them during machine boot

Ah ok so stick in via gpp a file copy to the rules folder?

Exactly

Awesome and makes perfect sense...I just seen to have the fslogixrule editor install on master image then I guess?

Well you don't need the editor on the golden image, you can create and edit the rules files on another machine, however it does make it easier to create the rules files directly on the golden image machine.

Aha yup Loving fslogix already

App Masking is a very powerful tool and somewhat underrated

Yes, definately Loving the profile container aspect as well. I guess they do get bloated and will have to tackle that when it comes . In past it's always been take only what's needed, but here it's take everything bar what is bloating the profile.

I have a Fslogix default rule that hides all unnecessary things on the start menu for the regular users (powershell, admin tools and so on) that I implement on all my setups. When I install a new program I "clean" the start menu from unnecessary things for this app, uninstall, readme and so forth. Then I create a Fslogix rule if the app should not be visible to all users. This rule is then copied to a share were I store all rules I also have the master start menu on a share and on every startup a scheduled task copies it to the server along with the Fslogix rules. This way an admin can create shortcuts to programs that are not installed or other things as URLs and so on without the need to open the image. In the default profile I have a predefined Layoutmodification. I also have a Layoutmodification for admins that resides on a share and I use Fslogix redirect for this. Works great. I have previously used WEM for start menu but I didn't really find it reliable enough, had a strange problem with Edge "disappearing" for the users to name some strange things.

Thank you @Robert Berggren Very informative and helpful. Seems like many shortcuts and rules that can be reused and seems an efficient way to go about things. I will try to implement these and may have some questions, but will relay back my findings as well 🙂

Maybe my blog post is helpful https://blogs.mycugc.org/2021/04/21/create-a-start-menu-for-rdsh-users-part-1/

Yeah I've used this head on ha. Very helpful @Dennis...has everything covered and everything worked first time!