| Software | Best For | Notes | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Windows 10 users | The most popular free alternative. Previously known as Classic Shell. Highly customizable, though the interface is slightly less polished than StartIsBack. | | ExplorerPatcher | Windows 11 users | Restores Windows 10 taskbar and Start Menu. Very active development. Note: It can break with major Windows updates. | | StartAllBack (NOT free) | Windows 11 | Often confused with StartIsBack. It has a 30-day trial, but it’s equally difficult to reset. | | Start11 (Paid) | Windows 10/11 | From Stardock. More expensive ($9.99), but offers more features. |
This fails because StartIsBack checks the system uptime and internet time via SSL-secured NTP servers. Even if you change the date, the software communicates with the developer’s activation server (or uses a robust local algorithm comparing timestamps). Modern versions also validate the LastWriteTime of key system files. startisback trial reset