Windows 10 - Start menu, how to always start a new instance

The default behaviour for the Windows 8 / 9 / 10 start screen is to open the application on the first click, and then to activate the already open window on subsequent clicks.
To open a new instance each and every time (the old windows behaviour), you can either change the default behaviour by editing the registry, or you can Shift-Click the program icon as and when you need it.


To change the default behaviour, set the following DWORD value in the registry:


  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell
  DesktopAppsAlwaysLaunchNewInstance = 1
  

Option 1: Use reg.exe from the command line:


  reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell /v DesktopAppsAlwaysLaunchNewInstance /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
  
The syntax for this command is:

  reg add KeyName /v ValueName /t Type /d Data /f (for force update, don't prompt).
  

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Option 2: Download the regedit merge file below and double-click to install:

windows10-always-start-new-instance.zip


  Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
  [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell]
  
  "DesktopAppsAlwaysLaunchNewInstance"=dword:00000001
  

Option 3: Add manually using regedit.exe:

[regedit.gif]

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© Richard McGrath