What version of Windows first introduced the Start menu?

Windows 95 was the first version of Microsoft Windows to introduce the Start menu. Its Start button appeared on the taskbar and gave users a central place to launch programs, open documents, access settings, and shut down the computer.

The feature was part of Windows 95's redesigned desktop shell, which also introduced the familiar taskbar, desktop shortcuts, and Windows Explorer file manager. These changes replaced much of the older Program Manager interface used by Windows 3.x, making programs and files easier to find in a single desktop environment.

The Start menu became one of Windows 95's defining features and continued through later releases. Windows XP and Windows 98 did not introduce it; they refined or visually redesigned a feature that was already established. Windows 8 temporarily replaced the traditional menu with a Start screen, before Windows 10 restored the menu-style interface.

Windows 95 launched to consumers on August 24, 1995. Its interface influenced Windows for decades, even as Microsoft changed the menu's layout, search tools, and included shortcuts.