Change Text / Label of XP Start Button

Step 1 – Modify Explorer.exe File In order to make the changes, the file explorer.exe located at C:\Windows needs to be edited. Since explorer.exe is a binary file it requires a special editor. For purposes of this article I have used Resource Hacker. Which is used to view, modify, rename, add, delete and extract resources in 32bit Windows executables and resource files (*.res). To download it CLICK HERE

First make a backup copy of the file explorer.exe located at C:\Windows\explorer. Place it in a folder somewhere on your hard drive where it will be safe. Start Resource Hacker and open explorer.exe located at C:\Windows\explorer.exe.

Now navigate to the String Table. Now click on 37 and then on 1033


Instead of “start” just write the word you want to replace with start. Like “Aanchal”.

Now click to compile script button and then save the altered file bye any name you wish like explorerchanged.exe using the Save As command on the File Menu. Do not use the Save command .

Step 2 – Modify the Registry

Go to start , navigate to Run and type regedit in the Open: field. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ Winlogon In the right pane , double click the Shell entry to open the Edit String dialog box . In Value data: line, enter the name that was used to save the modified explorer.exe file. Click OK.


After rebooting your system you will see your text on the Start button.