Windows 10 - Start Layout example

layout.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
	xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
	xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
	xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
	xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
	Version="1">
	
	<LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" StartTileGroupsColumnCount="1" />
	
	<DefaultLayoutOverride>
		<StartLayoutCollection>
			<defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
				<start:Group Name="">
					<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" AppUserModelID="microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!microsoft.windowslive.calendar" />
					<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" AppUserModelID="microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe!microsoft.windowslive.mail" />
					<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.BingWeather_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
					
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.Getstarted_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.ZuneVideo_8wekyb3d8bbwe!Microsoft.ZuneVideo" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="4" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Windows Media Player.lnk" />
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="5" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.BingTranslator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
				</start:Group>
				<start:Group Name="">
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Google Chrome.lnk" />
					<start:Tile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
					
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="2" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\OneDrive.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Word 2016.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Excel 2016.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="4" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint 2016.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="5" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\OneNote 2016.lnk" />
					
					<start:Tile Size="1x1" Column="0" Row="3" AppUserModelID="Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="1" Row="3" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\KeePass 2.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="2" Row="3" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Google Drive\Google Docs.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="3" Row="3" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Google Drive\Google Sheets.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="4" Row="3" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Google Drive\Google Slides.lnk" />
					<start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="1x1" Column="5" Row="3" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Google Drive\Google Drive.lnk" />
				</start:Group>
			</defaultlayout:StartLayout>
		</StartLayoutCollection>
	</DefaultLayoutOverride>
	
	<CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
		<defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
			<taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
				<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"/>
				<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="C:\Windows\explorer.exe"/>
			</taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
		</defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
	</CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

http://imgur.com/a/ELjJj

• One of the ways to validate the XML is with Google Chrome

• Change line 11 to <DefaultLayoutOverride LayoutCustomizationRestrictionType="OnlySpecifiedGroups"> if you'd only want to partially lock down the Start Menu. But I'd prefer if there was an option to not lock it down at all though, it's either partial or complete lockdown

• You can first customize your Start Menu and then export it in PowerShell with Export-StartLayout -Path C:\somelayout.xml

• You can deploy the layout in Windows Server 2016 using the Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar -> Start Layout Group Policy, otherwise you can do it locally in gpedit.msc

• You can import a layout in PowerShell with Import-StartLayout -layoutpath C:\somelayout.xml -Mountpath C:\ but that will only set the default for new user profiles

• DefaultLayouts.xml (and any existing LayoutModification.xml) can be found in C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

• The extra tiles in this example are for Office 2016, Google Drive, KeePass and the Translator app

https://4sysops.com/archives/pin-apps-to-the-taskbar-in-windows-10-1607-with-group-policy/
https://technet.microsoft.com/itpro/windows/manage/customize-windows-10-start-screens-by-using-group-policy
https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/mt171092(v=vs.85).aspx