How can you access the Windows start menu?

To access the Windows start menu, the quickest method is to press the Windows key on the keyboard. It is located on the bottom row of the keyboard to the left of the space bar, frequently next to the Alt key. It bears the Windows logo.

In Windows 8, the Start menu is also accessible by moving the cursor to the right edge of the screen and clicking the Start button. If the taskbar is visible, it's also possible to click the lower-left Windows button to bring up the menu. From the Start menu, the user can access frequently used programs.