Getting started with ReStart: downloads, live tiles and updates

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New to ReStart? The maintainer's answer below covers downloading and running the portable app, opening Start, adding live tiles, weather locations, updates, and safe troubleshooting.

For a problem that is not covered here, please start a separate Q&A discussion with your ReStart version, Windows version, and the steps you tried. This keeps individual questions easy to find and answer.

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Where do I download ReStart, and do I need to install .NET?

Use the latest release. Choose ReStart-win-x64.zip for an Intel/AMD Windows PC, or ReStart-win-arm64.zip for Windows on ARM. ReStart supports Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Extract the entire ZIP into a folder you want to keep, then run ReStart.exe. Keep TileHost, Examples, third-party, and ReStart-package.json beside it. Release packages include the .NET runtime; you do not need a separate .NET installation. HTML live tiles use Microsoft's WebView2 Runtime, and ReStart provides setup guidance if it is missing. Normal use does not require administrator rights.

How do I open ReStart?

The bare Windows key, Ctrl+Alt+Space, and the tray menu can open it. Windows-key and taskbar Start-button integration can be controlled in settings. This is reversible desktop integration; ReStart does not patch Explorer. See compatibility and platform coverage for limitations.

How do I add or create a live tile?

Right-click an empty part of the pinned screen and choose Add live tile. The app includes nineteen examples covering clocks, PC metrics, photos, weather, feeds, and other uses.

Open Tile Studio from settings or a tile's menu to edit HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, preview all four sizes, and save a draft or save and pin. A package folder placed in %LOCALAPPDATA%\ReStart\TileLibrary is discovered by the local library. See the developer guide and complete tile API documentation.

Why does the weather show Berlin?

Weather samples start with Berlin example coordinates. They do not detect your location. Right-click the tile, open Configure data sources…, and change the coordinates and displayed place name for the location you want. The same dialog configures feed URLs and Web API or local-file inputs. Weather location instructions.

How do I update without losing my layout?

In Settings → Updates, choose Download update, wait for preparation and verification, then choose Restart and update. Guided updating requires a complete, unmodified portable release package in a writable folder. If guided updating is unavailable, follow the manual replacement instructions in the update guide.

Settings and custom tiles are stored separately under %LOCALAPPDATA%\ReStart. Export your layout before major changes. Deleting this data folder also deletes local custom tile packages and connections; it is not a normal update step. Migration and backups.

How do I report a problem safely?

Use Settings → About → Diagnostic information to preview a report before copying it. The report is designed to exclude paths, app lists, tile data, credentials, and raw logs. Nothing is uploaded automatically.

For a reproducible bug, use an issue form. For help using the app, start a Q&A discussion. Include the ReStart version, Windows version, and steps to reproduce. Review any screenshots or files yourself before posting. Security vulnerabilities belong in private vulnerability reporting.

Is ReStart a Microsoft product? Is it paid?

ReStart is an independent project, not a Microsoft product. It is free and open source under the MIT license. Support for development is optional.

This FAQ describes the published app. Release-specific changes and known limitations are documented in the release notes and linked guides.