Monday, September 14, 2015
Start Menu Replacements for Windows 8
Windows 8 was a mixed bag, both for users and Microsoft. The UI worked better for touch screens, but left people who were using PCs and preferred the desktop in the cold. However, you can return to normalcy with these tips.
Turn Off Charms
Charms appears when you move your mouse toward the edges and corners of your screen or swipe in from those edges. Charms are intended to provide quick access to the time, opened apps and settings, but they can simply be frustrating. To turn off Charms completely, you'll need to disable trackpad gestures. To do this, change "Mouse Settings" from the Control Panel. Secondly, you'll need to disable hot corners from the Taskbar. Right-click the Taskbar, choose "Properties" and click "Navigation." Uncheck the option that enables "Show the Charms."
Add A Start Menu Replacement
A number of third-party apps that add the functionality of the old Windows Start Menu -- and even a few extra features. There are plenty to choose from, and a few considerations, too, such as how you want the Windows key to work. Some Start Menu replacements look just like the old one in Windows 7 while others emulate older versions of Windows, and all of them still allow access to the Metro UI, but how varies.
Here are a few of our favorites:
. Sweetlabs Windows 8 Start Menu
. IObit Start Menu 8
. Start Menu Reviver
. Classic Shell
Disable Automatic Restarting
It was bad enough when Windows would warn you periodically that you had to shut down to install updates, but being forced to do it with Windows 8 is even worse. You can lose work as Windows forced a reboot at the worst possible time. Fortunately, you don't have to live with this. Change this setting in the Windows Registry Editor.
. Press "Windows key" + "R". Type "regedit." Hit "Enter."
. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE . If this location doesn't exist, create the directors under "Windows."
. Right-click and select "New." Choose a 32-bit DWORD.
. Type "NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers" as the name of the DWORD.
. Set the value to "1".
. Restart your computer.
Start At Desktop
This easy fix will bring you to the desktop rather than the Apps screen when you start or log in to your computer. Right-click on the Taskbar. Choose "Properties." Click "Navigation." Check "When I sign in or close all apps on screen, go to the desktop instead of Start".
Hide the Ribbon in Explorer
Some people find the "Ribbon" in Windows Explorer to be useful, but you might not. It takes up space, and you can easily access all those settings with a simple right-click. The up arrow on the top right of the Ribbon minimizes it, providing you with more screen space.
Show Windows Store Apps on Taskbar
Finally, you can force Windows Store Apps to appear on the Taskbar. This makes navigating to them from the desktop easier. You won't have to rely on keyboard functions to page between desktop and Metro apps or even to close those apps. Right-click the Taskbar, open the Properties box and click on the Navigation tab. You'll see an option to show Windows Store apps on the Taskbar. Click "Apply."
There are a number of other methods that will concert your Windows 8 desktop into a familiar and intuitive experience, especially if you're not using a touch screen.
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