Skip to main content

How to boot straight to the desktop in Windows 8.1

Many people who stay away from Windows 8 and 8.1 do so partly because they don’t like interacting with the tiled Metro UI at all, for any length of time. Its presence is a significant reason why neither has taken off with consumers. After all, its user base remains far below Windows XP’s, despite the fact that XP’s has shrunk significantly, and the fact that it’s not longer supported by Microsoft.

Thankfully, in Windows 8.1, there’s a way to boot straight to the classic desktop when you turn your PC on. This saves you from having to press the Windows key on your keyboard to it to it, or clicking the desktop tile in Metro to do so.

Recommended Videos

The process is simple, but not obvious, so in this article we’ll show you how to pull it off in just a few quick steps.

How to boot straight to the desktop in Windows 8.1

Step 1. In the Modern UI, type “taskbar.” Click on the result labeled “Taskbar and Navigation.” It should be the first one to appear on the list from the top.

Step 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2. Click on the “Navigation” tab in the “Taskbar and Navigation properties” menu.

Step 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3. In the section labeled “Start screen,” check the boxes labeled “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of start,” and “Show my desktop background on Start.”

Step 3
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4. Click “Apply” and “OK.”

Step 4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5. Restart your PC as a test. When Windows restarts, it should dump you in the classic desktop UI, instead of the tiled Metro UI. You’re done!

Step 5
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Konrad Krawczyk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
How to enable secure boot in Windows 11
Secure Boot setting in an ASUS BIOS.

Enabling Secure Boot is an important step in upgrading to Windows 11, as it's part of the system requirements. It ensures that unauthorized software can't run on your PC, and you will have to enable it before you install Windows 11 or it just won't work. Fortunately, enabling Secure Boot is as quick as changing a single BIOS setting.

Here's how to do it.

Read more
How to install Android apps on Windows 11
Android App running on a Windows 11 PC

The best way to install Android apps on Windows 11 is to do so via the Amazon Appstore. In order to do that, you'll need to set up the Windows Subsystem for Android (if it's not already set up on your PC), install the Amazon Appstore app, and enable virtualization if prompted. In this guide, we'll show you how to do all of that so you can start installing Android apps on your Windows 11 PC.

Read more
There are two versions of Windows 11. Here’s how to decide between them
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

If you’re ready to take the plunge and purchase an upgraded version of Windows, then the biggest question you have is “which one - Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home?” Both versions of Windows 11 are powerful operating systems with robust feature sets at affordable prices.

To help you make an informed decision, we’ll walk you through a feature comparison along with the differences in security, power, and price.
Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home?
Microsoft tries to introduce the intent behind the Windows 11 versions in the naming of the systems.

Read more