Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Windows 8.1 could let you skip the Metro Start screen and go straight to desktop

By
twitter windows 8
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Unless you have a touchscreen on your Windows 8 device, the colorful tiles on the home screen is not the most intuitive to navigate with just your touchpad or mouse, especially if you just want to jump right into Desktop Mode to use your computer beyond the latest social media updates. But with the Windows 8 Start screen as it is currently designed, you have to take that extra step of tapping on the Desktop tile to access the rest of your device.

If the beta code found in a recent build of Windows 8.1 is any indication, the upcoming update to Windows 8 will allow users to boot right to the desktop, while keeping the tiled interface as an alternative home screen for touch devices. (In case you’re confused, Windows 8.1 is expected to be the official name for the next iteration of Windows 8; you might be more familiar with its code name Blue.)

leaked win8.1 code_microsoft portal
Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to the Russian tech site Microsoft Portal, there is apparently a line of beta code in a build of Windows 8.1’s “twinui.dll” file that is “responsible for disabling the Start Screen,” and after disabling or modifying the code, it makes the system “go to the desktop automatically,” as reported by WinBeta. We tried visiting its source but it seems the page no longer exists. That said, the above photo of the code seems to back up what the Russian site initially published.

Recommended Videos

Who knows if this code will make it to the final release of Windows 8.1, but at least you know Microsoft is certainly aware of your gripes and it is working on ways to better cater to how you actually use the operating system, rather than force you to make extra clicks to get to your desktop. Besides letting you boot directly to desktop mode, what other navigation improvements would you like to see in Windows 8.1?

Related

[Image originally posted Microsoft Portal, via WinBeta]

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gloria Sin
Gloria Sin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gloria’s tech journey really began when she was studying user centered design in university, and developed a love for…
How to build a PC from scratch: A beginner’s guide
Installing RAM in a desktop PC.

Building a PC for the first time, or even the second or third time, can feel a little intimidating. But one of the best parts about building a computer is that, for the most part, the parts fit where they should, and don't fit where they shouldn't. A graphics card will fit in the graphics card slot, and good luck putting the CPU in the wrong socket.

With a little care, time, and this handy guide, you can build a PC without hassle. We're here to walk you through it.

Read more
Microsoft just made Paint relevant again
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

The controversial Recall feature has grabbed all the headlines from Microsoft’s Copilot+ announcements yesterday, but this new AI feature is also making Paint relevant again.

It’s called Cocreator, and it’s a new AI feature that can turn your quick sketch, augmented by text, into a much more realistic and impressive image. The exciting thing is that it does all this in real time. It might not get it right the first time, so you'll need patience, and the more details you give about what you want in the image, the better.

Read more
SpaceX’s Starlink internet service reaches milestone
A Starlink dish.

SpaceX’s Starlink service now has more than 3 million customers globally, the company announced this week.

“Starlink is connecting more than 3M people with high-speed internet across nearly 100 countries, territories, and many other markets,” SpaceX said in a social media post on Tuesday that also included a short video showing Starlink satellite dishes set up and providing an internet connection in various places around the world.

Read more