I have heard that there is a way to get the Start Button for Windows 8. Anyone know about that?
There’s a program called Classic Shell that puts the Start button back in Windows 8.
This article at CNet reviews several such tools, including Classic Shell.
Also, you’ll hear that the Start button will be back in the next version, Windows 8.1. However, it won’t open a Start menu: it’ll just take you back to the big-tiled Start Screen, just as if you pressed the Windows-logo key on your keyboard.
Here’s what I’ve done.
Windows + D puts you to desktop. Leave it there.
Put all your shortcuts on that old style desktop. Then on the lower right, you see ‘Desktop >>’. Click on that even when in a program. It will list everything you have on the desktop. I’ve got a considerable list there now, never have to go hunting for anything.
The tiled Start screen can be used as a Start menu if you take the time to customize it-- the only catch is that it’s full-screen. It also has the “type the name of the program, hit enter” feature of the Windows 7 Start menu (which is personally the only bit I care about).
The 8.1 update (coming very soon; currently in “preview”) will add a Start button back that goes to the Start screen.
the start button is on the keyboard.
I thought Classic Shell was clunky and ugly. I much prefer Start8, which is a lot easier to setup and makes the start menu just like Windows 7. I never even see the useless tiles anymore. Start8 costs $5 but is well worth the money if you’re stuck with Windows 8.
Which is kind of weird, because clicking in that corner already does that.
8.1 does have some interesting-sounding features, but it’s not going to restore the Start button in anything like the form that the people who miss it most really want.
Specifically - 8.1 restores the Start button, but not the Start menu.
Apparently enough people complained a button that’s always on the screen is easier to interact with than a button that appears when you move the cursor to a corner. (Or at least, that’s how Microsoft interpreted the users’ response.)
but it’s not always on the screen. it’s only present on the end of the taskbar on the Desktop.