# Windows 8 Start Button **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433 "2013-07-13T22:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/1 "2013-07-13T22:37:07Z")
I have heard that there is a way to get the Start Button for Windows 8. Anyone know about that? ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/2 "2013-07-13T22:47:21Z")
There’s a program called [Classic Shell](http://www.classicshell.net/) that puts the Start button back in Windows 8. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/3 "2013-07-13T22:54:20Z")
[This article](http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57496506-292/how-to-get-the-start-menu-back-in-windows-8/) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/4 "2013-07-13T23:50:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/5 "2013-07-15T22:43:06Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/6 "2013-07-15T23:14:55Z")
the start button is on the keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/7 "2013-07-15T23:36:59Z")
I thought Classic Shell was clunky and ugly. I much prefer [Start8](http://www.stardock.com/products/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. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/8 "2013-07-15T23:39:14Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > The 8.1 update (coming very soon; currently in “preview”) will add a Start button back that goes to the Start screen. 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. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/9 "2013-07-16T02:05:06Z")
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.) ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-8-start-button/663433/10 "2013-07-16T07:46:27Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > 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.