Windows 8 tips: How to get your Start menu back

Easily the most dramatic change made to the latest version of Windows was the decision to remove the Start button from the bottom left corner of the operating system’s Desktop view. While the change makes a lot more sense on a touch screen device, the choice to just flat out remove a staple of the OS has caused some coping issues with long time Windows users. . If you’re using a mouse and keyboard, and are somehow unfamiliar with the Windows key on your keyboard, reaching the Start screen from the Desktop is a two step process. And then when you get to the new Metro-ified Start screen, it might not be what you want — those live tiles are great for new and social, but those aren’t always what you are looking for. Fortunately, there are no shortage of software developers that have stepped up to the task of rescuing the Start button and it’s menu options from the depths of Windows 8. Power 8 Because the Start Menu itself has changed quite a bit over the years, there’s a lot of flexibility to be had when developing a replacement for it. Power 8 is specifically designed for Windows 8, making sure to offer the Start button with tools and features that play well with the rest of the new OS. The first thing you see when you open Power 8 is a list of programs, with the ability to pin them quickly to your taskbar. Over time, you would probably be less likely to use the Power 8 button for everything, since your applications would all be pinned to the taskbar for rapid access. There’s also a file manager UI baked into Power 8 that does a good job of letting you quickly navigate your file system without having to double click through a bunch of folders to get what you want. This would appeal to anyone who stores a lot of content locally and wanted a fast way of accessing things that were buried deep within other folders. Power 8 also includes one click access to things like the shutdown, hibernate, and lock screen functions, which aren’t quite so accessible in the stock configuration of Windows 8 with a mouse and keyboard. Power 8 is available for free, with the source code available to anyone who contributes to the project. Start Menu 8 If we were handing out awards for the neatest looking Start button icon replacement, Start Menu 8 would win it. The software is designed to be as flexible as you need when setting up your own personalized start menu. You could almost use Start Menu 8 as a complete fullscreen replacement for the desktop, though that is certainly not the intended purpose. Start Menu 8 includes a somewhat unique feature, in that it allows the computer to boot straight to the desktop to give the whole experience a feel that is much more like “traditional” Windows experiences. The design is such that you should never feel the need to use the Windows 8 Start screen at all. Your programs, settings, and folder system are all accessible here, as well as all the Control Panel features and screen controls. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from using the Windows 8 Start screen and switching between the two experiences is pretty simple. Pressing the Windows key on the keyboard will still return you to the new Windows 8 Start, which neatly allows yout o contain both experiences. Start Menu 8 is available for free, but there are no shortage of hooks in the program to try and get you to upgrade to the pro version. Classic Shell Some users have been unhappy with the Start Menu for a lot longer than others. The team at Classic Shell have been implementing their own version of the Start Menu since Windows Vista. With that much time comes a lot more in the way of enhanced features and stability when faced with unique situations. It’s also translated in 35 different languages and offers a wealth of documentation for using the advanced features. Everything about the UI for Classic Shell can be modified. The default UI reminds me of early Windows XP, even Windows 2000 in some areas. Every part can be skinned, themed, and altered to look however you like. The settings for this start menu are incredibly granular and even allows for control over the animations as you move from menu to menu. For Windows 8, you can do away with the Modern UI entirely with Classic Shell and come about as close as possible to completely reverting to a Windows 7 or earlier workflow. Of course, if you still wanted to take advantage of things like Windows Store and the apps that go along with it, Classic Shell makes that easy. Classic Shell is free, and from what I can tell by browsing their website, very well supported by the community should you encounter any problems.