How To Set Windows 8 Start Menu Like Windows 7

Make WIndows 8.1 or 8 look like Windows 7

If you lot have a PC with Windows 8 or eight.1 but miss Windows vii, there'due south no need to downgrade. Following a few simple steps, you can brand Microsoft'southward current operating system await and feel virtually identical to its predecessor. Here's how to bring dorsum the Start card and the attractive aero glass theme how to hide other Windows 8 elements like the Charms menu.

Step i: Swap the Starting time screen for a Start menu

Without a uncertainty, the nigh unfamiliar (and, for some, near annoying) characteristic of Windows 8 and Windows eight.1 is its tile-based Start screen. Where Windows vii lets y'all cull from a list of applications by pulling up the First card, Windows viii and Windows 8.1 make yous go to a completely dissever screen just to launch an application or comport a search. Windows 8.ane places a Get-go button in the lower left corner of the screen, but don't be fooled; it does nil more than take y'all back to the same tile-based Outset screen when you click it.

More: How to Upgrade From Windows 7 to Windows viii.1

There are a number of tertiary-party Windows viii / Windows 8.ane Kickoff menu apps including the free Classic Shell, simply if you're willing to pay $iv.99, nosotros recommend Start8, considering it looks the nearly like the Windows 7 First menu and allows yous to control many other elements of the UI.

To set upward Start8:

i. Download and install Start8. Y'all can try the programme for 30 days without paying for information technology.

2. Select Windows 7 Style and Shadow Theme under the Style tab.

3. Select the Desktop tab.

4. Bank check "Disable all Windows 8 hot corners." This setting volition prevent the Charms and Windows 8 Start shortcut from appearing when you hover the mouse in a corner.

5. Make certain "Automatically become to the Desktop when I sign in" is checked. This fashion Windows viii / Windows 8.1 will have you straight to the desktop when it boots rather than making you lot get through the Showtime screen first.

6. Brand sure Disable Taskbar Translucency is unchecked.

seven. Select the Control tab.

8. Uncheck "testify the Windows 8 menu when I press the correct windows central." With this setting off, you won't accidentally end upward on the Start screen if y'all hit the correct Windows key.

Prevent right windows key from opening the start menu

9. Close the Start8 settings window.

10. View all your programs past clicking All Programs on the Start8 menu.

11. Pin your favorite programs to Start8 by right-clicking on them and selecting Pin To Start8.

More than: 5 Windows 8 Apps to Bring Back the Start Carte

Pace 2: Install the Windows 7 Aero theme

With Windows 8, Microsoft took abroad the attractive translucent Aero glass effects and way many people dearest in Windows 7. Instead, the company made the desktop theme apartment, solid and a niggling fleck boring. While you tin can't get all of the translucent effects back, y'all can get a very like look to Windows 7's default theme.

1. Download and install UxStyle. This awarding tweaks your settings so you can install third-party themes you lot didn't get from Microsoft.

2. Download this Windows 7 theme from Deviant Art and open its goose egg file. Ignore the warning saying that information technology does not work in Windows 8.1.

3. Re-create the contents of the Themes Files folder from the zip file to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes.

Copy all files from the Theme Files folder

4. Double-click the Aero8Rounded-Default.theme icon. Your theme should at present change to Aero 8 rounded, which looks like Windows 7's default theme, complete with the Windows 7 logo wallpaper.

To switch back and forth between this theme, the Windows 7 Architecture theme and several other Windows 7 and Windows 8 themes, right-click on the desktop and select Personalize.

More than: How to Shut Downwardly Windows 8 or 8.i in Just I Click

Pace 3: Add an Aero glass issue to window championship bars

Even with the Aero theme installed, the window championship bars and borders are opaque. While you can't make all parts of the UI have the smoky translucent effect they practise in Windows 7, WinaeroGlass tin brand the championship bars see-through.

ane. Download and unzip WinaeroGlass to your desktop.

2. Double-click Winaeroglass.exe to turn on its visual effect. At present the app has no UI; information technology just works.

three. Copy WinaeroGlass.exe to the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Outset Card\Programs\Startup binder if you want it to get-go every time Windows 8 starts.

Step four: Skip the lock screen

Windows 7 doesn't waste your time by making you swipe away a lock screen earlier yous go to its login prompt. Fortunately, it's easy enough to disable Windows 8's fourth dimension-wasting lock screen.

i. Open up Regedit past hitting Windows + R and inbound regedit at the prompt.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MARCHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows.

3. Create a registry key chosen Personalization if information technology doesn't already exist. You can create a cardinal by right-clicking on the Windows key, selecting New then Key and renaming the binder that appears.

iv. Create a new DWORD value and proper noun it NoLockScreen. To create a DWORD, correct-click in the white infinite on the right side of the window and select New then DWORD (32-bit) value. Rename the DWORD.

five.Assign NoLockScreen a value of 1 by double-clicking information technology and entering the number 1 in the dialog box that appears.

half-dozen. Close Regedit and reboot. From now on you volition exist taken direct to the login prompt.

More:How to Read POP Mail in Windows eight

Step 5: Run Windows eight style apps in Desktop fashion

Fifty-fifty if your desktop looks like Windows 7, y'all have a Start card and your system boots you directly to the desktop, yous may all the same desire to run some Windows eight apps. Under normal conditions, you'd be forced to run new style apps like Bing News or the People app at full screen in Windows viii'south Modern UI, but with the aid of a utility chosen ModernMix you can run every Windows 8 program in its own draggable, resizable window on the desktop.

1. Download and install ModernMix. The application costs $4.99 but has a gratuitous 30-day trial. You may need to enter your e-mail address to receive a download link.

2. Select Windowed mode nether "When launched from the Windows 8 Starting time Menu." With this setting enabled, even if you lot launch a Windows 8 app from the Commencement screen, information technology will open up on the desktop.

three. Select "Never render to the Windows 8 menu when I close applications" under the Advanced tab.

4. Close the ModernMix settings window.

Every bit long as ModernMix is running, all Windows 8 style apps (as well known as Modern apps) will run in windows. Y'all can even pin Windows 8 apps to the taskbar by right-clicking on their taskbar icons and selecting "Pin this program to taskbar."