The Best Useful Windows 8.1 Tricks,Tips and Hacks

Windows 8.1 might look a lot like Windows 8, but scratch the surface and some subtle - and not-so-subtle - differences begin to appear.

If you're just getting started with Microsoft's newest operating system, these tips and tricks will turn you into an 8.1 wizard in no time at all - from booting straight to the desktop to creating system backups, there's plenty to explore in the latest release.

1. Boot to the desktop

Windows 8.1 enables you to boot straight to the desktop

Microsoft has bowed to the pressure from desktop users and given us an option to skip the Start screen after logging in. Right-click on the taskbar, choose 'Properties', then switch to the Navigation tab. Tick the 'Go to the desktop…' option to load it first instead of the Start screen.

2. Find your apps

This tiny arrow leads to all of your installed applications

The 8.1 edition of Windows pins fewer apps to the Start screen by default, and has moved the location of the full apps list - you can now find it by clicking on the down arrow in the lower left corner. Click or tap the drop-down menu by the Apps heading to change how the items are sorted.

3. Universal wallpaper

You can set the same wallpaper for your desktop and Start screen

In Windows 8.1 you can set your Start screen wallpaper to the same image used for the desktop wallpaper, if it makes life without the Start menu a little easier for you. Open up the 'Personalise' link from the Settings charm on the Start screen and your current desktop backdrop will be one of the available thumbnails.

4. Quicker shutdown

Access the shutdown and restart options from the Start button

Windows 8.1 retains the shortcut menu that appears when you right-click in the bottom left-hand corner of the desktop, but there are some new options. You can now shut the system down or log out of your account from here, rather than going through the Settings charm.

5. Configure Smart Search

If you don't want Bing search results, you can disable them

By default Windows 8.1 will look through files on your PC, in your SkyDrive account and on the web when you type a query into the Search charm, but you can modify this behaviour. Open the Settings charm then choose 'Change PC settings > Search and apps > Search' to disable Bing integration.

6. App tiles

There are now more options for the size of your live tiles

It's not exactly a headline feature, but Windows 8.1 gives you more control over the size of your app tiles on the Start screen. Right-click on a tile, choose 'Resize' from the menu at the bottom and there are four different options to pick from: Large, Wide, Medium and Small.

7. Lock screen slideshows

If you can't choose one lock screen image, set up a slideshow

Having a static photo as your lock screen picture is so Windows 8. Join the Windows 8.1 revolution by configuring a slideshow of several images instead - on the Lock screen page under 'PC and Devices' in the Settings app there's a new Slide show entry, complete with a variety of configuration options.

8. Name app groups

You can assign titles to your groups of live tiles

Each of your Start screen app tile groups can have its own heading now, if required. You could name one group 'Work' and one 'Play', to be completely unoriginal and dull, for example. Right-click on the Start screen and choose Customise to bring up the labels.

9. Display tweaks

Display settings are now available from the Start screen

Your screen resolution configuration and other related settings can now be accessed straight from the Start screen without venturing to the desktop or the Control Panel. Choose 'Settings' from the Charms bar, then 'Change PC settings', and then 'Display'.

10. Disable hot corners

You can disable the hot corners if you prefer life without them

In Windows 8 you needed a third-party tool or a registry hack to disable the 'hot corners' around the edges of your screen. In Windows 8.1, you can simply open up the Corners and Edges section of the 'PC and devices' settings page and turn off the corner navigation options.

11. IE11 Reading View

IE11's Reading Mode is compatible with most websites

The brand-new Internet Explorer 11 comes bundled with Windows 8.1, and it has some neat new features (most of which have already been seen in other browsers, but still). One of these is the Reading View, which you can access by clicking the book icon on the right of the address bar.

12. App docking

Apps can now be docked alongside each other

Windows 8 enables you dock Start screen apps to the side of the screen, and this functionality is enhanced in 8.1 - you can dock two Start screen apps and avoid the desktop altogether, and adjust the size of each pane, giving you much more flexibility over how your display looks.

13. Save to SkyDrive

Save files to SkyDrive by default to keep backups in the cloud

Windows 8.1 goes even further with SkyDrive integration than Windows 8 did - you can have all of your applications save to your SkyDrive folder by default. Open up the Change PC Settings screen, choose SkyDrive and the relevant setting is on the Files tab.

14. Find your libraries

If you miss the Libraries link you can bring it back

The libraries idea ushered in with Windows 7 helps you quickly locate all of your music, videos, documents and so on, but the Libraries link isn't shown in Windows 8.1 by default. To display it, open the View menu from the ribbon menu in File Explorer and choose 'Show Libraries' from the Navigation pane drop-down menu.

15. Sound the alarm

Windows 8.1 comes with a brand new Alarms app

Windows 8.1 has a brand new Alarms app that you can access from the Start screen. You can configure multiple alarms and choose from a variety of ringtones to wake you up or act as a reminder for something.

16. Quick calculations

The Calculator app is a new addition in Windows 8.1

Also new to the Windows 8.1 integrated apps scene is a basic calculator. Launch it from the Start screen and you can switch between Standard and Scientific modes. A handy unit conversion tool is included as well.

17. App updates

Windows Store apps now update automatically in the background

Start screen apps now update automatically, which will come as a relief to Windows 8 users who are used to having to apply the latest upgrades manually. If you want you can turn off this feature — select Settings and then App updates from inside the Store app.

18. Create a system image backup

System Image Backup is well hidden in Windows 8.1

The system image backup tool first seen in Windows 7 looks like it has vanished from the 8.1 release, but this isn't the case - it's just very well hidden. Launch the desktop Control Panel, head to the File History pane, and a System Image Backup link appears in the lower left-hand corner.

19. Edit your pictures

The integrated Photos app has some new editing features

The Start screen Photos app has been given some basic editing tools in 8.1. Open up an image and you'll find autofix shortcuts, tools for adjusting colours and shades, and rotate and crop options.

20. Get more help

The Help and Tips app can guide you around Windows 8.1

Working out all of the touchscreen, keyboard and mouse shortcuts for the new-look Windows isn't easy, so Microsoft has introduced a Help and Tips app to lend a hand. You can launch it from the Start screen and it also appears right after you've installed the new version of the OS - get the latest on Windows 8.1.

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10 Useful Windows 8 Start Screen Hacks

10 Useful Windows 8 Start Screen Hacks

Windows is moving towards a more locked-down direction with Windows 8 and its Start screen and “Modern” app environment. There’s no denying this — you can’t even set a custom Start screen background without installing a third-party utility. Luckily, Windows hasn’t completely shed its legacy of customizability, yet. There are many different hacks you can perform with the Start screen, although most of them should have been included with Windows 8 itself.

Microsoft has always had urges to restrict users from customizing Windows, even in the past. That’s why, although a desktop-theme engine was introduced in Windows XP, you still can’tinstall custom Windows desktop themes without bypassing the check that only allows Microsoft-approved themes.

Create Custom Tiles

Windows 8 includes nice-looking icons for Modern apps from the Windows Store, but what about all your desktop applications or other things you pin, like websites and folders? Their default tiles don’t look very good and there’s no included way to set a nice-looking tile image. Desktop programs can’t even include their own nice-looking tiles.

If you want to create your own custom tile images for desktop applications, use OblyTile.

Change the Start Screen’s Color Scheme

Microsoft offers a variety of themes for the Start screen, but you can only choose from among a few different colors. If you want to set a custom color scheme, you’ll need to use a third-party utility to change your Start screen’s colors. Stardock’s Decor8 does this very well, although it’s a paid application. Windows 8 Start Screen Customizer can do the same, although it’s in beta and may not be as stable as Decor8.

Add a Custom Background Image

The Start screen included with Windows 8 allows you to choose your own background image, but you can only select from among the few background images Steven Sinofsky thought were acceptable.

Windows 8.1 will allow you to set a custom background image, even sharing the same background image as your desktop wallpaper. For now, you’ll have to use a third-party utility to set a custom background image. Both of the above tools — Stardock’s Decor8 and Windows 8 Start Screen Customizer — will also allow you to set a custom background image.

Pin Folders and Websites

The Start screen isn’t just for apps. You can pin almost anything to your Start screen, from folders to website shortcuts.

• Folders: Right-click any folder in the File Explorer window and select Pin to Start to pin it to your Start screen.
• Website Shortcuts: Open Modern Internet Explorer and click the pin-shaped Pin to Start button. If you’re using the desktop version of Internet Explorer, click the gear icon and select Add site to Start Screen

Pin Any File

You’ll need a third-party tool to pin any arbitrary file to your Start screen. Try using something like Start Screen Pinner, which will allow you to create Start menu shortcuts directly to files.

Add Shut Down Shortcuts

The Shut Down and Restart options are fairly hidden on Windows 8, but you can create your own Shut Down and Restart buttons and place them directly on your Start screen for easy access. To do this, you’ll just be creating custom Windows shortcuts that use the shutdown command built into Windows. Consult our list of ways to shut down Windows 8 for instructions on creating these shortcuts.

Rearrange The Start Screen and Customize Animations

You can tweak a variety of things about the start screen, from displaying the login animation every time you open the Start screen to the position of your profile image. You can tweak the start screen hidden options using manual registry hacks or with a utility like the free Start Screen Animations Tweaker.

Skip the Start Screen at Login

Windows 8.1 will allow you to skip the start screen and log in directly to the desktop without installing any third-party software. Until then, you can use a third-party program to do this. Most Start menu replacement for Windows 8 — from the free ClassicShell to the paid Start8 and others — include a feature that allows you to log directly into your desktop.

Start8 even offers a mode that allows you to use a Start screen-like Start menu panel that pops up in a smaller window on your desktop.

Move the Start Screen Onto the Desktop

The Start screen is in its own special world by default — Start screen and desktop dare not mix. With ImmersiveTaille, you can display your Start screen on your desktop, either from the sides of the screen or in a window on your desktop.

Run Modern Apps in Desktop Windows

This isn’t technically a Start screen hack, but it’s certainly similar. Modern apps normally run in a full-screen environment and pretend the desktop doesn’t exist. If you want to run these new Modern apps on the traditional Windows desktop, try Stardock’s ModernMix. It lets you run Modern apps in desktop windows, complete with taskbar icons and multiple Modern apps on screen at the same time.

Do you know any other useful Windows 8 hacks? Leave a comment and share your favorites!

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