Anoop Verma
Windows 8 is perhaps the most divisive operating system launched by Microsoft. The main issue with Windows 8 is the User Interface (UI). Why does Microsoft have to make such drastic changes in its user interface – many users are asking this question?
But there are others who have already fallen in love with the new UI. If you don’t like the new interface, you always have the option of installing a third-party utility that restores the Start Button and lets you boot to the Desktop. However, if you do that, then you risk being trapped in the Windows 7 era, when rest of the computing world is moving ahead towards Windows 8 and beyond.
If you can get over the fact that the UI in Windows 8 is vastly different, you will start enjoying the tech advantages that the OS provides. Windows 8 improves tools like Task Manager and File Transfer Dialogs. The new included Internet Explorer browser can hold its own against competitors such as Chrome and Firefox in both speed and support for new Web standards like HTML5. However, if you want to stick to Firefox and Chrome, it is possible for you to download these and millions of other programmes. Now Microsoft has released its Windows 8.1, which incorporates several improvements over the earlier version. Here is a look at the three main ways of becoming used to Windows 8.1:
Use new OS, with old UI advantage
The 8.1 upgrade from Microsoft is an answer to one of the biggest complaints against Windows 8. It gives you an option to stop having to deal with the modern style Start screen when logging in, and the lack of a Start button. In any case the modern Windows 8 UI makes no sense for traditional PC or laptop users that are without touch screen capabilities. So with the 8.1 upgrade, you can resort to having the Start button, boot to desktop. This is not the default option, but it is easy to configure. On the desktop, right-click the taskbar and select Properties to open ‘command central’ for tweaking Windows to get it just the way you want it.
Add multiple accounts
These days many users prefer to store their files in the cloud. Every user needs to sign into the device with his or her own Microsoft account to access Microsoft’s cloud storage, email, and so on. To add multiple accounts: From the Start screen swipe the right side of the screen. Tap Settings, tap Change PC settings, and tap Accounts. Choose Other Accounts. You can create a new Microsoft account from this screen using any email you have, even Gmail. Also, with Windows 8.1 you don’t need to install a separate desktop version of SkyDrive. It is integrated into the UI and the desktop and also with the new search feature. You can also save your files in SkyDrive with offline access features.
Customise the Start Button
So Microsoft has given you back the coveted Start Button, but it is not quite the one that you have been using in earlier versions of Windows. This Start Button in Windows 8.1 will not take you to the Start Menu, instead it will by default take you to the Start screen from any other screen. But you can change the Start button’s behavior so it lands you in the Modern UI’s Apps screen, which is a closer analogue to the pre-Windows 8 Start menu. For making this switch, you need to go to desktop, right-click on the Taskbar, and select Properties from the popup menu. Select the Navigation tab in the ‘Taskbar and Navigation properties’ window. In the ‘Start screen’ section, check the option to ‘Show the Apps view automatically when I go to Start.’ Click OK.
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