Can we have an tutorial that tells us how easy it is (or not) to run in offline mode where you don’t tell it your email address and MS login. Remove everything from the start page except the desktop icon/tile. Then set up a desktop with icons??? Basically is it possible to completely ignore Metro/Win8 GUI without installing any third party menu programs? Just strip metro out and ignore it? Is Metro ever present?
We plan to publish guides that answer many of these questions. So… stay tuned. Gradually, we will show everything you need to know.
Ken Griffiths
11 years ago
When a user “pins to start” in windows 8 – the operating system creates a shortcut in the following path/folder %APPDATA%MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms – is there anyway to change this path to somewhere else? The reason is I want to keep that folder free for use in the old style windows using Start8 from Stardock.
williamwclee
11 years ago
one more thing missing … how to pin a doc to the modern start screen?
right now i use an alternative method but that has its shortcoming.
i create a shortcut of the client application and add to its target property with the string
“{the path of the doc}”. Since it is still an application shortcut, “pin to start” option is still available on the right click context menu.
the shortcoming is whenever the client application is upgraded with a different executable or the application is moved the other location, the shortcut will become ineffective.
Looks quite nice, but still there’s something I cannot pin to start. I created the .rdp (Remote Desktop) file linking to certain PC, and I have it on the Desktop. The question is how to pin it up to start?
how about create a shortcut of anything else and then replace the target from the properties of that shortcut with the target *.rdp?
kiana
10 years ago
What about pinning an app, like a gadget, to the desktop not the start menu? For instance, to have an open instance of my calendar always running on the desktop like an interactive icon (gadget)?
Unfortunately no, you can’t pin modern apps to the desktop. You can, however, snap them to the left or right side of the screen.
Gordon Gnome
9 years ago
I am using win 8,1 and no matter which way I try I cant pin any programs to the start menu old or new IE. Outlook 2013, Date Wiz, Desktop sidebar, not the windows one..
thanks
Sorry I cant pin anything to start-up so it opens when I open the computer.
Thanks..
Kathy
9 years ago
I may be having the same difficulty as Gordon. I’ve installed Microsoft Office 2010 to my new computer -I’ve only had it two days. I was using Vista and my new computer has windows 8.
I’d like to launch Excel and Word from my Start UI screen. I’m having a difficult time putting a shortcut (tile?) on the Start screen. I can’t figure out how to do it. I’ve created excel and word shortcuts to appear on my desktop. When I right click on them it only gives me the option to pin to desktop which is where I’m right clicking the icon from. No option to pin to start is offered. Can you step by step walk me through this?
Kathy
9 years ago
I figured it out. My tile wasn’t on the app page until I selected in the upper left corner apps -then drop down menu -by most used. If you play around with -by date- most used -date installed- etc… you get more or less app tile selections.
Anonymous
9 years ago
If you want to pin other browsers shortcuts to the start menu, then go to “C:Users”your username”AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms”and put the shortcut in there. It will be in the all apps page and you can pin it from there.
Hillary
8 years ago
Thanks for your well documented article,
How can I pin 4 apps lined up rather than 3 in one go?
this guide will be very handy once i go to windows 8, thanks.
I’m glad you found this tutorial useful.
Can we have an tutorial that tells us how easy it is (or not) to run in offline mode where you don’t tell it your email address and MS login. Remove everything from the start page except the desktop icon/tile. Then set up a desktop with icons??? Basically is it possible to completely ignore Metro/Win8 GUI without installing any third party menu programs? Just strip metro out and ignore it? Is Metro ever present?
We plan to publish guides that answer many of these questions. So… stay tuned. Gradually, we will show everything you need to know.
When a user “pins to start” in windows 8 – the operating system creates a shortcut in the following path/folder %APPDATA%MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms – is there anyway to change this path to somewhere else? The reason is I want to keep that folder free for use in the old style windows using Start8 from Stardock.
one more thing missing … how to pin a doc to the modern start screen?
right now i use an alternative method but that has its shortcoming.
i create a shortcut of the client application and add to its target property with the string
“{the path of the doc}”. Since it is still an application shortcut, “pin to start” option is still available on the right click context menu.
the shortcoming is whenever the client application is upgraded with a different executable or the application is moved the other location, the shortcut will become ineffective.
I don’t think there are simpler ways to do this. Or at least I could not figure them out.
What about pinning the folder/library containing the documents you want fast access to? That works without any workarounds.
here you are … the hack!
http://www.howtogeek.com/129493/how-to-pin-any-file-to-the-start-screen-in-windows-8/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=101212
Looks quite nice, but still there’s something I cannot pin to start. I created the .rdp (Remote Desktop) file linking to certain PC, and I have it on the Desktop. The question is how to pin it up to start?
how about create a shortcut of anything else and then replace the target from the properties of that shortcut with the target *.rdp?
What about pinning an app, like a gadget, to the desktop not the start menu? For instance, to have an open instance of my calendar always running on the desktop like an interactive icon (gadget)?
Unfortunately no, you can’t pin modern apps to the desktop. You can, however, snap them to the left or right side of the screen.
I am using win 8,1 and no matter which way I try I cant pin any programs to the start menu old or new IE. Outlook 2013, Date Wiz, Desktop sidebar, not the windows one..
thanks
I’m not sure I follow you…. You’re trying to say that you cannot pin anything to the Start screen?
Sorry I cant pin anything to start-up so it opens when I open the computer.
Thanks..
I may be having the same difficulty as Gordon. I’ve installed Microsoft Office 2010 to my new computer -I’ve only had it two days. I was using Vista and my new computer has windows 8.
I’d like to launch Excel and Word from my Start UI screen. I’m having a difficult time putting a shortcut (tile?) on the Start screen. I can’t figure out how to do it. I’ve created excel and word shortcuts to appear on my desktop. When I right click on them it only gives me the option to pin to desktop which is where I’m right clicking the icon from. No option to pin to start is offered. Can you step by step walk me through this?
I figured it out. My tile wasn’t on the app page until I selected in the upper left corner apps -then drop down menu -by most used. If you play around with -by date- most used -date installed- etc… you get more or less app tile selections.
If you want to pin other browsers shortcuts to the start menu, then go to “C:Users”your username”AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms”and put the shortcut in there. It will be in the all apps page and you can pin it from there.
Thanks for your well documented article,
How can I pin 4 apps lined up rather than 3 in one go?
Thganks