I've noticed a growing complaint with Windows 8: the fact that, on the Desktop there is no visible shortcut to take you to the Start screen. Something like "Show Start", just like we had Show Desktop in Windows XP. For a novice user, there is no clue shown on how to get back to the Start screen. That's why I decided to investigate and found a hack that gets this apparently simple job done.
UPDATE: The shortcut has been updated so that it is no longer marked as suspicious by certain security products.
People Need a "Show Start" Shortcut on The Desktop
The inspiration for working on this hack, came from this article: Why Regular People May Not Like Windows 8 Consumer Preview and from the complaints people shared with me.
I believe this is a very valid point: people need a "Show Start" shortcut on the Windows 8 Desktop. Not everybody has a Windows 8 manual nor is born a power user who can quickly find ways to get around the new interface. Windows 8 Consumer Preview is great for hackers, geeks and people who are very technical but it is not friendly enough for normal users, who need visual clues to find their way through the operating system.
Below you can see a fun video showing how quickly normal people will be lost in Windows 8, without such a shortcut.
The Solution - Download the "Show Start" File
Download the archive attached at the bottom of this article and extract it on the Windows 8 Desktop. By default, it should look like this.
If the setting "Hide extensions for known file types" is unchecked in Windows Explorer -> Folder Options, then you will see also the extension of the file.
When you double click on this file, you will be immediately taken to the Windows 8 Start screen. If you use it in other versions of Windows, it will open the Start Menu. Therefore, it is best to rename the file to Show Start Menu.
Why I Created an Executable Instead of a Shortcut?
I did loads of research and it seems there is no way you can open the Start screen using a command or a shortcut to a specific executable in Windows 8. The only way to launch it is via the Windows key on your keyboard or with the mouse, using the charms appearing on the right side of the screen.
Therefore my solution involved the following steps:
- Write a script that sends the keyboard strokes required to launch the Start screen;
- Convert the script to an ".exe" file;
- Change the icon of the ".exe" file to the more friendly Windows 8 logo.
I hope Microsoft will solve this problem in the final version and provide a shortcut on the Desktop, to launch the Start screen. Such hacks should not be required for an operating system that wants to offer a great computing experience to all users.
Conclusion
I hope you found this download useful. If you happen to find other ways of creating the same shortcut, don't hesitate to share it via the comments form below.
IMPORTANT: Even though we updated this shortcut, some security software might still report this file as suspicious. We assure you that this file does not contain any malware and does nothing else than what was advertised.
Download Link: show_start.zip
Discussion (49)
THIS IS STUPID IT DID NOT WORK AND IS TOO HARD !!!!!!
Thanks for this. Works perfectly.
Thank you so much.
I needed just this solution to assist someone less “computer-able” in getting back and forth between the Windows 7 Desktop and the Windows 8 Whatever.
And, if I can be just a touch negative for a moment, shame on Micro$oft.
This is awesome. I remote into my Windows 8 PC from my iPad and it was no way to switch screen without bringing up keyboard and then pressing the start key. Now i have pinned this Icon on taskbar and it works like Windows 8.1.
Ciprian,
A while back you got some heat on the following note.
Downloaded this Zip file twice and each time I tried to unzip it, my Norton Internet Security suite blocked it and reported that it contained a Trojan named: Trojan.ADH.2.
It could have been that the AV scanners were picking up something, but I just ran into a similar problem.
It had nothing to do with your code, but a lot to do with the HUGE green “Download Now” button that appears just ahead of your zip download.
I clicked it and while I don’t think I received any viruses, I did receive a bunch of junk apps and toolbars that I hated.
I was really upset, but your article and the rest of the site seemed legit, so I took a chance.
The odd thing was, I did not even get your app I don’t believe.
Possibly if you could make your zip download in some way more prominent using oversized font and some color. Possibly a few lines of empty space right after the zip file.
BTW, your real “Show Desktop” app worked great once I figured things out.
Thought you might want to know.
Leslie
I think you did not download the Archive attached at the end of the article but you clicked on the ad at the bottom of the article, which took you to some dodgy site. Unfortunately Google does a poor job at filtering malicious websites that have ads on their AdSense service. If you have the URL of that malicious website, share it here and I will ban it from ever being displayed on our website.
I’m sorry for your problems though and appreciate you sharing the experience you had.
I still don’t get it.
What’s the point of this button shortcut?
Move mouse to bottom left corner and click.
I’d rather see a button that goes to a desktop installed programs list!
The point of this shortcut is explained by the video we embedded.
Hmm. Saw the video.
MS was bad, for not placing a mini tour instruction shortcut, on desktop and start screen, like other operating systems in past.
Net said MS was going to send instructions in email,
to all Win 8 users, but I never received.
If I do remember correctly, when I installed Win 8, there was repeating animation to go to corners of screen for actions.
That’s what helped me explore, and find start screen. My memory is bad, but not enough to forget how to get to start screen, after a couple of times.
But if someone bought a preinstalled version, there would not be visual cues, and I see now, your nice shortcut, can help other users.
For me, I was hoping your shortcut, would open up an installed desktop only programs start menu list. That would be L taco supremo.
Maybe, something to look into in future?
Thanks.
ps. Desktop is like sitting in movie theater in the middle seats.
Start screen is like down in first row, looking up at giant screen, getting dizzy!
My gosh, I love it when I do a search for a Windows 8 annoyance, and I immediately find somebody else that has had the same problem. This is even better, in that you created a work around which thumbs its nose up at these Win8 oversights. I think I have about 3 or 4 work around shortcuts on my Win8 installation now!!! Anyways, THANK YOU!!!
Glad to help Joe. Don’t hesitate to pay us a visit now and then. We publish Windows 8 articles every week. I’m sure you will find other interesting articles.
Just move your mouse to the far bottom left corner and the start icon appears!
That’s it, as far left and bottom as it will go, click!
You don’t need to download anything!!
This program has nothing to do with your shut down/hibernate shortcuts and it doesn’t impact them in any way.
This article might help you though: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/5-ways-shut-down-or-restart-windows-8-computer-or-device
Thanks for your work on this useful tool. Although I’m not sure why but now my shutddown/hibernate shortcuts I created don’t work. Anything to do with this lil program? I haven’t installed or even changed anything else.
thank u : thousand times
very nice
with no risque for my pc
Thank you so much. Works like a charm ; )
Using ways to trigger or simulate keypress via sendkeys or keybd_event is considered a bad practice because sometimes it will alter the normal behaviour of your keyboard (it is considered as a last resort), better use WinAPI -> PostMessage(,WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_TASKLIST,0)
Nice work! It’s especially neat when pinned to the far left side of the taskbar, where the start button used to be. Although, the start hotspot is better to be disabled in such case.
I downloaded and unzipped your script file on the desktop of my new Win 8 computer and it works just as you said it would. Thank you for the file.
Thanx man. Lol. I knew someone other than Microsoft would come up with this. My clients thank you too!
Source is autoit.
You can essentially write your own if you want – it is literally a one liner script compiled into an autoit UPX executable:
Send(“{LWIN}”)
Is it possible to have the source for this?
Cheers,
Stuart
Sorry but no.
Here you go. Create a text file and name it something.vbs
Edit the file and paste in the following code
Set objShell = CreateObject (“WScript.Shell”)
objShell.SendKeys “^{ESC}”
Save the file and create a shortcut to it.
Right-click the shortcut and choose Properties, then in the Target line preceed the target with Explorer.exe
Make shre you have a space between Explorer and your target path.
Change the icon to something from System32imageres.dll then pin the shortcut to your Taskbar.
Shift + Right-Click on the taskbar shortcut and choose Properties and remove the Explorer.exe stuff and click Ok to close. You now have a fancy Start Menu shortcut.
Thanks Pat, that is perfect!
Great and useful tool but missing one option…that is, the option where win 8 signs out into “Advanced Boot Options”. At the moment there are 3 ways of accessing this: 1. through the General tab of PC settings; 2. holding down the Shift key while clicking Restart; 3. entering the line “Shutdown.exe /r /o” through the command prompt.
Is it possible to enter this option into your application…it would indeed be great if this could be done. You would in fact have ALL boot options in one place. Please contact me if you have plans of including this option.
If you need to run shutdown.exe with some parameters, you can create a shortcut yourself and add those parameters to it.
You can find a guide on creating shortcuts, here: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-create-shortcuts
I know that, and I did create a shortcut…but the question was can you include this option in your app and will you?
I will not include this together with the Start Screen shortcut.
I might create shortcut pack for Windows 8 later on and publish it. Something similar to this: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/biggest-library-windows-7-shortcuts
What’s wrong with just pressing the “WIN” key to take you to that screen? Seems like an overly complicated way to simulate a button everyone has on their keyboard?
There is nothing wrong with that. This is for people who use the mouse and get around mostly by using visible shortcuts.
Well, every real gamer has the Win-key ripped off the keyboard. :))
BTW: How will you use Win-key in batch or cmd files? 🙂
Hello, your shortcut is handy…
Please could you wtite an EXE, what will “Focus Desktop” and send “Alt-F4” to it to display Shut Down Windows Dialog?
Or is there classic shortcut for this?
This no longer work in W8:
C:WindowsSystem32taskkill.exe /im explorer.exe
Try this article: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/biggest-library-windows-7-shortcuts
You will find other interesting shortcuts.
Hello there 🙂+
Thanks for quick reply, however the action I need is not there.
I want to invoke this dialog:
https://web.iol.cz/pages/storage/shut_down_windows.png
what can be only done by:
1. left clicking on the empty space on desktop
2. pressing
…because there is no known shortcut for this, the only method is that you have used in the EXE launching Start Metro Screen: script what will focus desktop and then send+ to it. I’ll pay you few bucks via PayPal, if you can modify your current script to the this action and make exe from it. Thanks
The keys are missing in my post because I’ve accidentally put them to HTML brackets.
Correct is:
2. pressing Alt+F4
That collection includes shortcuts for reboot, log off, etc. It makes it faster for you to shut down your system, for example. You really want just that window to be shown?
Yes, it is hard to explain, I need that for some very special purpose, what I need, is just invoking that window, not to do anything other with the computer. Your approach to sending key strokes is the only way I think.
Please, please 🙂 will you do it for me (in your free time)? :))
If so many thanks 🙂 As I said, I can send you some payback via Paypal 🙂
Can you give me a reminder towards the end of next week? I should be done with some deadlines on my book writing until then.
ok, thanks
Hello again, here is the nice reminder you’ve requested 🙂
…could you tell me your email? 🙂
Ok. I will work on it these days and come back to you. You can contact me at 7tutorials at gmail.
nice 🙂 thanks 🙂
I found another use for this.
The HP Touchsmart has a physical ‘Home’ button that is used to launch HP’s own touch software. There’s a registry key that controls what happens when this button is pressed, and it works with….ta-da… any EXE file! With this little script, I can now make the Home button launch the Start Screen – very nice.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlMobilePCHotStartButtons1
“ApplicationPath”=”c:\programpath\otherprogram.exe”
The thickness of the bezel around the screen on the Touchsmart makes it a bit tricky to use the ‘swipe’ action to access the charms – so this really helps.
I’m glad to see people found this useful for other things too. 😀 So cool!
Downloaded this Zip file twice and each time I tried to unzip it, my Norton Internet Security suite blocked it and reported that it contained a Trojan named: Trojan.ADH.2.
That is a false alarm. We do not distribute malware and this executable is only a file that sends a keyboard combination input to Windows 8.
Wow. I made a scan with Virus Total to see if other security software will report it as troublesome.
It seems that Norton, McAfee, Comodo and Rising will consider our file trojan. 🙁
All other security software will consider it OK.