The new Metro UI Start Screen in Windows 8 is an off-the-beaten-path feature. All prior versions of Windows would take you straight to the desktop.
Despite the fact that the Metro Startup Screen has easy shortcuts to applications and programs, many people prefer the old and familiar Desktop. Unfortunately, by default, Windows 8 does not provide a way to skip the metro screen. However, you can use these two methods to get around it.
1. Using adders with the Start button.
Pokki and Startmenu8 are tools that add the “Start” button or orb to your Windows 8 desktop. These utilities will configure Windows 8 to boot directly to the desktop, bypassing the Metro screen, by default, after installation. This is the greatest option because your desktop is nearly useless without a “Start” button.
2. Making use of the Skip Metro Suite Program.
Skip Metro Suite is a simple app that allows you to bypass the Metro UI each time you log into Windows 8. It’s a stand-alone application, so all you have to do is install and execute it. It has a checkbox labeled “Enable Skip Metro Suite,” which you must first select. All other choices will be deactivated if you don’t do that. I’m not sure why it’s necessary, though.
You can tweak the hot corner elements in addition to avoiding the Metro UI. There is also the option to add a start button, but if you really want a start button, I recommend Pokki or Startmenu8. They have a lot of features and are more configurable.
For the Windows 8 Developer Preview, we’re skipping the Metro UI. How to Skip Windows 8 Metro Startup Screen
IMPORTANT: Because Windows 8 is now completely available, the following hacks are no longer valid. These only pertain to the Windows 8 developer previews that were released.
There are a couple methods to entirely circumvent the metro screen on the older Developer preview version .
1. Rename the shsxs.dll file.
This is the simplest method I’ve seen. The shsxs.dll file is renamed to shsxs backup.dll. Here’s where to look for it:
shsxs.dll (C:windowssystem32)
Simply restart the machine after renaming it, and you will be taken to a desktop that looks similar to that of Windows 7. Here’s what your desktop will look like once you’ve made the transition.
2. Mero UI is disabled using a registry hack.
To do so, open a Run box by pressing the “Windows Key + R” combination. Click OK after typing “regedit.” Navigate to the below path in the registry editor that appears and set the value of the registry key “RPEnabled” to 0. How to Skip Windows 8 Metro Startup Screen
After you’ve finished, simply log off or restart your computer, and Windows will send you straight to the old Windows 7 desktop, bypassing the metro UI screen.
3. Make use of the Metro UI tweaker.
Metro UI tweaker is an utility that makes modifying registry values and renaming system files straightforward for those who aren’t comfortable with it. Here’s how you go about it:
- To get a folder named MUITW8, download and extract the Metro UI Tweaker zip file.
- To find the Metro UI Tweaker.exe file, open the folder. Run it with administrative privileges.
- To do so, pick “Run as administrator” from the context menu when you right-click on the file.
Depending on whether your system has the required.NET version, this may or may not trigger a system update for .NET framework. Allow your system to update .NET if it prompts you. How to Skip Windows 8 Metro Startup Screen
Start the program and choose the desired option.
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For the restart notification, select “Apply” and then “yes.” You will no longer see the metro UI and will instead be brought to a Windows 7-like desktop. Here’s a breakdown of the many options:
- Disable Metro Start Menu: Only the Metro Start Menu Screen is disabled.
- Disable Metro Ribbon: Only the Metro Ribbon UI is disabled.
- Disable Metro Start Menu and Ribbon: The Metro Start Menu, Ribbon, Metro Task Manager, and Lock Screen are all disabled.
- Re-enables the Metro Start Menu and Ribbon, as well as all other Metro UI features.
- Enhance the Metro Start Menu Screen with Power Options: Logoff, Switch User, Lock, Sleep, Restart, and Shutdown are all functions that can be performed on a computer. How to Skip Windows 8 Metro Startup Screen
- Add Any Application/File to the Metro UI Start Menu Screen: This allows you to add any application or file to the Metro UI Start Menu screen.
Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 8 are supported by Metro UI Tweaker.
