Most of Windows 8 users complain about the new Start Screen which automatically appears at startup. They don't want this Start Screen to appear when they log into Windows. They just want to boot directly into Desktop similar to previous Windows versions.
There are many known ways to skip Start Screen at startup such as adding Show Desktop shortcut to Windows startup, scheduling automatic boot into Desktop using Task Scheduler, etc.
Today we are going to share a very easy to use and 100% working method to skip Metro Start Screen and boot directly into Desktop in Windows 8.
Everyone knows here that we love Classic Shell software which brings classic Windows features back in Windows 7 and Windows 8 such as classic Start Menu, start button, standard toolbar buttons in Windows Explorer, etc.
You can check out following exclusive AskVG review of Classic Shell to read more details about this excellent freeware:
Classic Shell: Get Classic Start Menu, IE9, Explorer Toolbar Buttons Back in Windows Vista, 7 and 8
Now the good news is that a new version of Classic Shell has been released which comes with a new option to skip Start Screen in Windows 8.
So now you can use Classic Shell software to skip Start Screen and directly log into Desktop in Windows 8.
Please follow these simple steps if you want to skip Start Screen in Windows 8:
1. First of all download and install Classic Shell software using following link:
Download Classic Shell for Windows
2. After installing Classic Shell, open Classic Start Menu Settings window. You can open it either by going to "All Programs -> Classic Shell -> Start Menu Settings" option or by right-clicking on Start button and selecting "Settings" option.
3. Now go to "Windows 8 Settings" tab in Settings window and make sure "Skip Metro screen" option is enabled.
4. That's it. Apply the changes and restart or log off and get ready to directly boot into Windows 8 Desktop.
Please note that you might get Start Screen for a very small amount of time at startup which is a limitation and currently we don't know any working way to bypass it completely.
Also check out our exclusive Classic Shell skin to Get Windows 7 look-like Start Menu in Windows 8:
Download Classic Shell Skin to Get Windows 7 Look-Like Start Menu and Start Button in Windows 8
Posted by: Vishal Gupta | Categories: Troubleshooting, Windows 8
Varemenos
Any other way to replicate this effect without installing classic shell? I only want to skip metro start screen i dont wanna get rid of it (or install software to do it). There should definitely be a way to do this via a "register hack".
VG
^^ Believe me its the best and easiest way to skip Start Screen. There is no registry hack available to disable or skip Start Screen. IMO Classic Shell is a must have software for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users.
alex
we need a hacker to rebuild explorer of windows 7 to have a built in start menus and simply replace the old one have that start up as a the new shell
Miss.Andrea Borman.
I have just come from the Classic Shell forums. A new version of Classic Shell has just been released today,Classic Shell 3.5.1 and in this version you can now boot straight to the desktop in Windows 8 RP and Windows 8 CP,by passing the Metro start screen.
Classic Shell is the first and only start menu software that enables you to do this. And now in this new version,when you search your files on Classic Shell you are taken to Windows Explorer. Not the Metro start menu like you were in the previous version.
So this new version of Classic Shell 3.5.1 is what we have been waiting for. Andrea Borman.
Patchrick
does all programs that work on windows 7 will 100% work on windows 8?, i mean programs such as ms office 2010, skype etc. will work as expected from windows 7?, not trying to install anything on win 8 except updates, metro apps and .net blah blah,
Miss.Andrea Borman.
Yes Patchrick,all of the programs I use on Windows 7 work on Windows 8. Also I have installed many of my programs from Windows XP and Windows Vista and they all work on Windows 8. I have reinstated Windows Vista Mail,Vista Sidebar,Windows Calendar,Windows Movie Maker 2.1 from Windows XP,Movie Maker 6 and 2.6 and more software from XP, all work on Windows 8. Andrea Borman.
Uewd
I have always used CoreTemp to skip the Metro Start Screen. I set its options to start automatically with Windows and to start minimized.
KTown
Too bad I deleted the partition I had Windows 8 on.
NSDCars5
Hey, VG, can I set the Classic Shell orb to open up the Start Screen?
VG
^^ Yes. Check out its Settings.
Linux SU
It really depends on what programs you are using and want to port over to W8. If they ran on XP then they may have also worked on Vista if you are lucky and also on W7 and also in W8. But this usually always comes down to restricted code and changes MS made to DLL files or its core, they keep this stuff more secret and if the program you want to use was not designed for a new OS chances are it will not support it, if its use relies on a driver for its proper functionality. Just a plain and simple fact.
Tb
Is the case of this classic shell reversible...i mean if u wnt d metro start screen back
VG
^^ Yes. Simply uncheck the option.
FJ
Lost new window 8 tiles on start up screen
how do you retrive them with out refreshing your Laptop
VG
^^ You can try the method given in following tutorial:
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-accidentally-uninstalled-built-in-apps-in-windows-8/
Daniel
Hi VG,
I checked your resolution or display settings information, but it does not change the display or size of the welcome screen, the icons and titles on my screen are too small even if changed to large, the charm bar is also too small, cant read any of them. Is there a way to increase the size of the icons (or palettes0 on the welcome screen?
VG
^^ I didnt understand which information are you talking about? Please provide more details.
Muhammad Shahzad
hello i think metro screen looks best and i appreciate to the team of windows8 but metro screen looks more beauty on touch screeeeeen.
Serverdrvier
There is a way to boot straight into ClassicDesktop with a registry edit without ClassicShell if for any reason CS isn't an option:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Server]
"ClientExperienceEnabled"=dword:00000001
VG
^^ It'll not work in client OS i.e. Windows 8. It was created for Windows Server 2012.
mpdugas
This is such a confusing topic; the Windows 8 "desktop" is a Metro app itself. Classic Shell is part of that same Metro app.
The Start screen IS the Start button of old...but customizable, of course.
There is no Windows 7 (or earlier Windows) Desktop mode anymore.
Why do people labor so hard to run a Metro app if they hate Metro so much?