NOTE: If you are using Windows 8 Consumer Preview and the utility mentioned in this article doesn't work for you, check out following tutorial: How to Enable Start Button and Start Menu in Windows 8?
Recently we posted a tutorial containing 2 methods to enable old Windows Vista and 7 style Start Menu in Windows 8:
How to Enable Good Old Windows Vista and 7 Style Start Menu and Disable Metro UI in Windows 8?
The above tutorial also helps in disabling new Metro UI, Start Screen and Ribbon UI in Windows Explorer.
With the help of 1st method mentioned in the above tutorial, our friend "Solo-Dev" created a free utility which does the job automatically and you don't need to modify Windows Registry:
Windows 8 Start Menu Toggle: Free Utility to Toggle Between New Start Screen and Old Start Menu
Now we are going to share another freeware which utilizes both methods mentioned in the above tutorial.
"MetroController" is a free utility created by our friend "hb860" for Windows 8 which allows you to:
- Disable Metro UI, Start Screen, Explorer Ribbon UI and Enable Old Start Menu
- Only Disable Metro UI, Start Screen and Enable Old Start Menu and Keep Explorer Ribbon UI
When you launch this tool, you just need to click on the desired button and it'll automatically enable/disable the mentioned features in Windows 8.
It seems the tool no longer works in new Windows 8 Consumer Preview build. You can visit following tutorials to enable Start Menu, disable ribbon UI in Windows 8 Explorer:
- Remove Ribbon UI from Windows 8 Explorer without Breaking Paint and WordPad Apps
- Get Start Button (ORB) and Classic Start Menu Back in Windows 8 Using Classic Shell
- How to Log Off, Restart and Shut Down Windows 8 PC?
This article was posted by VG in following section: Software, Windows 8.
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windows8rules
why no this is recking windows 8 so not cool people just grow and learn new things god dont reck a great thing
Chris
How do we get the original settings back if we want them back?
VG
^^ Click on the same button again.
@windows8rules
Some people cant get used to new features. It'll help them to stick with Windows 8 otherwise they'll go back to previous Windows version.
Davo
That's crazy you can't get used to the new features! It's awesomeeee!!
VG
^^ Personally I like all new features of Windows 8 but we should not forget that there are many people who dont like them and this software will help them. :)
Madis
I don't use Windows 8, but THANK GOD THIS SOFTWARE EXISTS! Love Ribbon, hate Metro.
BTW, does it disable new theme too and put titles back to left side?
Mushaf
@Madis: +1
I'll surely use this tool when I install Windows 8.
Morshed
Hei guyz, is the Desktop Gadget Platform still there in Windows 8 DP?
VG
^^ Yes.
cm
new task manager is disabled with this as with remaning shsxs.dll or not?