Getting tired of Windows 8 and its tiles ’ sovereignty of terror ? Laptop Mag ’s Avram Piltch shows you how to get the Windows 7 you know and love back — without ever downgrading .
Step 1: Swap the Start screen for a Start menu
Without a doubt , the most unfamiliar ( and , for some , most plaguy ) feature of Windows 8 is its tile - ground Start screen . Where Windows 7 lets you choose from a list of applications programme by pulling up the Start card , Windows 8 makes you go to a altogether separate covert just to launch an applications programme or conduct a lookup . There are a identification number of third - political party Windows 8 Start menu apps including the freeClassic Shell , but if you ’re unforced to pay $ 4.99 , we recommendStart8 , because it looks the most like the Windows 7 Start menu and provide you to master many other elements of the UI .
1 . Download and installStart8 . you’re able to essay the program for 30 day without pay up for it .
2 . Select Windows 7 Style and Windows 7 Theme under the Style tab .
3 . Make certain Disable Translucency is unchecked .
4 . pick out the Desktop lozenge .
5 . see “ Disable all Windows 8 red-hot corners . ” This setting will prevent the Charms and Windows 8 Start shortcut from appearing when you hover the mouse in a corner .
6 . ensure “ Automatically go to the Desktop when I sign in ” is checked . This style Windows 8 will take you directly to the background when it boot rather than making you go through the Start screen first .
7 . Uncheck Disable Taskbar Translucency .
8 . take the Control tablet .
9 . Uncheck “ show the Windows 8 menu when I press the right windows winder . ” With this setting off , you wo n’t unintentionally terminate up on the Start silver screen if you hit the right Windows headstone .
10 . end the Start8 preferences window .
11 . View all your programs by clicking All Programs on the Start8 .
12 . pivot your favourite program to Start8 by rightfulness - clicking on them and take Pin To Start8 .
MORE:5 Windows 8 Apps to Bring Back the Start Menu
Step 2: Install the Windows 7 Aero theme
With Windows 8 , Microsoft took aside the attractive semitransparent Aero chicken feed effects and style many people love in Windows 7 . Instead , the company made the desktop theme bland , substantial and a small flake boring . While you ca n’t get all of the semitransparent personal effects back , you could get a very standardized look to Windows 7′s nonremittal melodic theme .
1 . Download andinstall UxStyle . This app tweaks your preferences so you’re able to install third - political party composition you did n’t get from Microsoft .
2 . Downloadthis Windows 7 themefrom Deviant Art and open its zip file .
3 . Copy the depicted object of the Themes leaflet from the zip filing cabinet to C : WindowsResourcesThemes .
4 . twofold - click the Windows7Aero ikon . Your root should now convert to Windows 7 Aero , complete with the default option Windows 7 wallpaper .
5 .
To switch back and forward between this musical theme , a stripped down “ basic ” version of Aero or other Windows 8 themes , right - sink in on the background and select Personalize .
MORE : How to keep out Down Windows 8 in Just One suction stop
Step 3: Add an Aero glass effect to window title bars
Even with the Aero stem instal , the window title of respect bar and borders are unintelligible . While you ca n’t make all component part of the UI have the smoky semitransparent effect they do in Windows 7 , WinaeroGlass can make the title bars see - through .
1 . Download and unzipWinaeroGlassto your background .
2 . twofold - clack Winaeroglass.exe to reverse on its visual effect . At present the app has no UI ; it just function .
3 . Copy WinaeroGlass.exe to the C : ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup booklet if you desire it to start every time Windows 8 starts .
Step 4: Skip the lock screen
Windows 7 does n’t do in your time by make believe you sneak away a lock screen before you get to its login prompting . fortuitously , it ’s easy enough to disable Windows 8′s fourth dimension - waste lock screen .
1 . Open Regedit by remove Windows + roentgen and put down regedit at the command prompt .
2 . Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MARCHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows .
3 . Create a registry key call Personalization if it does n’t already survive . you could create a key by right - clicking on the Windows key , take New then Key and renaming the folder that appears .
4 . Create a new DWORD time value and name it NoLockScreen . To produce a DWORD , right - click in the white space on the right side of the windowpane and take New then DWORD ( 32 - bite ) economic value . Rename the DWORD .
5 . Assign NoLockScreen a value of 1 by twice - clicking it and inscribe the number 1 in the dialog boxful that appears .
6 . Close Regedit and reboot . From now on you will be taken straight to the login prompt .
MORE : How to Read POP Mail in Windows 8
Step 5: Run Windows 8 style apps in Desktop mode
Even if your desktop look like Windows 7 , you have a Start menu and your scheme boots you directly to the desktop , you may still desire to run some Windows 8 apps . Under normal conditions , you ’d be forced to run new style apps like Bing News or the People app at full screen in Windows 8′s Modern UI , but with the help of a utility calledModernMixyou can prevail every Windows 8 program in its own draggable , resizable window on the screen background .
. Download and installModernMix . The software program cost $ 4.99 but has a free 30 - day trial . You may need to put down your electronic mail address to have a download connection .
2 . Select Windowed mode under “ When launched from the Windows 8 Start Menu . ” With this mise en scene enabled , even if you establish a Windows 8 app from the Start screen , it will open on the desktop .
3 . Select “ Never come back to the Windows 8 carte when I close down applications ” under the Advanced tab .
4 . shut the ModernMix configurations windowpane .
As long as ModernMix is running , all Windows 8 mode apps ( also known as Modern apps ) will hunt in windows . you may even immobilize Windows 8 apps to the taskbar by right wing - clicking on their taskbar icons and selecting “ Pin this program to taskbar . ”
Related connection :
8 big Windows 8 Annoyances and How to Fix Them
Top 25 Windows 8 Apps
Windows 8 Guide
Republished with permit fromLaptop Mag.Laptopmag.combrings you in - astuteness reassessment of the hottest fluid products , the latest tech news , helpful how - to advice , and expert analysis of the latest tech drift .
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