After installing Windows 8 on your system and upgrading it to the latest software, you must be wondering about the next step. At times like this, you need to know how to proceed further and learn new tips that will enable you in getting that head start while providing you with the ease of operability. Let us learn about six such essential tips that will help you get through.
Organize your Icons on Start Screen
We all like an organized look of icons on the screen, nobody likes that scattered tiles all over the screen that is at times confusing too. In order to achieve a more organized look on the screen you need start by organizing columns.
This is as easy as using the drag and drop functionality especially when it comes to dumping the icons in their corresponding groups. You also have the choice to dump a cluster of icons together. Hover your mouse to the right hand low corner of the screen; click the icon representing a hyphen in a box image.
This will make the start screen zoom out, now you can conveniently move around the columns you desire. You can also rename your columns accordingly by right-click on a column; now select the option of Name Group.
Change the Animation of Your Start Screen
Initially when you log into the Windows 8 you will be greeted by a background with numerous colored icons displayed from left to right. These are more like a display of animation that are filled with solid colors. Nonetheless, the graphics that appear while opening or closing the system are boring. Therefore, to pump up the pretty factor you can apply settings accordingly, here is how:
• Go to Registry by regedit on your start screen
• Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell\Grid
• On the right side of your Windows 8 pane right-click
• Go to the New and select DWORD
• Rename the DWORD option to Launcher_SessionLoginAnimation_OnShow
• Double click the option and set the value to 1
• Now you will be greeted with new Windows animation on opening and closing the system
• Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell\Grid
• On the right side of your Windows 8 pane right-click
• Go to the New and select DWORD
• Rename the DWORD option to Launcher_SessionLoginAnimation_OnShow
• Double click the option and set the value to 1
• Now you will be greeted with new Windows animation on opening and closing the system
Arranging Rows
While you are still logged into the registry key, you can make yet another change. You can make one more tweak to your system, in the icons rows. You can make a setting that will enable you to lock a given number of icon rows that are displayed on your Start screen. T
his is as simple as the setting that you have created for the start animation, just create another DWORD and rename it to Layout_MaximumRowCount. Now enter the row counts by double clicking the icon. Remember that you can add up to 5 rows. Additionally, to be able to apply the settings you need to restart your system.
Shortcuts and Charms bar
If you are not using a touch screen enabled device then you know how annoying it is to use other input devices like keyboard and mouse.
These come in the way of accessing menus that are otherwise easy to reach, so why not use the keyboard shortcuts. You can use commands like Windows key + H for displaying Share sidebar this will help reveal the Charms Bar sub-menus. Windows key +I for displaying Settings also to turn off your PC, also if you want to reveal the menu then you can do so by simultaneously pressing the Windows key and X key.
Changing the Lock Screen Option
It is annoying indeed when each moment you need to login to your system as it is not a touch enabled screen that you are working with. Therefore, it is better to get rid of the lock screen option.
• Go to the Group Policy Editor by entering gpedit.msc
• Navigate to Computer Configuration
• Choose the Administrative Templates
• Go to the Control Panel and then select Personalization
• Double click the Do not display the lock screen option
• This will enable the functionality of unlock screen and then press OK to confirm the changes
• Navigate to Computer Configuration
• Choose the Administrative Templates
• Go to the Control Panel and then select Personalization
• Double click the Do not display the lock screen option
• This will enable the functionality of unlock screen and then press OK to confirm the changes
Taking Screenshots Made Easy
Capturing a screen shot in a previous Windows version would involve multiple steps. With the Windows 8 all this is made possible in just one-step:
• Windows key+ Print Screen, this will enable taking a screen shot and simultaneously dump the image file in a folder by the name of Screenshots.
All the above given tips are the six most essential and easy to apply tips that will help you to get started upon Windows 8.
