In Windows 8, we have several ways to switch between the new Start screen and the legacy desktop. One can click on the desktop tile on the Start screen or press Windows logo key on the keyboard to the switch to the desktop.
To switch from desktop to the Start screen, one can either press the Windows logo key on the keyboard, click or tap the Start charm on the Charms bar, or click the Start screen preview that appears when you move the mouse cursor to the lower left bottom of the screen.
Windows 8 users don’t need to create a separate shortcut of the Start screen on the desktop. Users who want to use the Start screen without leaving the desktop mode can configure the Start screen to open within desktop or reduce Start screen size.
But if, for whatever reason, you want to have a shortcut of the Start screen on your desktop, you can now download a small executable file named Show Start from the link mentioned at the end of this article.
The Show Start executable comes in handy for users who prefer mouse over the keyboard to switch to the Start screen. A double-click on the Show Start file will take you to the Start screen. You could even pin this executable to the Taskbar (right-click on the file and click Pin to Taskbar).
Users who are running Windows 8 on a tablet may also find this tool useful as you don’t need to swipe-in from the right-edge of the screen to see the Charms bar and then tap the Start. If you are a tablet user, we suggest you pin Show Start to the extreme left of the Taskbar so you can switch to the Start screen with a tap.
Visit the developer’s page to download Show Start executable. It’s compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 8.
Crash says
Unfortunately all that tool does is send the WindowsKey. Which one can do with Autohotkey with a one line script:
+^z::Send, {LWin} ; Shift+Ctrl+z sends the windows key.
Thus if you have replaced the start button with something else, all this tool does is show the Start Menu, instead of the Start Screen. Fairly useless.
Looking at the binary it’s likely just an AHK or AutoIT script that’s been UPX’d.
Rebecca says
Thanks for this! One of my machines uses a single touch monitor (or whatever you call it, it is not a ‘multi-touch’) and the swipe start does not work.