I decided to write this article, because lots of people are still trying to use my Skip Metro Suite, which was not designed for Windows 8.1 and isn't actually required on Windows 8.1 any more. Windows 8.1 already offers you a native way to skip the Start screen and boot directly to Desktop! Let's see how to activate this useful feature.
Author: Sergey Tkachenko
How to disable Charms Bar completely in Windows 8.1
Despite the Charms Bar being an annoyance on the Desktop, in Windows 8.1, Microsoft has only decided to allow users to disable the top left corner (also known as Switcher) and the top right corner, so when you point your mouse pointer to those corners, the Metro Charms Bars will not annoy you. However, the bottom right corner remains. If you find no use for the Charms Bar especially on the Desktop, you might be interested in disable that bottom right corner too.
In this article, we will look how to use settings in Windows 8.1 to disable active corners. Also, we will look at a workaround to disable the bottom right corner.
Download Winaero Charms Bar Killer
Winaero Charms Bar Killer.
Winaero Charms Bar Killer is freeware and portable application which allows you to get rid of Charms Bar in Windows 8.1/Windows 8 completely.
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Winaero Charms Bar Killer
Specially for touchpad users: if app "does not work" for you, please refer to this article: How to disable Metro edge swipes and touch charms bar gestures for trackpads (touchpads) in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
Even if you recently switched to Windows 8.1, you probably noticed new features which allow you to disable top left corner, top right corner and skip Start screen to boot directly to Desktop. Those options are accessible inside properties of the taskbar:
However, there is still no way to rid of Charms Bar completely. For example, the bottom right corner can't be disabled using OS settings. So I decided to fix it and made this simple app: Winaero Charms Bar Killer
This app can kill the top left corner, the top right corner and the bottom right corner in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8. This can be handy for Windows 8 users too since they do not have options to disable those active corners.
Nature HD#28 theme for Windows 8
How to open the Win+X menu on a touch screen
The Win+X menu is one of the handy features of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 on the desktop. When you press the Win+X hotkey on the keyboard, it appears in the bottom left corner.
It contains quick links to the main control panel items, some administrative tools and provides quick access to the command prompt or PowerShell. Additionally, in Windows 8.1 it allows you to quickly sign out, shutdown and restart.
On a tablet with a touch screen, you might need to open that Win+X menu, but without a keyboard or a mouse, you may not be aware how to access it. Here's how to access it.
Nature HD#27 theme for Windows 8
How to copy process details from the Task manager in Windows 8.1 and Windows 8
Windows 8's completely new Task Manager has many changes compared to the Task Manager in Windows 7 and below. Now, it features a simplified mode, and the advanced mode has more detailed performance information. There's added management of startup apps with a very useful "startup impact" calculation feature. But one of the real improvements is that you can now easily copy detailed information of an application or service with the modern Task Manager of Windows 8.1/8 with a quick and easy keystroke. Let's see how.
How to copy text from dialog boxes in Windows 8.1
Sometimes, while using Windows, you need to copy the text from the some message box which appears on your screen. For example, some application may show you an error message or crash details. In such a scenario, you would want to copy its text to the clipboard so you can paste it in Google's search box or into your Instant Messaging software to discuss it with your friend or support engineer. Well, here's a trick that you may not be aware of.
Daily Bing #30 theme for Windows 8
