Category Archives: Windows 8

FIX: Modern apps do not show in the App history tab of Task Manager in Windows 8

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The App history tab, which is part of the new Task Manager in Windows 8, is designed to show statistics for Modern apps that you use. It shows the CPU time of apps (which apps keep the CPU busy for the most amount of time), the amount of data each app has downloaded or uploaded, or consumed for showing live tiles, including the data consumption over a metered network and a non-metered one. However, sometimes the App history stops working and you may not figure out why. If you are not able to see your app usage history in the Windows 8 Task Manager, then you can try the fix described below.

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How to manually trigger the Windows 8.1 download from the Windows Store

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Still having issues with the upgrade to Windows 8.1? Then you can try the following. Here is a simple, but effective trick which allows you to trigger the Windows 8.1 download from the Windows Store in Windows 8!
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How to open the Desktop context menu on a touch screen in Windows 8

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I have been asked many times by my friends who bought a Windows 8 tablet on how to open the Desktop context menu. Even for people who're familiar with using the touchscreen UI, the Desktop side in Windows 8 is confusing. It's very easy to access the context menu of the Desktop or any other object in File Explorer.

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Where is the ‘ad hoc’ wireless connection feature in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

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If you 'upgraded' from Windows 7 to Windows 8 or directly to Windows 8.1, you might have noticed that ad hoc Wi-Fi (computer-computer) connections are no longer available.  The user interface for setting up an ad hoc connection does not exist any more in the Network and Sharing Center. This can be a bit disappointing. However, with Windows 7 itself, a substitute feature was introduced which is a better replacement for ad hoc wireless connections.

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How to remove the Start button in Windows 8.1

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Microsoft has released Windows 8.1 to MSDN and Technet subscribers, and I decided to give a try to this shiny new OS from Redmond. In a nutshell: Windows 8.1 improves the Windows 8 operating system on the tablet side, but I did not find significant changes on the "Desktop" side.
After the release of Windows 8.1, I found its Start button useless. Seriously, there are no issues for me if that button is not shown on the taskbar. Sure, I miss the good, old Start menu. The Start screen still cannot replace that menu for me, there is no doubt about that... Just one button can't restore the classic UX. So I decided to restore the behavior of Windows 8, with blackjack and hookers, and free some taskbar space by removing the Start button.


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Desktop gadgets and sidebar for Windows 8.1

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As you may have noticed, Desktop Gadgets and Sidebar are missing in Windows since Windows 8 RTM. Personally, I don't miss gadgets since I did not use them. But a lot of people have been missing them. If you can't live without desktop gadgets, there is good news for you: desktop gadgets and sidebar are available for Windows 8.1.

An independent developer "PainteR" has updated his unofficial installer which allows you to get gadgets back in Windows 8.1 with just a few mouse clicks.

So, follow the installer wizard.

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Speed up your Windows startup with these tricks

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Do you know that you can speed up Windows startup without using third-party tools? Today, we are going to share with you several tricks which will allow you to reduce the startup time and make your Windows boot faster. Some of them are quite simple, and some of them might be new for you.

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How to unlock the hidden display off timeout for the Lock screen in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

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The Lock screen, new to Windows 8, is a fancy feature which allows you to display an image while your PC/tablet is locked and displays other useful information.

However, when the PC is locked, the normal display off timeout value has no effect on it and you cannot specify the timeout value after which the screen will turn off while you are on the Lock screen. Turns out, there is a hidden registry setting for this and enabling it even turns it on in the Power Options  control panel GUI - the same window where you specify other power related timeouts. Let me show you how.

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How to change a Windows theme from the command prompt

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Many people, including my friends, often ask me how to change a Windows theme from the command prompt without opening the Explorer window. They want to apply the custom theme they have installed from the command line. Unfortunately, Windows does not provide any native or user-friendly way to change the current theme and apply *.theme file silently. Today, I would like to provide you with an easy-to-use solution - our brand new release: Winaero Theme Switcher.

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