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Boot directly to desktop with Update 1 for Windows 8.1

Boot directly to desktop with Update 1 for Windows 8.1
Softonic Editorial Team

Softonic Editorial Team

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Windows, especially Windows 8.1, hides a lot of options, configuration set-ups, and easy but amazing tricks. In our Windows Tip of the Week series, we’ll try to show you some tricks that you might be unfamiliar with.

This week, we’ll show you how you can boot directly to the traditional desktop following the most recent Windows 8.1 update, known as Update 1.

This trick isn’t really new, since you could already do this on Windows 8.1. What is new is the following: if a PC doesn’t have a touchscreen, manufacturers can enable the Boot directly to desktop option by default. If, however, it does have a touchscreen, every time you start you computer, you’ll go straight to the Start screen, the one with the live tiles.

If you want to change this, you have to go to Taskbar and Navigation Properties by right-clicking the taskbar or using the Windows Search feature (try to use the shortcut on the home screen).

Properties

The search button

On the Navigation tab, enable or disable the When I sign in…go to the desktop instead of Start option, depending on whether you want the PC to boot by default to the desktop, or to the Start Screen.

Toolbar menu

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If you want more information about Windows 8, check out our Essential guide to Windows 8, and check back every Wednesday for our Windows Tip of the Week.

Softonic Editorial Team

Softonic Editorial Team

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