Microsoft 'U-turn' sees Start button back on Windows 8

The lack of the facility - which had been in every previous version since Windows 95 - has been one of the most controversial aspects of the software.

However, it will not offer all the functionality previously associated with the feature.

Instead it will bring users to the recently-introduced "Metro" interface.

"We've improved the way you navigate to Start with the mouse by changing the Start 'tip' to be the familiar Windows logo," the company said in a blog post.

"The new tip appears anytime you move the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, and is always visible on the taskbar when on the desktop."

On current versions of Windows 8, the start tip would only appear when users hovered their cursor over the lower-left corner of their screen.

In the 8.1 update, the area will be more visible.

A left-click on the tip will bring up a tile-based Start Screen - formerly known as the Metro interface - designed for touch-screen users.

A right-click will display a small menu of other options such as Event Viewer, Device Manager and Disk Management.

Another change will allow users to boot their computers directly into desktop mode, meaning they can avoid ever using the Start Screen if they wish.


The Windows 7 Start button triggered a menu with apps and other links
Many users had complained that ditching the traditional Start Menu and introducing the Start Screen had made the system less straight-forward to use, meaning businesses which adopted it would need to retrain staff.

'New Coke'
Microsoft had been stung by claims that the expected reintroduction of a Start button would mark a major U-turn.

An article in the Financial Times described the move as one of the "most prominent admissions of failure for a new mass-market consumer product since Coca-Cola's New Coke fiasco nearly 30 years ago" - making reference to the soft drinks company's decision to ditch a new recipe after overwhelming customer dissatisfaction.

Microsoft later issued a statement saying it was "unfortunate" the FT did not represent the "good response to date on Windows 8."

A preview download of Windows 8.1 will be released to the public in June, and a final version before the end of the year. Both will be free of charge to existing users.

'A fudge'
Chris Green, principal technology analyst for the Davies Murphy Group, told the BBC he did not think the change would be enough to silence the critics.

"What they're proposing to do is a bit of a fudge.

"It's the bare minimum to say they've addressed people's complaints while not having to really backtrack on anything."

He said Microsoft faced a challenge in being able to innovative with Windows while also keeping its vast user base comfortable.

"When new operating systems come along, same with major applications, everything moves around. People hate it because they have to re-learn from scratch."

Other changes that will appear to users running the update include:

Added customisation options, with more choice over colours and backgrounds on the Start Screen.
An improved search function that covers web content as well as apps, files and settings on the PC.
A new version of the firm's web browser - Internet Explorer 11 - which Microsoft said would offer improved tools for developers.

Leaked Screenshot Shows Microsoft Is Bringing The Start Button Back To Windows 8

Microsoft is working on a big new update to its Windows 8 operating system that will launch in a special preview version at the end of June. It's called Windows 8.1.

According to a leaked screenshot of the update obtained by Paul Thurrott, Windows 8.1 will bring back the Start button, which was removed from the first version of Windows 8 in favor of a tile-based menu designed for touchscreen computers and tablets.

But Microsoft confused a lot of people with the change, even though you could switch back the regular desktop mode from the new Start menu. It's long been rumored that Microsoft would bring back the old Start button in Windows 8.1 along with an option to let users boot their PCs in regular desktop mode by default.

According to ZDNet, the new Start button won't pull up the classic-looking list of options from older versions of Windows. Instead, it'll take you to the "All Apps" screen that lists all of the apps installed on your computer or tablet.

Now we have some concrete proof that's happening. We'll likely get a full rundown of Windows 8.1 at Microsoft's Build developers conference on June 26.