{"id":57126,"date":"2013-12-10T23:52:24","date_gmt":"2013-12-10T21:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onsoftware.en.softonic.com\/?p=57126"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:59:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T07:59:01","slug":"rumor-start-menu-to-return-in-windows-8-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/rumor-start-menu-to-return-in-windows-8-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Rumor: Start menu to return in Windows 8.2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Windows 8.1<\/a> was just released recently but Microsoft is already working on the next version of Windows. Code named “Threshold,” Windows 8.2 will apparently focus on creating three versions of Windows (tablet, consumer, enterprise) and will reportedly be bringing back the Start Menu.<\/p>\n

While Windows 8.1 brought back the Start button<\/a>, it only functions as a button to access the “Windows 8-style” app launcher. The traditional Start Menu with a list of frequently used apps and shortcuts to Computer, Documents, Photos, and more are absent. Windows 8.2 may bring this interface back, due to consumer backlash<\/a> against the Windows 8-style UI on the desktop.<\/p>\n

\"Start<\/p>\n

Stardock’s Start8 brings back the Start Menu to Windows 8\/8.1<\/em><\/p>\n

According to Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet, Windows 8.2 will concentrate on creating a unified ecosystem between Microsoft products like Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox. This makes sense as many Microsoft products feature the Windows NT kernel, providing the same backbone for many of the company’s operating systems. Foley expected Microsoft to merge desktop and mobile app stores to debut in Windows 8.1 but that never happened<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Paul Thurrot also has information from an inside source which tells him Windows 8-styled apps will be able to run in Windows 8.2’s desktop mode. There are already applications like Stardock’s ModernMix<\/a> that provide this feature to Windows 8\/8.1 users. Building in this feature may appease more conservative Windows desktop users who don’t like docking apps to multitask.<\/p>\n

\"ModernMix\"Run Windows 8-style apps in desktop mode with ModernMix<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s likely that these features will be hidden away as a theme or group of settings in Windows 8.2 as Microsoft still wants to push forward with its vision of a touch-based operating system for the desktop, tablet, and phone.<\/p>\n

In the mean time, you can install the aforementioned ModernMix<\/a> app and Start8<\/a> app to replicate these features right now.<\/p>\n

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