External hdmi no longer works in windows 8.1 on ultrabooks (I am a yoga 13 user).
Stop urging people to go on 8.1. After one week of frustration
I have returned back to windows 8 close all updates other than office.
Task Scheduler didn’t like using that SCF file, and the entire command invoked seemed to do nothing from removing the initial Start Menu for me (Only Worked mid-use). Sendkeys (CTRL+ESC) on startup worked fine.
Make a VBS file (Named something like”%Userprofile%ShowDesktop.vbs”):
Dim WS: SET WS = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”)
WS.SendKeys “^{ESC}”
This might work to get it off rip if scripting is block. I just converted it to an EXE:
Create a REG_SZ named Win8LeaveStart in the key:
HKCUSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
Instead of going through all that, I simply “hibernate” my computer. It is not much different than shutting down your computer. And the advantage of hibernating is that the state of your desktop and programs open are preserved.
Upon resuming from hibernation, you boot straight into your desktop and you resume your work as if you had never shut down.
PS: If you make a habit of closing down all your programs before hibernating, the next time you resume from hibernation, you’ll be greeted with the desktop. There’s absolutely nothing that you need to tweak on your Windows 8 or 8.1; well, maybe you need to enable Hibernation if haven’t already done so. That’s all.
Make sure you have “Hide extensions for known file types” unchecked in Folder Options. Just for file verification purposes.
Re-check it afterwards if you want.
Create the “Show Desktop” file:
Open a text editor like Notepad. (not Word or Wordpad)
Copy and Paste or type the following into the text editor:
Do not have any extra spaces at the top and do not “Carriage Return” (enter) to next line at the end.
Save the file as – Show Desktop.scf (actually any name you want, just remember it)
When you see the file it will have the Desktop icon but it will not have .scf at the end even with “Hide extensions for known file types” unchecked. Right click the file and go to properties. It should have “Type of file: File Explorer Command (.scf)” and the name should be just “Show Desktop” with no extension.
Copy the file to the “Start MenuProgramsStartup” folder.
There are more than one “Startup” folders in Windows 8 and 8 Pro. Put it in this one:
I also received an email however it also appears that if anyone posts on this tutorial you’ll get notified. Notify me below is automatically checked…which I missed which is also why I probably got the same email.
How did you determine this? I removed it shortly after trying it and have since upgraded to 8.1. So I would be interested to know: did you actually get an email from me?
First of all – this file doesn’t do any harm to your computer and it doesn’t send any emails.
Second – you might be confused by our automatic comment notifications. When you make a comment on our website, the default setting (which you can change yourself) is to receive notifications via email when new comments are posted on the same article where you posted.
If this bothers you, let me know and I can quickly unsubscribe you from receiving these notifications.
Just did this on a Dell XPS tablet-PC with Win8. The first method described for Win8 worked like a charm. There is a slight delay, 1-2 seconds that you see the Metro Desktop but then it pops right to Desktop. We can live with this as the person that will be using it will not have to remember to do anything special. He’ll just be at his desktop like normal. Thanks a bunch!
This did not work on my Win 8 x64 Pro. I believe there is a policy somewhere preventing going straight to the desktop. It will work with send desktop.exe in the startup menu.
Note: You can also add it as a key to the Local machinesoftwareMicrosoftwindowscurrent versionrun ei:
Stringvalue key: SendToDesktop
data: “(path to program)send desktop.exe”
I have logins for: Administrator, My Microsoft account, and my local machine account that I use the most. Putting it in the local machine, causes it to happen for all accounts.
you don’t need any tool or exe or script!
just create a task as mentioned above (start at log on of the user…) and enter:
explorer shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}
instead of Send Desktop.exe crap.
this will bring you to desktop without any error or problem, because it’s an already built in function of windows 8.
absolutely 100% *** advice ‘if you are using original version of windows 8 (uh, how many are there?) skip this section …’ uh, yeah – skip to where? are we supposed to magically figure out where the instructions begin again? thanks for **** – that’s all it was worth
Cool work around, but unnecessary. You don’t need an .exe file in order to boot to the desktop instantly and without “side effects” (such as the Libraries window opening on boot).
Instead of pointing to the .exe file, instead point to a file we all already have: %windir%explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}
(Add the shell bit as an extension in the task)
That’ll do the trick.
No, it’s not hard to press Win+D. However, if you are a Media Center user, it’s rather annoying that you have to grab a keyboard to switch from Metro to the Desktop to watch TV.
Windows 8 has been booting straight to the desktop since install last week, that is until yesterday I set up an offline profile, and now it boots to the apps screen or whatever it’s called.
I have the reverse problem. Contrary to most other users I actually really like the new startscreen on my tablet. Unfortunately windows has done a “windows” on me, and have started booting up to the desktop with no warning or explanation. So how do I ho back?
Cheers A
Why not just press the ‘Windows’ key? This simply toggles you between the Start (Metro) Screen and the Desktop.
If you organise the Start Screen tiles to suit your PC usage then when you have booted into the Start Screen you just click the tile of the Desktop app that you were going to run and it takes you to the Desktop and runs the application straight away. Having used Windows 8 for a short while it’s just as convenient to boot into the Start Screen as it is to the Desktop, if not more convenient.
“Not working.
Just open Start and type(“Desktop”) search box automatically.
Maybe this is about a different language? I think.
Everything else settings from Scheduler task is shipshape.
What’s wrong?”
Same issue on my PC, but I don’t know if it was caused by the solution above. I installed some programs, that make Windows boot to desktop and one of them could do it.
My language version is polish (Windows 7 RTM evaluation copy)
Not working.
Just open Start and type(“Desktop”) search box automatically.
Maybe this is about a different language? I think.
Everything else settings from Scheduler task is shipshape.
What’s wrong?
Also – if you knew autoit better, you could actually embed this in another autoit – and that one can have the xml and command for importing the scheduled task. Download, run – everything would already be set. Step up your game.
I have this set up on an old desktop and the combination of the Classic Menu, Send Desktop.exe, and Control userpasswords2 set to automatically start without the password in order to give me a seamless arrival at the Windows 8 desktop.
I support older users and they will need some time to get used to the “Modern” interface. I cannot decide if this approach will help them adjust or just allow them to function as they always did without learning the new OS. Since so many of my clients just want to do simple things without being confused about the interface, I have decided to make it simple.
I don’t know why, but the solution does not work on my Windows 8 90-day trial (installed on VMPlayer 4.0). I’ve surely set everything like in your description, but I see Satrt Modern UI screen. Maybe that’s because I use WIndows on virtual machine? Or maybe the autologin option, which I turned on is the problem?
I have the same setup that you describe. Make sure you have the latest version of Classic Shell which is 3.6.1. The d/l site is:http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ Select the ‘skip metro screen’ setting from either the ‘Basic Settings’ or the ‘Windows 8 settings’ tabs. N.B. There are several similar programs out there. This one is open source and works well.
Using Classic Shell brings the start button back, right? Or maybe there’s an option, which wouldn’t add it? I want to try using new Windows without classic start button.
On the other hand it’d be better if I didn’t need additional software for auto-desktop-boot
No, there’s no option for disabling the start orb, but as far as I can tell, it doesn’t stop you from using all the Windows 8 features. I understand about not wanting to add other software. But it is helping me get used to the new features without too much of a learning curve.
47 Responses to “How to Boot to the Desktop in Windows 8 & Windows 8.1”
why i only see takbar in the control panel rather that Taskbar and Navigation? How will i boot to desktop then?
Best OS : Windows 7 & XP
Unfortunately your special stops OneDrive from loading in Windows 8. Any way around this?
You say we need to download your special .exe file to make this work…but for the life of me I cannot find a link to do so. Where is it?
Just upgrade to 8.1 and it will do it by itself.
External hdmi no longer works in windows 8.1 on ultrabooks (I am a yoga 13 user).
Stop urging people to go on 8.1. After one week of frustration
I have returned back to windows 8 close all updates other than office.
Task Scheduler didn’t like using that SCF file, and the entire command invoked seemed to do nothing from removing the initial Start Menu for me (Only Worked mid-use). Sendkeys (CTRL+ESC) on startup worked fine.
Make a VBS file (Named something like”%Userprofile%ShowDesktop.vbs”):
Dim WS: SET WS = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”)
WS.SendKeys “^{ESC}”
This might work to get it off rip if scripting is block. I just converted it to an EXE:
Create a REG_SZ named Win8LeaveStart in the key:
HKCUSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
%WINDIR%System32rundll32.exe url.dll,FileProtocolHandler “%UserProfile%ShowDesktop.vbs”
Or maybe you can just stumble forward into the 21st century and boot to the Start Screen. If you need the desktop, it is a single click away.
Instead of going through all that, I simply “hibernate” my computer. It is not much different than shutting down your computer. And the advantage of hibernating is that the state of your desktop and programs open are preserved.
Upon resuming from hibernation, you boot straight into your desktop and you resume your work as if you had never shut down.
PS: If you make a habit of closing down all your programs before hibernating, the next time you resume from hibernation, you’ll be greeted with the desktop. There’s absolutely nothing that you need to tweak on your Windows 8 or 8.1; well, maybe you need to enable Hibernation if haven’t already done so. That’s all.
Boot To The Desktop – For Windows 8 and 8 Pro
Make sure you have “Hide extensions for known file types” unchecked in Folder Options. Just for file verification purposes.
Re-check it afterwards if you want.
Create the “Show Desktop” file:
Open a text editor like Notepad. (not Word or Wordpad)
Copy and Paste or type the following into the text editor:
[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop
Do not have any extra spaces at the top and do not “Carriage Return” (enter) to next line at the end.
Save the file as – Show Desktop.scf (actually any name you want, just remember it)
When you see the file it will have the Desktop icon but it will not have .scf at the end even with “Hide extensions for known file types” unchecked. Right click the file and go to properties. It should have “Type of file: File Explorer Command (.scf)” and the name should be just “Show Desktop” with no extension.
Copy the file to the “Start MenuProgramsStartup” folder.
There are more than one “Startup” folders in Windows 8 and 8 Pro. Put it in this one:
C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup
Close everything down. Restart your computer.
When it boots up, it will pause at the “Start” screen until it reads the contents of Startup.
It will then go to the Desktop with nothing opened up.
Side note: If you want something to open automatically when you boot up, put it in this same Startup folder after Show Desktop.
Thanks.
a very good trick.
I also received an email however it also appears that if anyone posts on this tutorial you’ll get notified. Notify me below is automatically checked…which I missed which is also why I probably got the same email.
your .exe from “Send Desktop.zip” is trying to send mail… looks like a hack to me
How did you determine this? I removed it shortly after trying it and have since upgraded to 8.1. So I would be interested to know: did you actually get an email from me?
First of all – this file doesn’t do any harm to your computer and it doesn’t send any emails.
Second – you might be confused by our automatic comment notifications. When you make a comment on our website, the default setting (which you can change yourself) is to receive notifications via email when new comments are posted on the same article where you posted.
If this bothers you, let me know and I can quickly unsubscribe you from receiving these notifications.
Just did this on a Dell XPS tablet-PC with Win8. The first method described for Win8 worked like a charm. There is a slight delay, 1-2 seconds that you see the Metro Desktop but then it pops right to Desktop. We can live with this as the person that will be using it will not have to remember to do anything special. He’ll just be at his desktop like normal. Thanks a bunch!
This did not work on my Win 8 x64 Pro. I believe there is a policy somewhere preventing going straight to the desktop. It will work with send desktop.exe in the startup menu.
Note: You can also add it as a key to the Local machinesoftwareMicrosoftwindowscurrent versionrun ei:
Stringvalue key: SendToDesktop
data: “(path to program)send desktop.exe”
I have logins for: Administrator, My Microsoft account, and my local machine account that I use the most. Putting it in the local machine, causes it to happen for all accounts.
you don’t need any tool or exe or script!
just create a task as mentioned above (start at log on of the user…) and enter:
explorer shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}
instead of Send Desktop.exe crap.
this will bring you to desktop without any error or problem, because it’s an already built in function of windows 8.
works fine with win 8 pro x64
Use the following 2-line AutoIt script in a basic task scheduled at log on (Task Scheduler):
Sleep(500)
Send(“desktop{Enter}”)
absolutely 100% *** advice ‘if you are using original version of windows 8 (uh, how many are there?) skip this section …’ uh, yeah – skip to where? are we supposed to magically figure out where the instructions begin again? thanks for **** – that’s all it was worth
What about reading the last 4 sections and without offending the people who put lots of work into finding the best solutions to this problem?
I got it to work but now my Office 2013 crashes all the time it won’t even let me open any Office docs???What the hell??!!
Which Windows version are you using? 8 or 8.1?
Just use “control userpasswords2” and Go! 🙂
The Send Desktop.exe in the task scheduler didn’t work!?
The other file does take awhile to switch when in startup
Windows key is easy enough. But put the desktop tile in the left top spot. Just press enter when you see the Start Menu tiles. Presto!
where can i download the desktop.exe file? I can’t find it on this page… Please Help!
The file is found at the very end of the article.
Cool work around, but unnecessary. You don’t need an .exe file in order to boot to the desktop instantly and without “side effects” (such as the Libraries window opening on boot).
Instead of pointing to the .exe file, instead point to a file we all already have: %windir%explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}
(Add the shell bit as an extension in the task)
That’ll do the trick.
No, it’s not hard to press Win+D. However, if you are a Media Center user, it’s rather annoying that you have to grab a keyboard to switch from Metro to the Desktop to watch TV.
so hard to press win+D ?
Windows 8 has been booting straight to the desktop since install last week, that is until yesterday I set up an offline profile, and now it boots to the apps screen or whatever it’s called.
I have the reverse problem. Contrary to most other users I actually really like the new startscreen on my tablet. Unfortunately windows has done a “windows” on me, and have started booting up to the desktop with no warning or explanation. So how do I ho back?
Cheers A
Why not just press the ‘Windows’ key? This simply toggles you between the Start (Metro) Screen and the Desktop.
If you organise the Start Screen tiles to suit your PC usage then when you have booted into the Start Screen you just click the tile of the Desktop app that you were going to run and it takes you to the Desktop and runs the application straight away. Having used Windows 8 for a short while it’s just as convenient to boot into the Start Screen as it is to the Desktop, if not more convenient.
“Not working.
Just open Start and type(“Desktop”) search box automatically.
Maybe this is about a different language? I think.
Everything else settings from Scheduler task is shipshape.
What’s wrong?”
Same issue on my PC, but I don’t know if it was caused by the solution above. I installed some programs, that make Windows boot to desktop and one of them could do it.
My language version is polish (Windows 7 RTM evaluation copy)
Not working.
Just open Start and type(“Desktop”) search box automatically.
Maybe this is about a different language? I think.
Everything else settings from Scheduler task is shipshape.
What’s wrong?
I will try.
Thank You!
there’s another tool that does the same well: NoTilesPlease
unfortunately it is only available in German…
http://quadsoft.org/moredownloads.php
wow… what a hack.
Sleep(500)
Send(“d”)
Send(“e”)
Send(“s”)
Send(“k”)
Send(“t”)
Send(“o”)
Send(“p”)
Send(“{ENTER}”)
Also – if you knew autoit better, you could actually embed this in another autoit – and that one can have the xml and command for importing the scheduled task. Download, run – everything would already be set. Step up your game.
I have this set up on an old desktop and the combination of the Classic Menu, Send Desktop.exe, and Control userpasswords2 set to automatically start without the password in order to give me a seamless arrival at the Windows 8 desktop.
I support older users and they will need some time to get used to the “Modern” interface. I cannot decide if this approach will help them adjust or just allow them to function as they always did without learning the new OS. Since so many of my clients just want to do simple things without being confused about the interface, I have decided to make it simple.
I am interested in everyone’s opinion about this.
I don’t know why, but the solution does not work on my Windows 8 90-day trial (installed on VMPlayer 4.0). I’ve surely set everything like in your description, but I see Satrt Modern UI screen. Maybe that’s because I use WIndows on virtual machine? Or maybe the autologin option, which I turned on is the problem?
None of the two solutions work? At least the second one is not “instant”. It takes a few seconds.
I have the same setup that you describe. Make sure you have the latest version of Classic Shell which is 3.6.1. The d/l site is:http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ Select the ‘skip metro screen’ setting from either the ‘Basic Settings’ or the ‘Windows 8 settings’ tabs. N.B. There are several similar programs out there. This one is open source and works well.
Using Classic Shell brings the start button back, right? Or maybe there’s an option, which wouldn’t add it? I want to try using new Windows without classic start button.
On the other hand it’d be better if I didn’t need additional software for auto-desktop-boot
No, there’s no option for disabling the start orb, but as far as I can tell, it doesn’t stop you from using all the Windows 8 features. I understand about not wanting to add other software. But it is helping me get used to the new features without too much of a learning curve.
If you say so, I’ll try Classic Shell and inform you if it works.
ClassicShell menu works also and gives you back your start orb. I have v3.6 installed and working on the RTM version of W8