Switch between Start and Win 7 Desktop

Why does Win 8 switch to Win 7 desktop so often: how can I prevent?
Confuses my wife!
Sony VAIO Ultrabook

It doesn't. It swiches to the Windows 8 desktop.

There are two kinds of apps, Desktop and "Modern". Apps like Office or Explorer run on the desktop. Apps like Weather and Mail run in the Modern style.

You can't prevent it, other than not running any desktop apps.

Ron74 said:

Why does Win 8 switch to Win 7 desktop so often: how can I prevent?
Confuses my wife!
Sony VAIO Ultrabook

Click to expand...

I set my wife up with Windows 8 and the Start8 add-on (one of many desktop start menu add-ons). She does all of her work in LibreOffice, Firefox, and a couple of other apps that are not Metro apps, so they all run on the desktop. I did show her the Metro interface (Start screen) which she had some interest in. So she can poke around there and find stuff she likes possibly. But with Start8 the PC boots up into desktop mode and she doesn't see Metro (Start screen) at all unless she wants to explore it further. Initially, Windows 8 does appear schizophrenic, but I suspect once your wife gets used to the Metro screen being there and understands how it works, the it won't be as confusing.

Hello and welcome!

I'm assuming since you recently got a new Windows 8 PC, you're getting a bit lost with the apps opening off the Desktop when you open a picture or music file? Simple fix, go to Start, and just type in default programs. Hit enter, and hit Set your program defaults. You can change it so you can use Windows Photo Viewer over the Photos app and such.

The apps, like Bing Weather, News, Finance, ect., run in the new metro, immersive UI model. This can't be changed.

It's also real easy to make the Start Screen even more useful than it is now. If you open up File Explorer, or Computer, you can go to a folder, Library, hard drive, program .exe shortcut, or a Control Panel subcategory, you can then right click and hit Pin to Start. A new tile will appear on Start, then you (or your wife) can click and drag around to where ever is best.



This is my Start Screen, it has all the File Explorer locations I need, the Desktop programs, and apps. Pretty handy!

Best thing to do on the start screen is put desktop as the first icon. Thus when you boot, hit enter and you are in the desktop.

Cook Robot: I agree, and have tailored my Start screen. However if I start an desktop application then am relegated to the desktop screen, and need to have all of my desktop icons there also. That's is the duality that is inefficient and confusing.
pparks1: yes I could just commit to the desktop but I like the tile interface with touchscreen.

Ron74 said:

Why does Win 8 switch to Win 7 desktop so often: how can I prevent?
Confuses my wife!
Sony VAIO Ultrabook

Click to expand...

IMO, here are not many tasks of real substance that can be done in the Metro part of Win8. Metro is fine for use if one mostly want to run Metro-type apps. She can, depending on the circumstances, toggle between the start screen and the desktop using the Windows key or Windows + d (there are other ways too).