Some RT tricks that make your Surface feel like a new machine

[Siah1214]

Tip #1:
Enable the classic keyboard layout.
Swipe in from the right for your charms, tap “Change PC settings”, and tap general. Flip the “Standard keyboard layout” toggle:

Then pull up the onscreen keyboard and tap the “keyboard layouts” button:

Select your new fourth option and you get this:

It’s great for data entry when you have both letters and numbers so you don’t have to switch back and forth. Not as conducive for typing because the keys are smaller.
Tip #2:
Get 4 rows of tiles and more screen real estate. Only recommended if you have decent eyes!
Open regedit (Start -> type regedit)
Browse to:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Right click on Explorer, open the New menu, and click “Key”
Name it “Scaling”
Create a new String value, and enter these values:
Value name: MonitorSize
Value data: 13.1
You can select several different values (14.1, 15.1), play around with it and see what it looks like and what you like.
In the end it will look like this:

The end result looks like this (for 13.1)

Enjoy your sharper looking screen and more spacious start screen. It’s a really nice change for me.

 

[erasure25]

For Tip #2, does this actually change the screen resolution?

 

[jmerrey]

control panel->performance information and tools->adjust visual effects

in the visual effects tab, turn it all off! or maybe just leave on "animate controls..." if you want your live tiles to still animate with cool effects.

 

[Siah1214]

For Tip #2, does this actually change the screen resolution?

Same resolution, just makes better use of it

 

[luv2skipow]

Great post on the keyboard change and nicely presented. Thanks for taking the time to post!

 

[martinmc78]

OP - cant get the scaling change to work even after a restart - entry is in the registry exactly as you've done it but cant get the 4th row of icons

 

[toddpart]

OP - cant get the scaling change to work even after a restart - entry is in the registry exactly as you've done it but cant get the 4th row of icons

Make sure the string name is 'MonitorSize' (no space) and not 'Monitor Size'. It's correct in the OP's picture but not in the written description. And, of course, be sure to restart after making the change.

I like getting the extra row of tiles, but it also makes the keys of the on-screen split keyboard smaller which takes some getting used too.

 

[Siah1214]

Make sure the string name is 'MonitorSize' (no space) and not 'Monitor Size'. It's correct in the OP's picture but not in the written description. And, of course, be sure to restart after making the change.

I like getting the extra row of tiles, but it also makes the keys of the on-screen split keyboard smaller which takes some getting used too.

Thanks for pointing that out! I fixed it.

martinmc78, let me know if it's working for you after toddpart's suggestion.
Also on the keyboard, very true, I have fat fingers so it did take an adjustment. I'm getting better though

Great post on the keyboard change and nicely presented. Thanks for taking the time to post!

Happy to help

 

[martinmc78]

Thanks people. Works like a dream. Now rocking the fourth row. Only 1 problem now is rearranging all my tiles so it looks great.
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express

 

[Phil Kingston]

I do find it odd that in, for example, the Photos app the screen layout is 4 rows high by default, yet the Start screen isn't. I may give that one a go.

 

[martinmc78]

Have found that having four rows locks the orientation to landscape - not good when I like reading comics in portrait and playing certain games.

 

[dakranii]

Have found that having four rows locks the orientation to landscape - not good when I like reading comics in portrait and playing certain games.

You must have done something wrong or have some setting applied, because I have 4 rows and I'm not locked in landscape. Swipe from the right, choose Settings and see if the "Screen" option (where you choose the brightness) is the answer?

In fact, the rest of the OP's post on that tip should include:

1. 12.1 is the optimum number to use. It's the smallest you can use to get 4 rows and it provides the largest on-screen keyboard (13.1, 14.1 and up make the keyboard exponentially smaller).

2. After implementing 4 rows, go to portrait mode, swipe in from the right and choose Settings -> Tiles and select "Show more tiles" to get more in portrait mode too.

 

[dakranii]

And rather than going in and changing the registry yourself, there have been reg hacks created to do it for you. I did it manually the first time, then used a created file to do it for me on my newest Surface: Download Enabled4Tiles_12_1.reg from Sendspace.com - send big files the easy way

 

[DBDev]

Have found that having four rows locks the orientation to landscape - not good when I like reading comics in portrait and playing certain games.

Do you have a touch or type cover on it? Because that seems to lock it to landscape for me (only the touch cover, I haven't made this change)

 

[martinmc78]

Do you have a touch or type cover on it? Because that seems to lock it to landscape for me (only the touch cover, I haven't made this change)

No haven't got a cover - its actually fixed itself - had about 5 days where the rotation was locked but after battery died and I did a full recharge and restart its working fine again.

 

[mms-pc]

Do you have a touch or type cover on it? Because that seems to lock it to landscape for me (only the touch cover, I haven't made this change)

I recent bought a touch cover for my Surface RT, and I also notice this, I guess this might make some sense, since using the touch cover will keep the tablet in landscape mode, if you want to use it in portrait mode, then you cannot use the touch cover. Come to think of this, how would you use the touch cover in portrait mode?