Switch between metro ui start screen and normal desktop screen

[sn0t]

Hi all,

I am currently using windows 8.1 on a HP Laptop. Every time I am closing an app, it immediately goes straight to the normal desktop view. Is there a way to let it go on the metro UI start screen? I have tried going to the taskbar and uncheck where it says "When I sign in or close all application on screen, go to the desktop instead of Start"

When the box is unchecked it doesn't seem to work. Does anyone have any idea how to resolve my issue?

Thanks in advance

 

[unstoppablekem]

Did you click "Apply"? Just trying to diagnose it, that's all.

 

[Kavu2]

Easy fix ...

In Desktop....right click/long tap on taskbar....select 'Properties'...in the 'Taskbar Tab', uncheck, 'Show Windows Store apps on the taskbar'. That's it. Now when you close a Start screen app it will return you to the Start screen....not the Desktop. You do lose the new Update 1 functionality of being able to 'show' apps on the taskbar in the desktop mode....but you can still pin them there if you desire.

 

[sn0t]

Thanks Kavu2, that did the trick

 

[TheJoester09]

Easy fix ...

In Desktop....right click/long tap on taskbar....select 'Properties'...in the 'Taskbar Tab', uncheck, 'Show Windows Store apps on the taskbar'. That's it. Now when you close a Start screen app it will return you to the Start screen....not the Desktop. You do lose the new Update 1 functionality of being able to 'show' apps on the taskbar in the desktop mode....but you can still pin them there if you desire.

Hm...well that's an annoying fix. I came here because I'm having the same issue so I'm glad to see that there's a solution to it, but that's not very intuitive or logical. Weird.

Anyway, thanks for the info!

 

[Kavu2]

>The Joester09
re: "...that's not very intuitive or logical"

Agree. I intuitively also thought the OP's quoted option would do the trick....uncheck where it says "When I sign in or close all application on screen, go to the desktop instead of Start"
But not to be.

Possibly just an oversight on MS part since this Update 1 is rather large. However it DID go thru beta testing did it not. Maybe MS will fix this to a more reasonable option such as the one mentioned above.....and maybe at the same time separate the option to 'show apps on taskbar' from the option to return to Start (or Desktop). I just can't imagine how the MS developers/code writers could have missed this. Did they NOT even try out their code? I understand that the push was on to incorporate mouse/keyboard users into the Metro ecosystem, but they threw the baby out with the bathwater. [/rant]

It's a small thing with a big impact on people who actually use the Start screen on a regular basis. Let's hope for a true fix from TPTB...maybe one that separates where you return from an app closing from 'showing' apps on taskbar. May not be possible if the web woven by MS is too intricate between Metro and Desktop.