How to get back squared contact tiles?

[suresh419]

The question says it all, these new circled tiled are too small and are wasting space for what can be a better picture of the contacts. So is there an app that can change this or place a custom tile that would lead to the contact info?

On another note, is there also a way to change back to the old people tile with the square icons too, i guess this one is not possible but it won't hurt to ask.

Thanjs in advanced!

 

[dnbrealm]

Don't think its possible and the circle contact pictures are horrible. In my opinion the circles don't fit the design language of Windows

 

[R3mis]

When you look in the Windows Feedback app, it's actually one of the most requested things and yet Microsoft still (!) refuses to change it. It makes me wonder if the feedback does even make a difference? Do they even listen to us or is it there just to make us feel better?

 

[dnbrealm]

I thinks changed the circle to square can impact the OS in several places, hence Microsoft's reluctance to change it. For example the Peoples tile animation.

Although I do hope they change the hideous circle icons, its already outdated design trend that's not naturally cognitive.

 

[xandros9]

You cannot change it. Nope.

It was an explicit design decision. (something like circles for people and squares for things, which I understand)

 

[a5cent]

^ Meh... it's not like anybody was confused about the differences between people and things, or desperately needed additional visual cues to help separate the two. That doesn't qualify as a reason IMHO, but even if it did, it's not the real reason.

The real reason is nothing other than it being another step towards making WM's design more similar to iOS, so ported apps or single-source apps look less out of place. Since they can't publicly say that, we are instead told the people/things fable.

 

[amitnahar]

I now use the smallest tile. If they use telemetry they will definitely see that not many people are now using its live tile which is shame considering that it was one of the most amazing live tiles.
Every unique live tile is gone now. Music, Xbox Games and People all gone.

 

[Lee Power]

I actually don't mind the circle pictures in the people tile. Maybe Microsoft could add an option to change them to squares for those that don't like circles.

 

[a5cent]

^ I've not seen many who prefer the circles. Most don't care that much either way. I prefer the squares by far, mostly because the faces on many of my contact images are now partially cut off. It also seems like an eye sore, as it looks out of place (to me) when contrasted with the rest of the OS. However, it is ultimately just aesthetics, so I don't consider it worth arguing over. I dislike it, but there are at least some who prefer it, and neither opinion is inherently worth more than the other.


The faux reasoning for the change bothers me more than the change itself.

 

[Laura Knotek]

IIRC, desktop Skype always used circles, rather than squares, for contacts.

 

[Mark Baker3]

Your ocd is showing ☺

 

[Danjp]

Everything has been changed to circles, Xbox one, desktop, phones and as stated before Skype. I like the uniformity, to change one all would need to be changed.

 

[Pete]

I'm appreciating the irony that suresh has a circular forum avatar...

 

[Schnuffi]

I also hate the circular icons for contacts.

 

[loribinca]

It's terrible - look at the artist pictures in the music app. It's asinine - these pictures of the artists were framed and taken with a traditional SQUARE portrait size, so they just end up looking terrible when you overlay a circle.

They've given up and are trying to make windows 10 look like iOS/Android - the soul has gone - it's lost it's soul.

 

[anon9776305]

IIRC, desktop Skype always used circles, rather than squares, for contacts.

That is not true. Contacts in Skype used to be square. From 6.21.59.104 and earlier they were square contacts. Only versions after this were they circle.

 

[Changaizee]

I now use the smallest tile. If they use telemetry they will definitely see that not many people are now using its live tile which is shame considering that it was one of the most amazing live tiles.
Every unique live tile is gone now. Music, Xbox Games and People all gone.

I feel you Bro, i love the Xbox tile back in wp8 and the music tile showing now playing animation, it all sucks now

 

[aienjell]

It's terrible - look at the artist pictures in the music app. It's asinine - these pictures of the artists were framed and taken with a traditional SQUARE portrait size, so they just end up looking terrible when you overlay a circle.

They've given up and are trying to make windows 10 look like iOS/Android - the soul has gone - it's lost it's soul.

Terrible is right. It's like the mobile team was given a crazy short "window" to make everything look as close to android/ios as possible. That grey behind the artist circle is horrible.

 

[Lucael]

Funny thing is that if you "Pin to Start" a contact the tile will be shown as a square already.

 

[missionsparta]

When you look in the Windows Feedback app, it's actually one of the most requested things and yet Microsoft still (!) refuses to change it. It makes me wonder if the feedback does even make a difference? Do they even listen to us or is it there just to make us feel better?

I've said forever, their "please send feedback" and "we are listening" is complete bull. You get 9,000,000 votes to bring Zune back....so they just kill that thread because it is obvious that it was the most requested thing, and they dont want it points out that they dont care what we want. Right now Microsoft's ego is getting in their own way more than anything. We hand you the blueprints of what to do. In turn they say "but we know what you want better than you do. Here it is....what do you mean you don't like it?"