How to change the background in Windows 8 and 8.1’s Start screen

By Konrad Krawczyk Published February 24, 2020

It’s no secret that Windows 8 is unpopular. The same goes for Windows 8.1, a free update for the OS that was released back in April. While you can choose to avoid the Metro UI when using Windows 8, having the ability to change the background of the Start screen could at least make the experience of interacting with Metro less of a headache.

Related: Windows 9 will eliminate the Windows 8 Charms menu

Recommended Videos

However, changing the Start screen isn’t a process that’s necessarily as straight-forward as it can be. That’s what we’re here for: to make things easier on you!

Related: Best Microsoft Office alternatives

With this guide, we’ll show you how easy it is to change the background on the Start screen. Most of you may not like poking around in there, but at least you can customize it to your liking so that it’s more pleasing to your eyes whenever you do dive into Metro.

How to change the background in the Windows 8 and 8.1 Start screen

Head over to the Start Screen, if you aren’t there already. If you’re at the classic desktop UI, just press the Windows key on your keyboard, which should take you straight there.

Change start step 3 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

From there, type in “change start.” Click on “Change the background and colors on Start,” which should be the first result that comes up.

Change start step 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Change start step 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Now, a “Personalize” menu will come up in the Metro UI. Here, you can pick from a multitude of images that you can slather the Start screen with. Once you pick one, you can also tweak that image’s by messing with the “Background color” and “Accent color” settings.

Microsoft’s newest operating system has its fair share of problems, and while many issues are related to the confusing new interface, some have deeper roots. Yes, like any new operating system, Windows 8 has bugs. Gasp! Fortunately, Windows 8 shares something else in common with prior version of Windows; a trend towards maturity. Many showstoppers and annoyances now have solutions. We’ve solved many of the common problems you’ll run into: Check out our guide to common Windows 8 problems — and how to fix them.

Update: This article was updated on Sept. 24, 2014 to include an instructional video.

Topics

Konrad Krawczyk

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

Computing

The most common Windows 11 problems and how to fix them

Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

With Windows 10 officially losing support next year, Windows 11 is poised to take over as the dominant operating system. Many users have already switched over to the latest Microsoft OS – and while it's not perfect, most are finding it to be a nice step forward from Windows 10. Of course, there are a few quirks people will have to get used to, but most of the bugs and technical issues have already been ironed out.

That's not to say Windows 11 is perfect. In fact, there are still a handful of common Windows 11 problems that people are encountering, including ones that cause no sound to play, network connections to be laggy, and games to run at less-than-optimal speeds. Thankfully, many of these issues are easy to resolve without extensive troubleshooting or the need to contact customer support.

Computing

Windows 11 tips and tricks: 8 hidden settings you need to try

Windows 11 on a tablet.

Windows 11 has been around for quite a while now. The operating system isn't as new as when it first came out in 2021, but many people are still updating it for the first time from Windows 10. Yet whether you read a Windows 11 review and just installed it, or have been using it since launch, there are a few things that you still might want to tweak to get a better experience. Microsoft doesn't have all these settings upfront, but we're here to surface them for you.
Move the Taskbar and Start Menu to the left

One of the biggest differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is the location of the Taskbar and Start Menu. On Windows 10, the Taskbar and Start Menu are positioned to the left of the screen. Windows 11, though, changes that by moving both to the center. If this annoys you, then you can easily change it back.

Computing

How to adjust screen resolution in Windows 11 and older

microsoft surface laptop go review featured image

You're not actually stuck with the screen resolution setting your Windows PC came with. In addition to tons of other device personalization options, screen resolutions are customizable on Windows PCs. And adjusting the screen resolution on your Windows machine is easier than you think. All it takes is a quick trip to your Settings app or Control Panel (depending on which version of Windows you're running) and a few clicks and you're on your way to an easier-to-view screen.

Here, we'll show you how to adjust screen resolutions for Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 7 PCs.
In Windows 11
Step 1: Navigate to the Windows 11 Settings app.