Microsoft is betting on change. This time, the company has made a small, big change in Windows 8 Consumer Preview, set to be released in late February, as The Verge has reported; Microsoft is removing the iconic Windows Start button orb in the next version of the operating system.
The Start button orb was introduced 15 years ago on Windows 95 altogether with the Start menu, and it seems that Microsoft will be removing both in Windows 8.
A screenshot from Windows 8 build 8220, leaked on the internet this weekend, shows a Super Bar with no Start button. Previous builds from the upcoming Microsoft operating system showed a flattened version of the button that matched the new Metro-style user interface, and now, in the latest build, the software maker removed the Start button.
But this is not the end of the Start button functionality. The Verge has confirmed from a source at Microsoft that a hot corner has replaced the iconic orb. A new menu will appear when users are in Metro or regular desktop mode, which will still provide easy access to all programs and files.
To access the new menu, users will have to hover over the lower-left corner, and the new menu also includes a preview where the user will be navigating after clicking the new visual element or swiping if users are in touch mode.
The software maker will keep the Super Bar, which will act as a shortcut dock when users are in desktop mode. There is still a chance for Microsoft to bring back the Start button if there is enough demand, but it seems that the company’s decision is final.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].