And don’t forget you can use the same menu to make Windows 8.1 to boot straight to the desktop. For more, check out our article: How To Make the Modern Interface Less Annoying. Or you can click the dropdown menu and sort them by different categories that are easiest for you.Īlso, remember that you can organize the Start screen to list desktop programs first if you’re working on the desktop most of the time on a traditional PC without a touchscreen. That will display all of your desktop programs and modern-style apps in alphabetical order.

Or, on a traditional PC or laptop, click the down arrow. For example, from the Start screen, either swipe down on your screen. The new version of Windows - Windows 8.1 currently in Public Beta - makes accessing all of your apps at one time much easier. In Windows 8, there is also a new tool called the Compatibility Troubleshooter, which walks you through getting an older program to run properly in Windows 8. In fact, this is the perfect way to get a missing app tile back on the desktop or Start screen. How to Search for Programs/Apps in Windows 8.1 Press the Windows key and then press or tap the down arrow in the lower-left corner. As with other versions of Windows prior to Windows 8, you can run a program in compatibility mode in order to run older programs that were written for older versions of Windows in Windows 8. If you want an easy list to see everything, right-click on the Start menu and select the All Apps icon in the lower right corner. Then you’ll see a list of the desktop and/or modern-style apps listed under the results. The Apps Search box will automatically open. If you’re on the desktop, hit the Windows Key on your keyboard to get to the Start screen and start typing in the name of the app you’re looking for.

Note: This article has been updated to reflect the changes of the new Windows 8.1 OS Search Apps and Programs

Windows 8 program list