Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome StartIsBack+!

StartIsBack+ is the all-new version of StartIsBack for Windows 8.1. It's a FREE upgrade for all StartIsBack users.

 

 

What's cool in StartIsBack+?

New unique features:
- "Everything at once". Hold down Windows key for half a second until search icon appears in the center of the screen; release it and have instant access to all your running apps, taskbar and charms or search bar at the same time from any app you use. Its a great multitasking helper which should be very useful for both tablet and classic PCs. You don't have to learn all keyboard shortcuts, run your mouse to the screen corners or perform awkward swipes. Just hold down Windows key on keyboard or double-tap Win logo on the tablet! (off by default)
- Taskbar on Start screen. You can set StartIsBack to always display taskbar on Start screen and greatly reduce Start screen stress!
Although this function appeared in SIB 2.1, it really shines in Windows 8.1 when you set your wallpaper for Start screen.

 

General:
- Start menu has been rebuilt from ground up. It no longer uses code present in explorer; but! No features were lost and actually has been improved with new features and many fixes for bugs present in original menu code. StartIsBack+ uses LESS resources than native menu!
- Start menu utilizes start menu "soul" left in Windows; it's fully compatible with Windows 7 / StartIsBack settings and policies
- StartIsBack+ does not require a process or service to run, comes with support / translation for all Windows languages (where MUI is available)

- StartIsBack+ is better suited for tablets and convertibles.

 

Start menu:
- Start menu has been rebuilt from ground up. Lot of Windows 7 menu bugs were fixed
- Items in right pane can be removed or tweaked in-place (hold shift with right-click)
- Items in right pane can be configured as menu for more items (like Connect To)
- You can add your own folders into right pane by drag & drop

- All Programs can show folders before items
- Start menu configuration is much more streamlined

 

Start Apps (Modern apps) folder in All Programs:
- Higher-quality icons are used
- You can create a shortcut for Modern app from Start Apps folder directly via drag & drop
- You can uninstall Modern apps directly from context menu

 

Start button:
- StartIsBack+ provides start button for each taskbar
- StartIsBack+ uses built-in Windows 8.1 start button image (by default), but with different selection / animation effect to distinguish it

 

Skinning:
- Same skins included; Plain8 is the default
- Start menu is a full sheet of glass; without hacks
- Glass layer can be turned off totally; without hacks
- StartIsBack+ allows using msstyles from Windows 8 unaltered (you still need UxStyle or whatever)

 

Other changes:
- All screen edges but bottom-left are enabled by default
- Settings for bottom-left corner were removed
- F3 on desktop no longer launches desktop search
- StartIsBack+ settings for start menu are now stored in ..\StartIsBack registry key, not in ...\Explorer\Advanced. Existing settings are migrated.

 

StartIsBack+ is for Windows 8.1 only. If you want to upgrade your Windows 8 with StartIsBack installed to Windows 8.1, make sure you have StartIsBack version 2.0 or above!

Edited March 5, 201511 yr by Tihiy

DOWNLOAD: http://www.startisback.com/StartIsBackPlus_setup.exe

handle with care!

Edited October 9, 201312 yr by Tihiy

nice, I'll try it later this day.

Installed it just for me and installation went ok. But after restart got this error.

You should include link to this thread on your site. Thank you.

Edited July 17, 201313 yr by xper
Thanks :-)

Same Error after install, I went to the settings I made some changes then apply and the error appear, another error the default theme without color appear then go to normal windows 7 default.

I am using Windows 8.1 preview in Japanese. All menu items can be displayed correctly in Japanese, except "Run" and "Help and Support". Any idea about this? Thank you.

thx very responsive as Usual

For when a video with unique features???

Keep the good work Tihiy!!!

351837, santij07 please help me to reproduce this. Specify your Windows install type (upgrade / clean), x86/x64, how did you install StartIsBack, how did you launch configurator and what you did to get the error box.

Mine is clean install but on VMware, maybe it has to do something with that.

After installation SB and restart explorer nothing happened so i restarted os and after restart i went to desktop, config window pops up and i changed just start orb form sb menu and hit ok. Then error pops up.

Forgot to mention. I enabled built in admin account and installed sb from there.

Fixed the crash with some black magic, you don't have to update anything yet.

351837, santij07 please help me to reproduce this. Specify your Windows install type (upgrade / clean), x86/x64, how did you install StartIsBack, how did you launch configurator and what you did to get the error box.

Windows 8.1 preview install CLEAN x64, install startisback for all user, I launch configuration on start menu right click Properties and I choose from first properties that I want and choose a orb an then apply and get the error.

Edited July 18, 201313 yr by santij07

I got the same crash in the config tool, but I have no idea what I did.

Also, unchecking all active corners at ones, doesn't work. I have to unchecck each entry.

Is there a screenshot of Everything at once?