Windows 8 Start Tweaker

Windows 8 Start Tweaker is a small-sized and portable application that you can use to customize the Start menu background in Windows 8. Note that it works only with Windows 8 Developer Preview edition.

Since installation is not a prerequisite, you can drop the executable file anywhere on the HDD and click it to run.

An alternative is to save Windows 8 Start Tweaker to a pen drive or external hard drive, in order to run it on any computer with minimum effort, as long as it has Windows 8 Developer Preview installed.

An important aspect to take into account is that the app does not add new entries to the Windows registry, Start menu or any other part of the hard disk. A standard file deletion is suffice to eliminate it.

The interface adopts the Metrou UI look with its flat appearance. Two buttons give you access to modify the Metro background color and turn the background image into something custom. Changes are applied with the click of a button. It is also possible to restore all settings to their default value quickly. There are no other options available through this tool.

Windows 8 Start Tweaker does not put a strain on system performance, as it needs a very low amount of CPU and RAM to work properly. No error dialogs were shown in our tests, and the app did not hang or crash. Thanks to its intuitive layout and overall simplicity, even first-time users can quickly figure out this utility.