StartBar8

NOTE: This application has been discontinued in July 2021 and is no longer available for purchase! However, you can still download it from Softpedia and use it with the limitations stated on this page.

Two of the reasons why Windows 8 was not popular among most users when it was launched was the lack of the Start Menu and the introduction of the Start Screen, which basically split user’s experience between the desktop and the Modern UI. StartBar8 is an intuitive application that aims to fix both these issues.

The software utility can only be installed on computers running Windows 8 and it adds a customizable bar to the left side of the screen - it works quite similar to the Charms Bar, if you hover your mouse cursor to the left side of your screen (no matter if you are currently exploring the desktop or the Start Screen), a bar is displayed.

However, unlike the tiles from the Charms Bar, the ones of StartBar8 can be personalized and modified after right-clicking them. You can replace an item’s label, icon and action, so that you can associate a frequent task to the customized tile: open a file, launch a folder, shutdown the PC, restart or lock it, access the Command Prompt, the Task Manager or the Device Manager.

The aforementioned bar also provides access to the actual StartBar8, where you can explore all available tiles on your Start Screen, but you can also browse through the most recently accessed files and folder, just like you would do in a traditional Start Menu.

Scrolling down through the sections of StartBar8, you also get the possibility to effortlessly browse through the files in a chosen folder and preview its images without leaving the app. You can manage your Windows libraries and recent files, along with the network connections.

StartBar8 is a handy tool for making the most of your Windows 8 computer, especially since it integrates smoothly within the OS. If you are pleased with its feature-set, you can purchase a license and enjoy the functions of StartBar8 beyond the evaluation period.