If your like me, there are several things you love about windows 8. Also, there are probably several things you hate about windows 8! Below will be a few programs that can allow you to customize your windows 8 experience by disabling annoying things and enabling things we loved from previous windows versions.

---

7+ Taskbar Tweaker (Download Here)

7+ Taskbar Tweaker is a great program that gives you more control over your windows 8 taskbar. Here are some settings that I use and find very useful:



1. Change what Clicks Do:
The settings highlighted green in the picture (above) are useful to me. Right clicking an open program on the taskbar to bring up the "Standard window menu" is much more useful to me than the Windows 8 "Jump List". Also, middle mouse click to minimize pages is also very practical.

This:        Not this:     

2. Grouping of Alike Tabs
The settings highlighted blue in the picture (above) allow you to customize what happens to multiple instances of the same program that are open. The settings I use allow the tabs to be together, but separate when you hover over it. The tabs will also remain apart when you are in that program. This works with programs like Chrome and Word.

When minimized: When Hovering over or when program is maximized:

3. Empty Space Shortcuts
The settings highlighted pink in the picture (above) allow you to add shortcuts for double clicking and middle mouse clicking on empty space in the taskbar. Those are the settings I prefer, but you may find other options that fit your PC better.

---

Stardock Start 8 Config (Download Here)

Start 8 config is an amazing program which allows you to add the windows 7 start menu! There are also many other feature like, disabling hot corners. You can also change what the start button looks like and even add your own image as the start button. Don't worry, if you still want to access the Windows 8 Tile page (for lack of a better term) you can easly access it though the windows 7 style start menu. Here are a few pictures of what it looks like and some of the settings i use.

---

The two programs above you work great together and I would definitely recommend you download these to customize and more greatly enhance your windows 8 experience. Thank you for reading and if you have any windows programs that could be useful to people, let me know in the comments and I may add it to this post.

Great tutorial man!

I found Windows 8 atrocious personally, used for tablets and smart phones maybe but It did not appeal to me for my desktop.

Still the few tricks you just explained, seems more appealing now