Tech Talk: Windows 8.1 - Apps View

Window 8.1 Apps View allows a view of most or all of the apps in a metro-style view allowing quick glance and quick access to apps customised to the way that you want to view it. It comes as a change from the Start Screen as all the apps are on display instead of having to scroll through to get to an app.

Apps View can be accessed by swiping up from the Start Screen if using a touch screen, otherwise clicking the down arrow on the bottom left of the Start Screen will send the Apps View into view. The whole page will display the apps, a drop down next to the main header “Apps” and a search bar on the top right. The search bar will search for the apps dependent on the letters that are gradually typed in.

On default, the Apps View will sort all the apps by name. This can be sorted by name, date installed, most used and category. Clicking on a sub-heading will bring up the full list of categories in which the apps would correspond accordingly to.

Apps can be added on to the Start Screen as well as the desktop which can just take a few seconds to do so. Apps can be added on to the screen by holding down using the touch screen or right clicking on the desired app to be added and then tap on either adding it to the Start Screen or the taskbar in the desktop. This will immediately position it at the end of the Start Screen or if you chose the latter choice it’ll come as the last icon on the taskbar. Other options may come up as well such as Uninstall and Find in Start. The Find in Start view will locate and bring up where the app is on the Start Screen. Multiple apps can be checked to add several apps to taskbar/Start Screen or even to uninstall multiple apps.

Using the Charms bar, the amount of apps shown on the screen can be changed exponentially by going to Settings, then Tiles and then clicking yes to Showing more applications in Apps View. You can even boot it straight to the Apps View screen once the system is booted, which can be changed in the properties found in the taskbar of the desktop.

Launching an app is simple stuff. A simple click or tap would launch the application immediately as oppose to the casual double click of what it was before. Dependent on the app, it will go full screen or launch into the desktop if the app is a legacy program.