Windows 8 vs Windows 10: 10 Changes You Need to Know

Windows 8 vs Windows 10: The Start Screen & Continuum

Continuum is a feature that we’ll keep coming back to. It’s used throughout Windows 10 and makes all the difference. Windows 8 forced the same app designs and features on everyone. Doing so made the operating system more touch-friendly than its ever been. It also alienated millions of users with a mouse and keyboard. Continuum detects whether a touchscreen or keyboard are present and then it asks you if you’d like to switch into Tablet Mode. (You can configure Windows 10 to make the switch automatically too.)

The Start Screen is one of the most hated things to have ever come from Microsoft this decade. On Windows 8 it took over your entire screen. The Start Screen is more touch-friendly, but not something non-touch uses want distracting them when they are trying to switch apps.

By default, there’s no Start Screen in Windows 10. If you don’t have a touchscreen there’s a Start Menu that takes over one side of your screen and can easily be resized. Make no mistake, this menu still includes a lot of what made the Start Screen so revolutionary. Live Tiles and app icons can be pinned to the right side of the screen. You can choose not to pin any apps and shrink the screen if you want.

In Touch Mode the Screen Screen comes back, with a touch-friendly menu for browsing apps, tips on improving your Windows 10 experience and more areas for Live Tiles than even Windows 8 had.