Start screen

The Windows 8 Start screen (shown below) replaces the Start menu  from earlier versions of Windows. Shortcuts to your apps and programs are displayed as tiles on this screen.
Not all apps are shown. You can see a list of more apps and programs on your PC when you swipe up  from the bottom edge of the screen or right-click  on the background, and then select All apps at the bottom of the screen.

You can return to the Start screen at any time by pressing the Windows key  on your keyboard.

Corners

Windows 8 contains menus with tasks and features such as Shut down, Search, Share, Settings, Wi-Fi, Printing, Switching between apps, and many others. You can access these menus from different corners and sides of the screen as discussed below.

Swipe / Touch =

Mouse / Click =

• Swipe in from the Right  - At any time, swipe in from the right edge to display the charms (discussed in the next section).
  
• Upper-Right Corner  - At any time, place the mouse pointer in the upper-right corner to display the charms (discussed in the next section).
• Lower-Right Corner - A minus ('-') box exists in the lower-right of the Start screen. Click  or touch  it to zoom out and view all the app tiles on the Start screen. You can also pinch  to zoom in and out. Placing your mouse pointer in lower-right corner also displays the charms (discussed in the next section).
  
• Swipe in from the Left  - At any time you can swipe in from the left to switch to your last used app. You can also swipe in about one inch (1") from the left side of the screen and then, without lifting your finger, swipe back to the edge of the screen to display all open apps. Select an app to switch to it.
  
• Upper-Left Corner  - At any time, place your mouse pointer in the upper-left corner to view the most recently used app.
  
• Left Side of Screen  - Place your mouse pointer in the upper-left to display the most recently used app, then move down along the left side of the screen to display all open apps. Select an app to switch to it, or right-click an app and select "Close" to close it.
  
• Lower-Left Corner  - From a screen other than the Start screen, place your mouse pointer in the lower-left corner to view the Start screen. On the Start screen, this shows the most recently used app.
  
  Right-clicking in the lower-left corner displays the quick menu that contains administrative tasks and common tools.
  
• Swipe in from the Top or Bottom  - Swiping in from the top or bottom edge of the screen displays the context menu. On the Start screen this displays the "All apps" option. From within an app, this displays app specific options. Shortcut: Windows key  +Z.
  
• Bottom of the Start screen  - Move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen to display a scroll bar. This is used to navigate left and right to view all available app tiles.
  

Charms

The charms appear on the right side of your screen when you swipe in from the right edge  or move your mouse pointer  into the upper-right or lower-right corner.  Shortcut: Windows key  +C.

There are five charms available - Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings. Each one is described below. Some options change depending on whether you're at the Start screen or an app.

• Search - Select this charm and enter a search term to quickly get results from the app you're currently using, other apps, the web, or your PC all from the same place. Shortcut: Windows key  +Q for apps, Windows key  +W for settings, and Windows key  +F for files
• Share - Select this charm to send links, photos, and more to your friends and social networks without leaving the app you're currently using. Shortcut: Windows key  +H. Not all apps have the ability to share.
• Start - Selecting this charm returns you to the Start screen. If you're already on the Start screen, it returns you to your most recently used app. Shortcut: Windows key 
• Devices - Select this charm to send files, stream movies to TVs, print, and use other devices around your home or office. Shortcut: Windows key  +K
• Settings - Select this charm to access basic tasks like shutting down your PC, changing the volume, and connecting to a wireless network. In some apps, this is used to configure the app's settings. Shortcut: Windows key  +I