Hello Everyone.
With the launch of Windows 8 Microsoft has reached new hights in User Interface. But though the UI has changed from good (windows 7) to wicked cool (Windows 8) the same amount of learning curve is required. As you wont find the options so easily as you do on windows 7. So thats why i have started this WINDOWS 8 HOW TO series to help everyone find there way through windows 8.
So this time i will start off with changing the number of apps rows in windows 8 metro start screen.
Windows 8 Metro Home Screen
You should know that Windows 8 automatically detects the current screen resolution and then sets the number of rows as well as other pinned items that should be be available on the start screen. By default it is 3 to 5 in Windows 8.
So in the screen above you can see that there are 4 rows. The resolution for the above screen is 1920 x 1080. Here below i am adding a table for minimum and max number of rows for each resolution.
| Screen Resolution | Default | Max | Min |
| 800 x 600 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 1024 x 768 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 1152 x 864 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 1280 x 720 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 1280 x 960 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| 1280 x 1024 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| 1440 x 900 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 1600 x 900 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 1900 x 1080 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
To increase or decrease the number of apps rows on metro start screen follow the steps below:
1. Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box. And write regedit.exe in it and press enter.
Windows Run Command
2. If you are prompted by the UAC then click yes and you will see a registry editor window. In the registry editor navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell\Grid
You should see something like below:
Regisrtry Editor
3. Now double click on the key Layout_MaximumRowCount and you should see the window like below and here you can change the number of rows that you should see by default on your home screen.
Edit DWORD
4. If the key Layout_MaximumRowCount is not present then right click on a empty space in the right pane of the grid and click on New –> DWORD and then type Layout_MaximumRowCount and press enter.
New DWORD
5. Now log off and log on and you will see the same number of rows as you set here.
Hope you like it. I will be back with another How to very soon. Feedback and comments are most welcome.