One common annoyance in Windows 8 is the lack of a Start Button that we have all become accustomed to. Well this feature is one that we cannot live without, so third party apps are already available to replace the start button. There are a range of apps that will do the task and feature sets will vary. So your best bet is to browse around and check out some of the feature sets of these apps.

You might just be happy with a replacement button that gives you access to programs, but for some power users, you might require more advanced functionality and customization. There is something out there that suits both ends of the market, but you may need to pay for the higher end replacements. The app listed below is completely free and is worth trying out.

After installing, you will notice that it is a replacement button. It doesn’t quite blend in like a real Windows Start Button but we have been quite happy with using this on Windows 8 so far. Below are the list of features:

• Switch to desktop immediately after signing in
• Adds the standard Windows Start menu to Windows 8
• Activate menu with Win key
• ?Log off, lock and turn off buttons
• Standard search field
• Support for silent installation
• ?Multilanguage support
• Option to ignore the lower left Hot corner

Here is a screenshot of the app in action:

It’s free, so go and try it out: Windows 8 Start button