32

I'm not sure if I like the whole idea of Start screen yet, but I would find it more useful with Stack Overflow as a tile in the group.

Is there a way to add the Stack Exchange sites to this screen and if so how?

My default web browser is Chrome.

1
  • If you switch to chrome in windows 8 mode, the option simply becomes available under bookmarks. And in case you don't like windows 8 mode: the tile still works after you switch back to desktop mode. Jul 27, 2013 at 8:36

7 Answers 7

19

The only way that I can think of is by using a app called OblyTile.

OblyTile

What you want to do is create a tile that opens up Chrome or whichever browser you want to use but in this example I will use Chrome. Once you have found the file path for Chrome, in the arguments section below it you might want to use "--homepage http://stackoverflow.com" so that when you open the tile it opens up StackOverflow. (Someone can feel free to correct me on this)

2
  • Worked like a champ Nov 4, 2012 at 16:12
  • No need to use OblyTile for this, see my answer.
    – Matsemann
    Nov 5, 2012 at 15:42
24

No need to use special programs to achieve this! First method works for all browser, and can be used to create shortcuts to all range of things. Second method is a Chrome only feature.

What we do is just to create a shortcut somewhere to the browser you'd like to open with websites as parameters.
Right click, select New -> Shortcut Select the browser you'd like. Mozilla Firefox is in Program Files, Google Chrome is in AppData.

enter image description here

Give the shortcut a name and finish. Then right click the new shortcut and select Properties. In the Target field, add the webpage to open.

enter image description here

Press OK, and then right click the icon again and select Pin to Start. enter image description here

Chrome only:
Chrome even has special built in features for this. Open up the webpage you want in Chrome. Then click on the menu icon, select Tools and then Create application shortcuts. Make sure the Start Menu is ticked and press Create. Tada! Now you have a Tile on your start menu, with the proper icon for the website, even.

enter image description here

3
8

Method for Internet Explorer (If not default browser)

Edit: This only works for IE and is not necessary if you already use IE as your default browser..

You can copy a URL shortcut to the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu folder, and it will appear as a tile on the Start Screen.

For example:

  • drag a shortcut from your browser to the desktop
  • drag the shortcut from the desktop to the Start Menu folder



For either method, if you want to change the icon, check out the program in Matthew Wong's answer, OblyTile.

15
  • Now that is clever Nov 4, 2012 at 15:57
  • its not really necessary though Nov 4, 2012 at 15:58
  • 3
    @TaylorGibb some people, myself for example, don't have access to the Metro version of IE because IE is not our default browser. Nov 4, 2012 at 15:59
  • do you mean you cant use IE if its not your default browser? Nov 4, 2012 at 16:03
  • 1
    @TaylorGibb you can't use the metro ui of IE if its not set the defualt.
    – avirk
    Nov 4, 2012 at 16:04
7

If you're using IE10 just click the button on the address bar and click Pin to start.

2
  • Thanks for the answer but Chrome is my default Nov 4, 2012 at 16:13
  • This must be a Metro or RT thing because when I click on IE I don't get this interface from Start. Nov 5, 2012 at 22:14
5
  1. Open the Metro Internet explorer.
  2. Browse to the website.
  3. Click on the Pin and choose "pin to start".

Heres a picture of what it looks like on the start screen.

enter image description here

3
  • Thanks for the answer but Chrome is my default Nov 4, 2012 at 16:13
  • 3
    Well why didn't you add that useful piece of information to your question? You got the answer you deserve. Nov 4, 2012 at 21:21
  • I didn't think about it at the time; it was my mistake Nov 5, 2012 at 22:15
3

You can do this in Chrome without anything additional. Just do the following:

  • Click on the settings button in the upper right
  • Hover over "Bookmarks"
  • Select "Pin this page to Start Screen..."

I don't know what version of Chrome added this, but it is available in the current version (23.0.1271.91 m)

Note: Chrome must be launched in Windows 8 Mode for this option to appear.

1
3

None of the previous suggestions here really did what I wanted. So my solution is very similar to Louis', and it works fine with Chrome and probably other browsers as well:

  • Drag the favicon from the browser's address field to the desktop.

  • Drag the created shortcut from the desktop to the folder

    C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

  • Go to the Start page, and move over to the page with all apps (the down-arrow in the lower left corner).

  • Locate your shortcut, right-click and select "Pin to start"

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