Rumor: Microsoft preparing to remove Live Tiles from Windows 10
A Windows Latest report suggests that Microsoft may be in the process of removing Live Tiles from the company's Windows 10 operating system.
Live Tiles was one of the key features of the Windows 8 operating system when it launched. Microsoft decided to launch it with a new fullscreen Start interface filled with tiles.
Windows applications could use Live Tile functionality to update tiles automatically. A Weather application could update the weather data that it displays and a News app could push new stories using Live Tiles.
Microsoft even contemplated introducing interactive Live Tiles to the operating system but nothing ever came out of it.
Microsoft kept Live Tiles supported when it launched Windows 10 and even promised some "surprises" that would come to Live Tiles in 2016 but it seems that Live Tiles have not received a meaningful update in a long time.
The rumor suggests that Microsoft could end support for Live Tiles sometime after the release of Windows 10 20H2, the second feature update of the year 2020 (and likely a smaller update again).
Tip: check out the new and improved features of Windows 10 version 2004 (the first feature update of 2020) here.
Live Tiles would simply be replaced with static icons according to the report and the Start Menu would look similar, but not identical, to the Start Menu of Microsoft's Windows 10X operating system.
Microsoft released a Windows build recently that introduced a new range of colorful icons and is working on other Start Menu changes that it plans to launch in future versions of Windows 10.
Closing Words
Some of the default applications that are included in Windows 10 and some third-party applications support Live Tiles. Some users may keep the default ones enabled on the system, others may turn Live Tiles functionality off.
One of the first things that I do on new systems is to disable Live Tiles entirely as I have no use for the feature.
Considering that Microsoft has not really invested a lot in Live Tiles in recent time, I'd say that it is likely that Live Tiles support will be dropped eventually.
Now You: Do you use Live Tiles?
Live times should move into the Notification window and do a ‘Pin’ view, so they are always visible.
Live tiles are useless in the Start Menu.
The live tile interface never really worked and never really liked it. This will be a welcomed change
Never use them. Manjaro linux is my os.
We’re finally over the phase of every desktop OS makers and their dogs trying to shove tablet UI on their desktop OS.
Fell out of Linux completely after the crappy Unity and Gnome 3 debacle. Even Windows at least retained some form of start menu back then.
@Martin Brinkmann
“The rumor suggests”
Perhaps that should say “My rumor suggests”?
Regardless, this is speculation, and thus not worth fussing much over IMO.
As for rumors, it’s been suggested that after Live Tiles are gone, to replace them, there will be 3rd party software called Livey Tiles.
Imagine that. Ha.
New colorful icons, oh, yay!
No tiles, live or dead, Open Shell for us. Even the kids hate the standard Win 10 start menu now, when they were 6 they loved it. Click squares for an hour and bring their computer to its knees.
There’s a Candy Crush TV ad that’s been playing on and off since last summer where a girl with a devilish smirk smashes things with a gigantic lollipop. Allegorical kid with Win 10.
Why is MS so totally devoid of creativity? Windows has been wound around the axle for a decade.
@ULBoom
You’re right! They used to be creative, as with Microsoft BOB:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5teG6ou8mWU
I know Windows 10 is the most used OS in the world, but we NEED something CREATIVE like BOB.
Why? Because I said so.
I use the start menu tiles on my W10 box, but none of them are “live” – screw that crap. I do find the *static* tiles more useful for organizing my shortcuts than the excuse for a start menu that W10 ships by default.
I’ve got 3 out of 4 of my Windows 7 laptops dual booting with Linux Mint 19.3 and keeping 7 around for offline usage and one other Windows 7(Pro) laptop that shipped with 7/Pro but was actually licensed for 8 Pro and that’s an HP Probook. I’m getting ready to get Linux Mint 19.3 dual booting with that laptop’s 7/Pro as well.
I was thinking about installing Windows 8(Upgraded to 8.1) on the Probook but it appears that Linux is maybe the better option as both 7/8.1 have not been getting any OpenGL API/Graphics driver attention from MS/OEMs and Blender 3D 2.8 is requiring some newer OpenGL API level support than any 7/8.1 install would allow. So now that Probook is getting Linux Mint 19.3 installed along side of the Windows 7 Pro partition and Linux has better continuous Graphics Driver/Graphics API support for older hardware like the Intel Ivy Bridge CPU/Integrated graphics and the AMD Radeon 7650m discrete mobile GPU that’s came with that laptop as well.
And the opensource community’s Linux Hardware Driver and Graphics API support is always ongoing with no EOL for support on that older hardware unlike Windows and MacOS. And that’s been rather easy to get Linux Mint 19.3 installed in a dual boot configuration and pick and choose what gets updated and no Nanny Redmond looking over my shoulder ready to stop me from managing my own computers how I see fit to manage them.
I’ve just purchased a new laptop that’s running Windows 10 1809 Home and actually shipped with Windows 10 1803 and really that’s one darn Nanny sort of existence under Windows 10 and I’m treated like the hopeless child in that arrangement. I’m blocked from getting at the Windows UWP/Apps folder even with Administrative login(Local Only) and I have to take possession of the folder and its contents to even look at what’s there. There is a definite second class status for essential updating delay features for folks that are only using local login credentials so the KBs roll in, buggy or not, and not much can be done on Home editions of 10(1809) so that’s maybe better on the Pro editions.
But I’ve removed any of the tiles that are always wasting bandwidth with that useless stream of garbage and only have any tiles that point to Control Panel and Notepad, and a few of my Laptop’s OEM provided system management software packages that are not outright bloatware that’s been removed.
What sort of rolling madness Windows has become since TIFKAM arrived and that’s been getting renamed/rebranded under the name of UWP/other and some garbage App store delivery mechanism that’s unable to properly download and install any dependent services/packages that the App(UWP) store Apps require to interact with the system/hardware.
It’s really easy under Linux Mint as the package manager pulls in and installs any dependent services/libraries at the time of application download and installs and gets everything done in proper order and services started up/libraries installed before the application that requires these services/libraries is installed and can be started/used without issue.
What occurs with Windows 10 is that Microsoft constantly tinkers and the end users suffer in an eternal BETA state always having to waste time looking out for KBs and now feature updates that break things and steal end user time that always can be better spent getting actual productive activity done. It’s a big game of Redmond 52 Pickup and the end user having to find and reorder that which is spewed out, sans the proper QA/AC, each month and now each feature update as well with 10.
So after your of tech-blather of 603 words, comprised of 3,558 characters, 14 sentences, and 8 paragraphs, your point is: Microsoft bad, Linux good.
Got it.
If I ever have some insurmountable catastrophe with Windows, I will then consider Linux.
Yet after 20+ years I’ve had no big issues with Windows that I can’t address.
Perhaps you’re cursed, and/or just crazy?
Perhaps you are Satya, and your AI based QA/QC is not working out so well and how about that TIFKAM. But Linux Mint has no issues with dependencies while those crazy folks from management at Redmond can not get their App Store forcing fixed and my Asus laptop’s system management software has no business using that broken UWP front end to nowhere dis-functionality.
I’d rather have my OEM’s system software coming directly from the OEM using the older Windows desktop application based software/software installer and not having to go through that tacked together abomination store for my system’s management software.
Linux is getting better while MS/Windows is trying and failing to match some of those Mint/Other Linux Distro features and that 10 based AI/End User BETA testing model is the dictionary definition of madness. Live Tiles are just one more in the long Redmond list that burning that’s seen Phone Platforms abandoned and a once productive Windows 7 UI and application ecosystem trampled under in the name of flashing crap tiles that no one really needed or wanted on PCs/laptops to begin with.
You enjoy all your time a fixen! But most folks have better things to do with their time than to have their PCs/Laptop knackered and unusable for their intended purpose. So dual boot Windows and Linux(Mint/Other distro) and remain productive even when the 10 KB-tastrophe strikes, feature update-tastrophe as well. And Windows 7(EOL) still works fine as the isolated from the internet legacy backup to a daily driver Mint 19.3 dual boot when going online.
@TIFKAMSpamFirez
You sound like a religious fanatic.
Well, as long as you’re happy, but I doubt that’s the case.
Half the screen is taken for “Recommend” apps AKA Advertising :(
I killed my Live Tiles .. All Live Tiles deserve to die.
Live Tiles are for kids and goobers. Same thing with desktop Widgets.
So here’s a prediction after Live Tiles are gone:
Some dev will make some “free” software to bring Live Tiles back and Ashwin will write a fluffy review about it.
Just say’n.
i dont particularly care for live tiles.
It would be nice if Microsoft and others stopped force feeding inferior mobile crap on desktop users.
New ways to do old things. Can’t rss feeds be used to accomplish the same thing?
No more Live Tiles?! My life is, like, ruined! This is, like, literally the greatest disaster of all time!!!11!
What I would like to know is how all these poor design decisions across many platforms over the last five or so years came about. It’s not just Microsoft it’s most platforms. Android only recently relented from its blinding whitewashed ugly minimalism. Even Linux fell victim to this minimalist obsession.
My theory is there has been a focus on product strategy driven design rather than user focussed design.
Various product and differentiation “strategies” that these companies then literally force on to users and then force them in to using with euphemisms like “capture” and “funnel”.
It’s insidious. And extremely frustrating. One can’t even open a blog now without being hammered by pop overs vying to “capture” you. When all it does is frustrate and drive away. Every software application like Adobe PDF reader now relentlessly forces whatever latest cloud “strategy” they have on you every time you open the app.
It’s almost as though computing is now entirely productised and driven by and for product strategies and strategies about the strategies and how to drive users in to those strategies. Argh.
Couldn’t agree more.
I remember the times when the user was the vocal point and where software was built around the user’s needs and habits rather than forcing some gimmicky trend from an overly excited but clueless marketing exec and calling everyone square for not immediately jumping for joy as fast as permitted by body physics.
Windows has become as unbearable as most new software, that is desperately trying to discipline you into new habits and behavior patterns as the company behind it sees fit.
Still no match for the organization and customization of the Classic Shell Start menu. Whatever they do now to Start is immaterial.
Now if they break Classic Shell / Open Shell, they will see a lot of pissed off users.
Weather, News, Photos, Finance – like those live tiles.
So, icons replace live tiles while we still mostly use icons on the desktop and taskbar. What are they thinking at Microsoft? I don’t need, or want, icons on the Start menu.
I’m also a Classic Start Menu guy. I disabled all tiles the day I bought my computer and use icons for my desktop. If this rumor is true, then Microsoft is finally headed in the right direction. Now all they have to do is eliminate forced updates and telemetry, bloatware, their store, and telemetry, and we’ll have an actual operating system, not a service.
The last sentence was sarcasm in case you were wondering.
What they should do is replace Windows with Linux, as we need a version of Linux that has forced updates, bloatware, OS ads, and telemetry.
I love live tiles and i also like the tiles. i would miss them
I hope so, Please do it Microsoft ASAP.
I actually use Live Tiles, but only for the Weather app.
me too
This is why I’m sticking with Windows 7. I don’t want Microsoft to be able to remove something I might find useful.
(I doubt that I’d find live tiles useful, but I don’t want Microsoft to decide for me.)
Only a word, finally.
StartIsBack thankfully keeps that junk a mystery to me.
Windows 10 is finally shaping up like a desktop OS. It only took 5 years to get the process started.
These new icons… they’ve been working on this theme for two years, which they announced on Reddit back then. There’s people on Deviantart who have done more in a month by themselves than Microsoft’s entire Windows design department. WTF is Microsoft doing? They must share the same design team between projects because no way does it take this long to update an icon theme!
Long live Windows 7.
Yeah live tiles are amazing. That’s all I use my computer for, to watch tiny live screens on my startmenu. It’s like I’m internetting while I internet! Unbelievable! I wish they would add small pop-up tiles within the tiles too so I can internet even more. To maximize the pleasure while using the livetilelivetilelivetilepopuptile-function they could show ADS in them as well! OH and implement a feature in all tiles and tiny popups where I can sign on to a MICROSOFT ACCOUNT 40-50 times per hour, to play FOOKIN FARMVILLE SAGA CRUSH!
..on a more serious note, that new menu looks like it’s stolen from KDE. I’m sure they’ll find a way to mess up that one as well and make it supercrap too.
Spotify and other providers should reassign their Live Tile people when they become more aware of the number of users like myself who disable the function.
never use them, always the first thing that is switched off after new windows install.
i have no idea what they are.
https://i.imgur.com/JAoe34H.png
That’s still ugly and a downgrade compared to Windows 7 start menu. This has large padding, jumplist alphabets, can’t manage folders, move folders where you want, sort how you want. Hopefully removing tiles means they will also get rid of this ugly half baked start menu.
No, I’ve never used live tiles — but that’s because I can’t stand the Win 8/10 start menu and use Classic Start Menu instead.