Whether you’re a casual user or a hardcore computing enthusiast, there’s no denying that the Windows lineup of operating systems has pretty much defined the modern PC landscape. Despite being almost 40 years old, the fact that Windows is still the most-used consumer OS speaks volumes about its success.

However, the series has had its fair share of ups and downs. For instance, Windows ME was (and still is) reviled by the community as a broken mess of an OS due to its buggy and unstable nature. And then there was Windows 8, which, despite bringing a host of design changes to Microsoft’s flagship OS family, ended up being such a huge disappointment that the Redmond-based firm had to scrap most of Windows 8's new UI elements in Windows 10. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the reasons that led to Windows 8’s epic failure.

Windows 8 brought changes that nobody asked for

It was too different from Windows 7 – and not in a good way

Our story begins in the year 2012 when Windows 7 reigned supreme in the PC domain and Microsoft had started rolling out the preview updates for Windows 8. However, most users, who were accustomed to Windows 7, were quite skeptical of the new OS. Even before its release, Windows 8 had gathered some flak from the community for its secure boot facility, which seemingly made things difficult if you wanted to dual boot into other operating systems.

But things didn’t go downhill until Microsoft released Windows 8 in August 2012. All of a sudden, the PC community took up pitchforks and torches against the new features of the OS. For starters, the new Windows Store was a terrible app store that not only had a limited number of applications but was also riddled with bugs. Microsoft’s constant attempts to force users to switch to the broken mess of an app store only added fuel to the fire.

However, it was the removal of the beloved Start button alongside the changes to the Start menu that truly infuriated long-time Windows users. You see, the Windows Start button had been a staple of the OS family ever since the earlier Chicago versions of Windows 95 in 1995. As if getting rid of the Start button wasn’t bad enough, Microsoft transmogrified the Start menu to a Start screen, which was pretty much useless to your average desktop user.

Microsoft wanted to appease both tablet and PC users with Windows 8

And in doing so, it lost support from the desktop crowd

Unlike previous operating systems, which were designed from the ground up for PC and laptop users, Windows 8 was also built for tablet owners who used touchscreen interfaces instead of the good ol’ keyboard and mouse. In a bid to unify the UI elements for all platforms, Microsoft not only messed up the implementation of some of the key features that Windows was loved for but also added half-baked functionalities that were clunky and borderline useless.

Take the placement of the power buttons on the Start screen, for instance. Instead of placing the power, sleep, and restart buttons on the Start screen, Windows 8 required you to pull up the Charm screen, pick Settings, and then choose the option to power down your system. Those were a lot of steps for something so simple as shutting down your PC. The new set of gestures added to Windows 8 wasn’t optimized for keyboard and mouse setups either, meaning only tablet users could make use of these features.

Not to mention, the tiles-based interface, which worked well on a touchscreen interface, wasn’t very popular with the desktop crowd. All-in-all, Microsoft’s idea of merging a tablet UI with a desktop UI and providing features that catered to both audiences failed miserably, and the company spent the next few years undoing all the damage.

Windows 8.1 tried to rectify some of its predecessor’s mistakes

But it wasn’t until Windows 10 that the OS’ primary user base was satisfied

A year after the disastrous launch of Windows 8, Microsoft released the first major update to the OS. Titled Windows 8.1, the new and improved version of the much-hated operating system dialed back on some of the drastic UI elements of its predecessor. Finally, the Start button was back on the Taskbar, while the Shutdown options were added to the Start screen.

Speaking of, while the Start screen wasn’t scrapped, the addition of an All Apps button, alongside easily accessible power options, provided some respite to desktop users. That said, it still wasn’t good enough for the PC community, causing Microsoft to redesign the redesigned UI a second time for Windows 10.

Luckily, Windows 10 was a return to form for Microsoft’s flagship OS family. Sure, the tiles interface was still there, but the Start menu was finally back. Plus, the UI was more simplified and far less clunky. As it turned out, the return to a classic UI was all Microsoft needed to satisfy the dedicated PC users.

Will Microsoft ever make such drastic UI changes in the future?

Although the majority of users loathed Windows 8 with passion, not everyone considered the revamped interface an eyesore. The Metro-style UI had its supporters, and some aspects of Windows 8 made it into Windows 10.

Besides doing away with the tile UI and redesigning the Start menu, Microsoft refrained from shaking up the visual aesthetics too much when it debuted Windows 11 in 2021. But that doesn't mean Windows 11 didn't attract any controversies. Heck, the current operating system has its own issues, from Start menu ads to the privacy nightmare that’s Recall. Seeing how Microsoft is still pushing on with the idea of implementing Recall, despite the wave of criticism against the feature, I wouldn't put it past the tech giant to add some bonkers UI elements in Windows 12.