The Flashing Start Menu
When Microsoft released Windows 10, they introduced a Start Menu that combined the traditional Windows 7 list of apps with the large, colorful tiles from Windows 8. Many of these tiles are “Live Tiles.” Instead of just showing a static icon for the Weather, News, or Photos app, the tile constantly flips, animates, and cycles through live data—showing you current headlines, temperature forecasts, or a slideshow of your personal pictures.
While this looks dynamic, many users find it incredibly distracting. If you open the Start Menu just to type a search for a document, having flashing news headlines competing for your attention breaks your focus. Furthermore, these Live Tiles consume a small amount of background processing power and network bandwidth to constantly fetch new data. You can easily turn them into quiet, static icons.
How to Turn Off Live Tiles
You must disable the live animation feature individually for each tile.
- Click the Start button (or press the Windows key) to open the Start Menu.
- Locate a tile that is currently flipping, animating, or displaying live data (such as the Weather or News app).
- Right-click on the animated tile.
- In the context menu that appears, hover your mouse over the More option.
- Click on Turn Live Tile off.
- The tile will instantly stop animating and revert to a simple, static icon representing the app.
- Repeat this process for every distracting tile on your Start Menu.
Once you have turned off the live features, your Start Menu will remain completely static and calm, functioning exactly like a traditional application launcher without throwing unexpected headlines or photos at you every time you press the Windows key.