Non-Touch Screen Transition Back from Metro App

Question

I have no touch screen.  I just used the Metro Control Panel to change my login user tile image.

There's no easy way back to the "normal" desktop, save to drag the mouse to the left edge of the screen and click on the Thumbnail of the desktop when it comes up.  This isn't as easy as on a real computer since I'm running Windows 8 Preview in a VM.

 

Why doesn't the Escape key work to dismiss the control panel?

 

-Noel

Answer 1

Just press the Start button to get into the Start screen, or Win+D to go into the desktop. You can also use ALT+TAB.

Answer 2

Thanks - Alt-tab is an alternative for me, but I have a keyboard that has no Win key.  Yes, perhaps that's my fault, but I happen to like it, and a UI that REQUIRES that particular key is something new - I've not needed it before.

-Noel

Answer 3

CTRL+ESC also works instead of Win key.

Answer 4

Thanks, I just learned that earlier today from another post.

-Noel