How to add a "metro" looking tile for a desktop application?
Desktop applications pinned to the new Windows 8 start menu have the icon centered inside the tile and a default background color (like in the left image). Is there any way to make a "metro" looking tile (like in the right image) for a desktop application?
OblyTile will let you create Metro tiles to launch your desktop apps:
See Color 1, 2, 3,4 in the above screenshot.
You will need to develop a Metro application that on execution executes the desktop application, this is entirely possible as Metro applications can launch executables. To avoid having to make a Metro application for each desktop application that you want to add to your Start Screen you can use the "secondary tiles" feature. This allows you to make one master Metro application from which you can easily add extra tiles to your Start Screen. Metro applications can be written in either C#, C++ or a combination of HTML5 and JS, you will need Visual Studio to be able to compile / package them for use on the Start Screen.
Just saying, it's possible from a developer viewpoint, just needs someone to write it...
@TomWijsman has given a great answer regarding make a true Metro tile
From another perspective, if you just want to update the icon to something Metro-ish for an app, you can just change the icon:
- Right click on the tile and select "Open File Location"
- Right click on the shortcut and select Properties
- Click on the "Change Icon" button
- Select a new icon to use
You can google for metro style icons if you want to replace one in an existing app.
I'm sure there'll be some web app that shows up some enough that'll let you take an existing icon and make it graphically Metro-ish, but I couldn't find one yet.