How do I change the tile image of a Modern UI application?

Solution 1:

It appears it is actually possible to do this, as they are not embedded in the executable.

Using these directions you should be able to change the images of the defaults apps and third-part applications as well. Please read through these steps several times before attempting.

Pictures for the tiles must be in PNG format. Large screen tiles will need to be a 310 x 150 picture. The square Metro tiles need to be a 150 x150 image.

Make sure you prepared four versions of the image for the logos. You can check the resolutions for each once you identify the images in the folder:

• “widelogo” in 310 x 150, PNG format.

• “widelogo.scale-100″ in 310 x 150, PNG format.

• “widelogo.scale-80″ in 248 x 120, PNG format.

• “widelogo.scale-140″ in 484 x 210, PNG format.

This is what you need to do:

1. Open Windows Explorer.

2. Configure Windows Explorer to show hidden files and folders (similar to Windows 7).

3. Go to C:\Programs Files\WindowsApps (for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions).

4. Right-click on this folder and click on Properties.

5. Go to the Security tab as we need to edit the permissions to access this folder.

6. Click on Advanced and change the owner at the top.

7. Type in your e-mail (for a Microsoft Account) or user name (for a typical account).

8. Click OK, make sure you select "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects", do OK again.

9. Go into the folder and then into the folder for the Metro application you want to change.

10. Go to the Images folder, then find the logos in this folder or one of the sub folders. Sometimes it's in a different folder like the assets folder, this happens when Modern UI applications defer from the standard directory structure

11. For logo.png and widelogo.png, replace the four files which start with logo and widelogo respectively, make sure you keep their resolutions correct.

12. On the Start Screen, switching between smaller and larger mode might load the new logo. If not, you'll need to try unpinning the application, rebooting and pinning it again.

These instructions are a heavily edited version of Tech-Recipes - Hack the Windows 8 Metro Start Screen Tiles, Icons, and Pictures by Lê Hoàng, have shortened the instructions and reworded them.

From the same post, here is a list of the locations such that you don't have to search for some:

• Music:

  Microsoft.ZuneMusic_version/images/tiles
  

• Video:

  Microsoft.ZuneVideo_version/images/tiles
  

• Xbox Live:

  Microsoft.XboxLiveGames_version/images/tiles
  

• Xbox Companion:

  Microsoft.XboxCompanion_version/images/tiles
  

• Weather:

  Microsoft.BingWeather_version/images
  

• Map:

  Microsoft.BingMap_version/images
  

  Square mode only.

• Reader:

  Microsoft.Reader_version/images
  

  Square mode only.

  To find the right image for the tile, check its manifest.xml file in the folder.

• Solitaire:

  Microsoft.Solitaire_version/assets
  

• Pinball:

  Microsoft.PinBallFX2_version/win8_assets
  

• Skydrive:

  Microsoft.MicrosoftSkydrive_version/ModernSkyDrive/product/Skydrive/resources/images
  

• Mail:

  Microsoft.Windowscommunicationapps_version/ModernMail/res
  

• People:

  Microsoft.Windowscommunicationapps_version/ModernPeople
  

• Chat:

  Microsoft.Windowscommunicationapps_version/ModernChat
  

• Calendar:

  Microsoft.Windowscommunicationapps_version/ModernCalendar