SquareTiles

Applies To: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2

SquareTiles defines the default Windows Store apps to appear as square tiles on the Start screen. The two available SquareTiles types are:

  • DesktopOrSquareTile. You can include up to 6 of these on your Start screen, formatted as DesktopOrSquareTile1 through DesktopOrSquareTile6.

  • SquareTile. You can include up to 12 of these on your Start screen, formatted as SquareTile1 through SquareTile12.

To use either of these tile types with your Windows Store apps, you must include the AppId. The AppId is the AppUserModelID found in the application's AUMIDs.txt file, which is located in the app package downloaded from the OEM channel partner portal of the Windows® Store. You can also include a FirstRunTask setting to specify the background task that should be active, or live, by default for the tile.

If you skip a setting, Windows appears rearrange the flow of your app tiles around the position of that setting on the Start screen. The flow rearrangement is based on columns and is designed to eliminate gaps. This position may vary based on the screen size, resolution, and DPI. For more information about these settings, see the associated StartTiles settings topics.

Child Elements

SquareOrDesktopTile1

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareOrDesktopTile1.

SquareOrDesktopTile2

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareOrDesktopTile2.

SquareOrDesktopTile3

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareOrDesktopTile3.

SquareOrDesktopTile4

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareOrDesktopTile4.

SquareOrDesktopTile5

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareOrDesktopTile5.

SquareOrDesktopTile6

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareOrDesktopTile6.

SquareTile1

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile1.

SquareTile2

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile2.

SquareTile3

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile3.

SquareTile4

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile4.

SquareTile5

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile5.

SquareTile6

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile6.

SquareTile7

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile7.

SquareTile8

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile8.

SquareTile9

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile9.

SquareTile10

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile10.

SquareTile11

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile11.

SquareTile12

Specifies the application that appears on the Start menu, in position SquareTile12.

Valid Configuration Passes

specialize

auditUser

oobeSystem

Parent Hierarchy

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | StartTiles | SquareTiles

Applies To

For a list of the Windows® editions and architectures that this component supports, see Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup.

XML Example

The following XML output shows how to use the <SquareTiles> component and its settings.

<SquareTiles>
          <SquareOrDesktopTile1>
               <AppIdOrPath>C:\programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\desktoptile1.lnk</AppIdOrPath>
               <FirstRunTask>backgroundtask.js</FirstRunTask>
          </SquareOrDesktopTile1>
          <SquareOrDesktopTile2>
               <AppIdOrPath>67890ChannelFabrikam.channel-JKL_mnop1234789!App</AppIdOrPath>
               <FirstRunTask>Fabrikam.FirstRunTask</FirstRunTask>
          </SquareOrDesktopTile2>
          <SquareOrDesktopTile3>
               <AppIdOrPath>C:\programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\desktoptile3.lnk</AppIdOrPath>
          </SquareOrDesktopTile3>
          <SquareTile1>
               <AppId>12345ChannelFabrikam.channel-ABC_defghij6789!App</AppId>
               <FirstRunTask>backgroundtask.js</FirstRunTask>
          </SquareTile1>
          <SquareTile2>
               <AppId>34567ChannelFabrikam.channel-DEF_012ghijk345!App</AppId>
               <FirstRunTask>Fabrikam.FirstRunTask</FirstRunTask>
          </SquareTile2>
          <SquareTile3>
               <AppId>56789ChannelFabrikam.channel-GHI_67890jklmno!App</AppId>
          </SquareTile3>
     </SquareTiles> 

See Also

Concepts

StartTiles
WideTiles
SquareTiles