Share via

SquareTiles (microsoft-windows-shell-setup-starttiles-squaretiles)

  • Article

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

  • SquareOrDesktopTile. You can include up to 6 of these on your Start screen, formatted as SquareOrDesktopTile 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 Microsoft 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 Microsoft 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

Setting Description
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>

StartTiles

WideTiles

SquareTiles