Backup Restore Windows 8 Screen Layout

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

To back up and restore your Windows 8 screen layout (Start screen tile arrangement and desktop icon positions), you need to manually copy a few system files and registry keys—Windows 8 does not provide a built-in one-click backup for layouts. This article explains exactly which files to copy, where they live, and how to restore them after a reinstall or on a new PC.

What the Screen Layout Includes

Windows 8 introduced the Start screen with live tiles, and many users spent time arranging those tiles into groups. The layout also includes the desktop icon positions and some taskbar settings. When you upgrade or reinstall Windows, these customizations are often lost. Backing up the layout means saving:

Start screen tile groups, their order, and tile sizes
Desktop icon positions and auto-arrange settings
Taskbar pinned apps and their order (partially)
Some personalization settings like accent color and background (if tied to the layout)

The Start screen layout is stored in a database file, while desktop icon positions live in the registry. Both can be copied manually.

Where Windows 8 Stores the Layout

Windows 8 keeps the Start screen layout in a file called appsFolder.itemdata-ms and its backup appsFolder.itemdata-ms.bak. These are hidden system files located in:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\AppsFolder

For a typical user, that expands to C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\AppsFolder. The desktop icon positions are stored in the registry under:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop

Additionally, the overall desktop layout (icon size, sort order) is in the same Bags key. The taskbar pinned items are stored in a separate registry key under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband.

How to Back Up the Layout

Close all apps and save your work.
Open File Explorer and navigate to %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\AppsFolder. You may need to enable viewing hidden files: click View > Options > Change folder and search options, then the View tab and select Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
Copy the two files appsFolder.itemdata-ms and appsFolder.itemdata-ms.bak to a safe location like an external drive or cloud folder.
Open Registry Editor by pressing Win+R, typing regedit, and pressing Enter.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop. Right-click Desktop and choose Export. Save the .reg file.
Optionally, export the Taskband key at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband to save pinned taskbar apps.

This creates a complete snapshot of your layout. Store these files with your other backups.

How to Restore the Layout

Restoring is the reverse process. After a fresh Windows 8 installation or when you sign in with the same Microsoft account on a new PC:

Copy the two appsFolder.itemdata-ms files back to the same AppsFolder directory. Overwrite existing files if prompted.
Double-click the exported .reg file for the Desktop key and confirm the merge.
If you exported the Taskband key, merge that .reg file as well.
Restart Explorer: open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find Windows Explorer, right-click and choose Restart. Or simply sign out and back in.

After restarting, your Start screen tiles and desktop icons should appear as they were. If some tiles don’t load, try restarting the PC once more.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common mistake is copying only the appsFolder.itemdata-ms file and forgetting the .bak file. Windows may use the .bak if the primary is corrupt, so always copy both. Another issue: if you restore to a different user account, the registry paths will not match—you must restore to the same user profile name or adjust the paths. Also, the Start screen layout is tied to the specific apps installed. If you restore a layout that references apps not present on the new system, those tiles will appear blank or missing until you install the apps.

Some users think that syncing with a Microsoft account automatically backs up the layout. In Windows 8, Microsoft account sync does include some personalization settings, but it does not reliably sync the full Start screen tile arrangement. Manual backup is the only sure method.

Alternatives to Manual Backup

If you find manual backup tedious, you can use the built-in File History feature to back up the entire AppsFolder directory. File History is designed to back up files in libraries, but you can add the AppsFolder folder to it. However, File History does not back up registry keys, so you would still need to export the registry manually.

Another option is to use a system imaging tool (like the built-in System Image Backup in Windows 8) that creates a full snapshot of your entire system. This restores everything, including the layout, but requires a large amount of storage and a full system restore, which is overkill if you only want the layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I back up the Start screen layout without registry editing?

No, the desktop icon positions are stored in the registry. You must export at least the Bags\1\Desktop key to save those positions. The Start screen tiles alone can be backed up by copying the itemdata files, but the desktop icons require the registry export.

Will restoring the layout break anything?

Restoring the layout is generally safe. The worst that can happen is that some tiles reference apps that are not installed, and they will appear as blank tiles until you install those apps or remove them. The registry merge only affects the desktop icon settings, so it won’t harm other system settings.

Does this work on Windows 8.1?

Yes, the same method works on Windows 8.1. The file names and registry paths are identical. Windows 8.1 also stores the Start screen layout in the same AppsFolder location.

Can I transfer the layout to a different user account on the same PC?

Yes, but you need to copy the files to that user’s AppsFolder directory and merge the registry keys under that user’s HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive. You must be logged in as that user or use regedit with administrative rights to load the other user’s hive.

What if I don’t have the .bak file?

If you only have the primary appsFolder.itemdata-ms file, it may still work. Windows will use it as is. The .bak is a backup copy that Windows creates automatically, but it is not strictly required for restoration.

Does the layout sync with a Microsoft account?

Windows 8 offers limited sync of personalization settings through a Microsoft account, but it does not include the full Start screen tile layout. You should always do a manual backup for a complete restore.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.