If you download a lot of apps from the Windows 8 Store, install your own programs, and pin those programs to the Metro Start screen, the screen can become a mess. However, you can group tiles on the Metro Start screen and label those groups.

After installing software, here’s what our Metro screen looks like. It’s a jumble of programs, and as we install more programs, it’ll only get worse. The tiles seem to be in two groups, but not necessarily how we would organize them.

01_programs_on_metro_screen

To move a tile into a new group, drag the tile to an empty space between the current groups until you see a gray bar. Release the mouse button to drop the tile into its own group. Move additional tiles into the group by dragging them onto the current tiles in the group.

02_moving_a_tile

Once you have rearranged your tiles into groups, you can name the groups. To do this, click the minus sign button in the lower, right corner of the Metro screen.

03_click_minus_sign

The view of the Metro screen zooms out, allowing you to select a whole group at a time and move it or rename it. To rename a group, right-click on a group. Do not left-click on it first. That will only zoom in again. If that happens, click the minus sign button again.

04_right_click_a_group

The whole group is checked and the Name group option becomes available at the bottom of the screen. Click Name group.

05_clicking_name_group

A dialog box displays. Enter a name for the group in the edit box and click Name.

06_entering_name_of_group

The name of the group displays above the group, even in the zoomed out view.

While zoomed out on the tiles, you can move groups to different locations, if desired. We decided to move our groups to the left side of the Metro screen, so we don’t have to scroll to get to the tiles we use most. To move a group, left-click and hold on a group and drag it to the desired location.

07_named_groups

Click anywhere on the Metro screen to zoom in again and display the tiles full size.

08_named_groups_full_size

So, even without the Start menu, you can still organize your programs and avoid a jumbled mess.