Show Windows Version on Desktop in Windows 8

Windows 8 shows the Windows build and version in the lower-right corner of your desktop. But after you have activated Windows, this information is no longer displayed. If you want Windows to display this version information on your desktop even after the Windows is activated, then you can make some changes in the registry to do that. You can follow the simple instructions given below to achieve this :

Show Windows Version on Desktop in Windows 8

  1. Press the hotkey Win + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit in the Run dialog and press Enter. This would open the Windows Registry Editor.

    Show Windows Version on Desktop in Windows 8

  2. In the Registry Editor window navigate to the following registry key :
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

    Show Windows Version on Desktop in Windows 8

  3. In the right-hand side pane, you would find a DWORD value named PaintDesktopVersion. Double-click on PaintDesktopVersion and change its value data to 1 in Edit DWORD value dialog as shown in the following picture.

    Show Windows Version on Desktop in Windows 8

  4. Click OK in the Edit DWORD value dialog to save the changes. Now you can press the hotkey Win + D to display the desktop and you would be able to see the Windows version in the lower-right corner. If you do not see the desktop version, then you can try signing off from your Windows account and then signing back on.
Tagged with