Move the Windows 11 Taskbar to the top and change the icon size with Taskbar11
The Start Menu and Widgets maybe the most unpopular changes that Microsoft introduced in its new operating system. But, for many people, the lack of an option to move the Windows 11 Taskbar, is just as frustrating.
Unlike its predecessors, Windows 11 does not let you drag the Taskbar to the sides or the top. I think it is a silly change, especially considering how the Redmond company is marketing the OS'personalization features. Fortunately, there are a few third-party tools that can help us overcome such limitations. Martin mentioned StarDock's Start11 as an option. That however is a premium application. Why should I pay for a feature that existed before and was removed needlessly? I hear you loud and clear, and if you want a free way to fix it, Taskbar11 fits the bill.
The application is portable, so all you need to do is download the Taskbar11.exe and run it. The program's interface has some useful options, let's begin with the Taskbar setting. Click the Taskbar Position drop-down menu. Taskbar11 allows you to switch the Windows 11 Taskbar's position to the top. The flyout menus (pop-up right-click menus) drops-down correctly too. It's a shame that we can't move it to the sides, but I think we'll take what we got.
Optionally, you may set the Taskbar size to Small, Medium or Large. Now, these options don't actually change the size of the bar, it just reduces the size of the icons.
The next setting, Taskbar Indentation, lets you move the Taskbar and Start Menu to the left edge of the screen, just like in previous Windows iterations. Don't like the default icons Microsoft has slapped onto the Taskbar? You can use Taskbar11 to disable the Search, Task View, Widgets and Chat buttons. Similarly, you can hide the Pen menu, Touch keyboard and the Virtual Touchpad.
Note: Setting it to the Small Size results in a visual bug, the system tray's clock is sort of hidden partially. The Large Size has a problem too, the icons appear to be blurry when you use the option.
You don't need this tool for toggling the Taskbar icons, or to change its alignment. Windows 11's built-in options allows you to do this too, just open the Settings app, switch to Personalization > Taskbar, and customize it as necessary.
Select the option that you want to change in Taskbar11, and click the Save button at the bottom of the Window. Your Taskbar will disappear briefly, and flash right back into place. Don't worry about it, the program is just restarting the Explorer.exe process to apply the modifications you selected. As mentioned earlier, the program is portable, so it doesn't need to be running in the background, you may close it after making the changes.
Taskbar11 is an open-source program.
There is another open-source software, called Windows11DragAndDropToTaskbarFix, that does a similar job. However, this tool is currently detected as a Trojan by Kaspersky and Zone Alarm (VirusTotal). Windows Defender seems to think it is harmless, so I think it is a false positive, but I'll leave you to be the judge.
Thanks, Joe for the tip!
Most of these UI changes seem to be "optimized" for touch-screen devices. Microsoft needs to stick to its core and stop fixing things that aren't broken. What do you think about it?
There is not still W11 23H2 and these instructions are nonsense by now. :[
It worked for me just fine. You’re probably not following the instructions clearly.
Just tried the password option and the OOBE option and didnt work.
Worked perfectly. Thank OP.
Worked perfectly for me just now. Specifically, the regedit option.
Is this cut and paste from a Microsoft PR paper, because it 1000% BS:
“By listening to user insights, Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to refining the Windows experience based on real-world needs.”
Windows 11 is proof they don’t give a s*it.
Worked for me just now
I agree! Windows 11 was a downgrade to me and I kept all 8 computers in our family on Windows 10 as a result. They didn’t listen to any customers. The taskbar was THE main reason I stayed away from Windows 11. With 6 monitors, it is impossible to navigate so many browser tabs, without the feature. I will try the new version in the virtual box to see if it is worth it yet.
Microsoft did a terrible job with this implementation.
They simply need to employ the creator of StartAllBack to fix Windows. He is smarter and more talented than the entire campus of Microsoft employees.
lol
Thank you so much! I work in IT and this is extremely useful information!
Thanks man. The second method worked great!
I used the second method, and i got exactly what i expected.
Using the Bypass 2: Use a banned email address email worked fantastically as I had gone to far to use the bypass 1.
I will be back when I next have a problem.
Keep you the great work
W11 File Explorer is the worst crap ever done. W11 is the biggest shame ever.
Just one more reason for me to go to Linux when Windows 10 ages out.
@ MarineRecon,
Be careful which Linux distro you choose. Some of them don’t include the Wayland protocol which is a security issue i.e. apps can copy, paste and inject data without user interaction.
It’s included in Fedora: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/latest/system-administrators-guide/Wayland/
How about a DARK MODE for your website? That would be oh so nice.
Something like this : [https://img.justpaste.me/image/8617] maybe?
Done with ‘Dark Reader Extension for ? Firefox’ [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/darkreader/]
This comment was written on [https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-installation-has-failed-how-to-fix-this-upgrade-error/#comment-4573155}
Definitely NOT! Once you get older and your eyesight starts to fail you’ll positively loathe dark mode.
Not sure what eye problems *you’re* having, but for me the exact opposite is true. Dark Mode is MUCH easier on my Eyes.
BTW- I’m 52, and have worked in IT all my life. Been staring at monitors for hours each day, most days of the week since the late 1980’s.
Microsoft completely ruined File Explorer by converting to XAML/WinUI/whatever new bloated modern garbage. Its worse than it ever was.
i tested it on win10 current edition. speeds up explorer like a charm
SO what is the priority numbers to give preference to ethernet over wireless?
Worked very well happy to have Windows Photo Viewer back in action in Windows-11
Worked for me (registry option) thank god, I can use the search option to find things on my computer again. Thank you so much!
Install Everything Search and dispense with Microsoft’s crappy search tool. https://www.voidtools.com/
Martin wrote an article on it: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/10/09/add-everything-search-to-the-windows-taskbar-for-even-faster-searches/
I presume the text “WindowsCopilot,,” is a typographical error (2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/). The broken comment system unfortunately looks like it is populating itself via AI autopilot.
Hopefully, this Windows Copilot nonsense fails even more spectacularly than Cortana. Who requested this? We want all of the UX features removed back in 11, not this copilot nonsense.
I really don’t mind all of these Windows enhancement but Microsoft get one thing very wrong. ‘Opt in’, is far better than seek information and work to disable.
Turn off Windows Copilot entirely is not good enough.
How to uninstall Copilot entirely ?
@ ilev,
Use Gpedit or the registry. Explained in this article: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/09/17/how-to-disable-windows-copilot-in-windows/
With that snake oil salesman Panos gone, hopefully Windows can return to a normal desktop operating system without all the insanity it has right now in Windows 11.
Can we please stop being ‘politically correct’ (lying) and call them ads again instead of ‘suggestions’?
@ Martin,
Does your gpedit hack also turn off all the other “subscribed content” shown in the registry screenshot? Do you happen to know what all those are?
Thank you, I used the fake email option, it worked great.
I wish I had read this article a few months ago, as I purchased two refurbished Windows 10 Pro PCs to replace two older ones. The 1st one I entered an existing Microsoft account I had and it imediately setup OneDrive, adding it to the path names for the common folders such as Documents, Music, video, etc. I tried to just disable OneDrive but then had odd problems finding my data copied from another older PC. long story short I was able to remove all the entries from the registry after un-installing OneDrive.
The second refurbished PC I didn’t connect the WiFi adapter so during installation I was able to click on the no Internet option. Basically I did as you suggested above; set up a local login, disabled OneDrive from running on bootup, and eventually unInstalled it. No problems with folder paths, etc.
The registry option worked for me, but only me, not any other users. How do I make this apply to all users? Yes, I have admin rights.
Just decided to create a Windows 11 system image (went OK) and then went to look for this Co-Pilot crap, but it’s nowhere to be found on my system even though I’ve got the Pro version.
What I did find though in User Configuration –> Administrative Templates –> Windows Components –> Cloud Content was the option to turn off all that Spotlight stuff. Glad to see the back of that anyway.