How to Customize the Windows 11 Taskbar?

Windows 11 Taskbar: Ways to Customize

The Taskbar in Windows 11 is one of the most beloved features of the operating system. With its sleek, minimalist design, this bar also offers a visually different experience. However, for some users, the need for more customization options becomes an important necessity. For instance, not being able to relocate the Taskbar or change its size by default may bother some users. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with this situation. Here are some tips to make your Taskbar more functional by adjusting it as you wish:

Contents

• Disabling Microsoft Copilot and Other Unnecessary Apps
• Pinning Any App to the Taskbar
• Aligning Taskbar Icons to the Left
• Customizing Taskbar Behavior
• Placing the Taskbar at the Top of the Screen
• Minimizing or Enlarging the Taskbar
• Bringing Back the Old Windows 10 Taskbar

Disabling Microsoft Copilot and Other Unnecessary Apps

The Windows 11 Taskbar often comes with some buttons that you may find unnecessary. The Widgets button on the left shows news updates and advertisements. On the right, there is the new Microsoft Copilot button. In the middle, a large Search bar draws attention next to the Start icon. Although Microsoft removed the Chat button with the Windows 11 2023 update, disabling other unnecessary features will make the Taskbar more minimal and useful.

Pinning Any App to the Taskbar

Pinning your frequently used apps to the Taskbar makes access easier. This way, you won’t spend too much time looking for the app you need.

Aligning Taskbar Icons to the Left

If you nostalgically remember the Windows 10 Taskbar layout, there is a solution to satisfy that nostalgia. You can change the alignment of Taskbar icons. Right-click on the Taskbar, go to Taskbar Settings, and set the ‘Taskbar alignment’ option in Taskbar behaviors to ‘Left’. This will restore the familiar look you are used to.

Customizing Taskbar Behavior

If you are using a touchscreen laptop or a small-screen device, you might consider hiding the Taskbar for more screen space. In this case, enable the ‘Automatically hide the taskbar’ option. Now, the Taskbar will appear when you bring your mouse cursor to the bottom of the screen. If you are using multiple screens, you can use the ‘Show taskbar on all displays’ feature to enable or disable the Taskbar on all monitors.

Placing the Taskbar at the Top of the Screen

Microsoft fixes the Taskbar to the bottom of the screen. However, it is possible to move the Taskbar to the top of the screen using a registry hack. To do this:

• Open the Start Menu and type ‘regedit’.
• Enter the location HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStuckRects3 in the upper bar of the Registry Editor that opens.
• Place the cursor to the right of this value, press Backspace once, and change the value to ’01’.
• Click the OK button and exit the Registry Editor.
• Then, open the Task Manager application and restart Windows Explorer.

Minimizing or Enlarging the Taskbar

Another significant change in the Windows 11 Taskbar is the inability to change its size. However, you can overcome this using the registry. Again, follow Start > regedit and enter the following location: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced. Here, by making changes, you can customize the Taskbar size, then restart your computer to apply the changes.

Bringing Back the Old Windows 10 Taskbar

If you have tried all these customizations and are still not satisfied, we have one last suggestion: you can try reverting to the old Windows 10 Taskbar. A free and open-source application called ExplorerPatcher can help you bring back the Taskbar and Start menu from Windows 10. After installing the application, you can enter Settings and customize each part of the Taskbar. For example, you can revert to the look of applications from Windows 10 while still using the system tray and drop-down menus from Windows 11.