The Home windows 11 taskbar will get worse with each launch, and the widget popups, copilot button, and expanded Search bar aren’t serving to. Right here’s an concept, What should you nuke the entire thing? What should you may carry again the Home windows 10 taskbar, so you possibly can place it on any fringe of the display, or see full-width app names once more? Microsoft received’t allow you to do it, however a free and open-source utility will, and it doesn’t require any tinkering with the Registry or the Command Immediate: All you want to do is obtain and set up the ExplorerPatcher app.
How ExplorerPatcher’s Home windows 10 taskbar works
When you launch it, the taskbar will robotically revert again to the Home windows 10 styling, even after you reboot your machine. It is vital to notice right here that Microsoft may disable this app with the Home windows 11 24H2 replace that can come out close to the top of the 2024. However we’re positive that the developer group will discover a workaround for this. Till then, you possibly can select to not replace to 24H2, and should you’re working Home windows 11 23H2, you will not be compelled to replace both, and the construct will probably be supported till November 2025, sufficient time for the taskbar state of affairs to kind itself out.
The app, by default, makes some adjustments to the Home windows 11 taskbar, begin menu, and File Explorer. This contains issues just like the system tray icons, flyout menus, and taskbar buttons. By default, you may discover that the app will present you a Home windows 10 begin icon tucked within the left-hand nook of the display. Subsequent to it is going to be a Search button, and Job View button to point out all open apps and home windows collectively (this may be disabled). Subsequent, you may discover the apps part, once more prefer it was once in Home windows 10. You will see full names of the apps, and home windows, underlined to point out open apps. Hover over to see a preview, and contextual buttons.
Credit score: Khamosh Pathak
On the opposite aspect of the taskbar, you may discover the superb climate widget from Home windows 10 (sure, it is again!), and then you definitely’ll discover your system tray icons, a gear icon to open Management Middle, your clock, notifications button, after which a devoted Present Desktop button that you would be able to rapidly click on to disclose the desktop.
Credit score: Khamosh Pathak
The attention-grabbing half right here, is in fact that even the flyout menus are from Home windows 10. So if you click on the Management Middle button, you may see the Home windows 10 styling for the short settings and toggles. The identical goes for the clock. It’s going to present you the large calendar view, together with your upcoming appointments (in Home windows 11, that is merged with notifications).
Methods to customise the taskbar to make it even higher
The default setup is itself fairly good. However one of the best half about utilizing ExplorerPatcher is that you would be able to combine and match to your coronary heart’s content material. Each single factor of the taskbar and the beginning menu right here is customizable.
First, let’s put the beginning menu, and the taskbar alignment to the left fringe of the display (the app defaults to the middle align possibility). Proper-click the empty a part of the taskbar, and click on “Properties.” Go to Begin Menu > Begin Menu Fashion and select the Home windows 10 possibility. The beginning menu will nonetheless pop up from the middle, although, so go to Place on display and select the At Display screen Edge possibility.
Credit score: Khamosh Pathak
Now, let’s customise the taskbar itself. From Taskbar > Major taskbar location on display, you possibly can dock the taskbar to the highest of the display. From the Taskbar part, you can too select to cover the search button or the Job View button. You too can shift your entire taskbar to be centered (whereas nonetheless behaving like a Home windows 10 taskbar). You too can revert again to Home windows 11 model taskbar icons should you like.
You may customise the flyouts for every particular person system tray menu. Go to System Tray, after which you possibly can select what exhibits up if you click on Community, Clock, or different choices. You may select to see the Home windows 8 model menu, or the Home windows 11 begin flyout.
ExplorerPatcher additionally fixes the entire climate widgets subject in Home windows 11. If you wish to see the climate always on the taskbar however don’t need all of the widgets nonsense if you click on on it, go to Climate > Present climate on the taskbar. Now, the previous climate widget is again.
If you wish to disable the taskbar, or return to the Home windows 11 taskbar, merely uninstall the app, and reboot your PC. You are able to do this by retaining the app round as effectively. Go to Properties > About > Restore Default Settings to carry again the Home windows 11 model taskbar.
