Microsoft says Home windows has personalization and customization in its DNA, and it plans to roll out new options over the approaching months that will provide you with higher keep an eye on over Home windows 11, together with the taskbar and Get started menu. We’re already seeing personalization choices like a movable and smaller taskbar, however that’s most effective the end of the iceberg.
Home windows was once Microsoft’s big name product, however that modified in recent times, and the running machine has been at the again burner. It had gotten so unhealthy that Home windows began to seem like a platform for Microsoft’s AI efforts, as the corporate added Copilot virtually all over the place, together with Notepad.
All of that resulted in the “Microslop” marketing campaign on social media, and Microsoft in the end modified path. In March 2026, Microsoft publicly dedicated to making improvements to Home windows 11’s high quality, and Satya Nadella later mentioned the corporate needs to “win again” Home windows enthusiasts by means of that specialize in the basics.
Now, Home windows boss Pavan Davuluri is creating a equivalent level round personalization.
“Personalization and customization is in Home windows’ DNA. It at all times has been,” Pavan wrote in a publish on X, quoting Home windows 11’s new taskbar improve.
“Studying thru your comments and assembly with Home windows Insiders during the last few months reminded us simply how deeply other folks care about this. You sought after extra keep an eye on, extra customization with the taskbar and Get started. We heard you, and these days we’re handing over,” he added.
All of us believe Pavan’s remark that Home windows is extremely customizable, however on the identical time, there’s no denying that Home windows 11 hasn’t finished a perfect task with personalization controls.
As an example, it doesn’t even help you trade the peak or width of the Get started menu. On Home windows 10, it’s essential dangle the threshold of the Get started menu and drag it to switch its dimension. In truth, it’s essential unpin all reside tiles and simply have your apps record in a slender sidebar-like interface.
All of that modified when Microsoft shipped Home windows 11 in October 2021 and dropped strengthen for reside tiles. Whilst the elimination of reside tiles isn’t essentially an issue, maximum people hated the truth that you couldn’t transfer the taskbar, trade the peak of the Get started menu, take away the Advisable feed, and even drag and drop information at the taskbar.
Fortunately, Microsoft is bringing again the entire legacy personalization or customization options to Home windows.
How Microsoft is bringing again customization and personalization to Home windows 11
On Might 14, Microsoft started rolling out movable and smaller taskbar choices to testers within the Home windows Insider program.
This implies you’ll after all transfer the taskbar to the left facet of the display screen or stay it on the backside, or even make it smaller so it takes much less display screen house. A smaller taskbar is especially to hand when it’s pinned to the left facet, and you wish to have extra space in your apps.
Microsoft advised Home windows Newest that it’ll roll out the 2 new options to most of the people after ironing out the insects within the integration.
At this time, the mixing is beautiful tough on sure configurations. In our exams, Home windows Newest seen that while you transfer the taskbar to the left facet, the Get started button and icons don’t seem to be aligned accurately. In a similar fashion, there are different insects or strange behaviour the place notifications don’t practice the brand new alignment.
Microsoft says it’ll patch those and different insects prior to it starts rolling out the customizable taskbar to the general public.
A customizable Get started menu
As well as, Microsoft is making the Get started menu in Home windows 11 extremely customizable.
First, it’s including again a characteristic that allows you to trade the scale of Get started. For now, you’ll transfer between small and big choices, however the corporate may upload extra choices in a long run free up.
2nd, Microsoft is trying out a brand new characteristic that allows you to flip off other sections of the Get started menu. As an example, for those who use only some apps and don’t need to see all of the record, you’ll flip off All apps and the Advisable feed segment, and simply stay your pinned apps. Likewise, you’ll flip off Advisable and Pinned to only have the apps record.
Listed below are one of the crucial adjustments coming to the Get started menu:
- Advisable is being renamed to Fresh, and Microsoft is making improvements to record relevancy, so the Fresh segment is if truth be told helpful.
- Lately put in apps will now in an instant seem within the Get started menu.
- You’ll conceal your title and profile image from Get started for privateness causes.
- You’ll now flip off the hot information segment within the Get started menu with out affecting fresh information in Document Explorer or taskbar leap lists.
Home windows Newest has realized that Microsoft has extra primary enhancements coming to Home windows 11, together with the facility to resize the taskbar.
At this time, Microsoft is rolling out the smaller taskbar characteristic, however you continue to can’t resize it by means of dragging it from the threshold. I’m advised there are plans to let customers resize the taskbar manually, very similar to the way it labored in Home windows 10.
These types of enhancements will roll out right through the 12 months, and extra adjustments are deliberate as smartly.
