Microsoft announces plans to give you more control over the Windows 11 taskbar and Start menu

Microsoft has been leaning hard into the idea that what matters with Windows is getting the basics right, as opposed to bolting on more AI gunk. An early example of that drive is a recent announcement involving more configurability for the taskbar and Start menu in Windows 11.

In a blog post titled, "Improving Windows quality: Making Taskbar and Start more personal," Microsoft kicks off with the taskbar, which is "where your PC experience comes to life" according to the post.

The big news here is the ability to now place the taskbar along any edge of the desktop. Yep, top, bottom, left and right, every option is being made available. What's more, you'll be able to align the Start button and icons in all four arrangements, "top-aligned or centered when the taskbar is on the left or right, and left-aligned or centered when the taskbar is on the top or bottom."

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Of course, this is functionality that was largely available in previous versions of Windows, but removed for Windows 11. If you go for a vertical taskbar, you'll be able to choose between both a thin bar similar to the standard Windows 11 config along the bottom, or a wider bar that allows for fully labelled buttons for each running application.

There's also an option for an even thinner taskbar than usual, which will come in handy on lower resolution displays where space is at a premium.

As for the Start menu, the changes involve both configurability and quality. The former include section-level toggles to independently show or hide Pinned, Recommended, and All, plus settings to tweak the size of the Start menu and the option to hide your name and profile picture for privacy purposes.

A wide vertical taskbar is one of the more intriguing options... (Image credit: Microsoft)

As for "quality," Microsoft says it is improving the content that appears in the Recommended section and changing the name of that part of the menu to Recent to "better reflect what the section primarily shows, including recently installed apps and recently used files."

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Microsoft is also improving the accuracy of recent files shown in the Start menu. "We are refining which files appear and how they are ordered to reduce less relevant items and better reflect what you have been working on," Microsoft says.

As for when these changes will be made available, Microsoft says they'll come first to Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel over the coming weeks. The company hasn't given a date for a full public release, but it'll probably be made available within a few months.

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