A Movable Taskbar Returns After a Long Wait
Microsoft is finally restoring a classic Windows capability: the Windows 11 movable taskbar. In the latest Windows 11 Insider features, users can reposition the taskbar to any screen edge—top, bottom, left, or right—rather than being locked to the bottom as at launch. The option appears under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors as a new Taskbar position dropdown, where you can select your preferred location and watch the bar jump instantly. This change answers years of complaints from long‑time Windows users who relied on side or top taskbars to maximize vertical space, especially on widescreen monitors. Microsoft’s own designers highlight benefits such as more code visible for developers and easier access for people who find the top of the screen more ergonomic. It is one of the biggest Windows 11 interface updates so far, especially for anyone who resisted upgrading because they could not reposition the taskbar.
New Taskbar Customization Options and Current Limitations
The new taskbar customization options go beyond simple repositioning. You can now align icons differently depending on where the bar sits: left or centered when it is on the top or bottom, and top‑aligned or centered when docked to the left or right edge. When you move the bar, Start and search flyouts adapt automatically, opening from the nearest edge so the interface still feels coherent. Power users also get a long‑requested “Never combine” mode, especially useful for vertical taskbars. Each window can show its own label, effectively creating a vertical list of open apps. There is also an option to shrink the taskbar and icons via the Show smaller taskbar buttons setting—handy for tablets and small screens. However, some pieces are missing for now: auto‑hide, tablet‑optimized behavior, touch gestures, and search boxes are not fully supported on non‑bottom positions, and per‑monitor positioning and drag‑and‑drop are still under evaluation.
How to Access the New Features in the Insider Experimental Channel
If you want to reposition the taskbar in Windows 11 today, you will need to join the Windows Insider program and opt into the Experimental channel. Microsoft is rolling out these Windows 11 Insider features gradually, so even after installing the latest build, the option to reposition the taskbar might take a little time to appear on your device. Once it does, you can right‑click the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, then open Taskbar behaviors to find the new Taskbar position and icon alignment controls. Because this is an experimental build, Microsoft is openly warning about bugs, including occasional alignment glitches on side‑docked taskbars. Touch users in particular should expect incomplete gesture support away from the bottom edge. Microsoft plans to collect feedback from early adopters, refine the implementation, and only then promote the feature into broader preview and stable releases, so everyday users may still be a few months away from seeing it in standard Windows Update.
Start Menu Tweaks: More Control Over Pinned and Recommended Content
Alongside the Windows 11 movable taskbar, Microsoft is overhauling the Start menu to give users more control over what they see. Section‑level toggles will let you independently show or hide the Pinned apps grid, the Recommended (soon to be called Recent) feed, and even the full All Apps list. That means you can effectively turn Start into a pure launcher of pinned shortcuts, or focus it on recent files and apps, depending on how you prefer to work. Microsoft is also promising better file relevance in the Recent section and additional size controls, addressing frustration that Start had become a surface for suggested apps rather than a productivity hub. Together with the new taskbar customization options, these Start menu changes signal a shift back toward fundamentals: giving users familiar, predictable tools that can be tailored to different workflows, rather than enforcing a single, bottom‑docked, ad‑adjacent experience.