Microsoft has begun testing a major Windows 11 taskbar and Start menu overhaul for Insiders, including a movable taskbar, more sizing options, and new Start menu controls—along with privacy-focused touches like hiding profile details. The changes are rolling o
For many Windows 11 users. the taskbar has felt like it was redesigned for a cleaner look. but tightened in the places that mattered—especially customization.. Microsoft removed long-used options along the way. and one of the most persistent complaints was simple: the taskbar couldn’t be freely moved around the screen.
That is starting to change. Microsoft has begun testing a major overhaul of the taskbar and Start menu for Windows 11 Insiders in its Experimental channel, signaling that the company is willing to loosen the grip it put on those interface controls.
The most noticeable shift in the test build is the return of a movable taskbar.. Instead of being locked to the bottom of the display. users in the trial can move it to the top or even place it vertically along either side of the screen.. For longtime Windows users. it lands as a reversal—earlier versions of Windows supported this kind of flexibility for years before Windows 11 simplified the layout into something more fixed.
Microsoft is also testing different taskbar sizes, including a compact option aimed at smaller laptops and tablets where screen space is tighter.
Start menu flexibility is in the mix too.. In the build being tested. the Start menu reportedly becomes resizable. with the option to switch between smaller and larger layouts.. The goal is to let people organize apps and shortcuts in a way that fits their own habits. rather than forcing one arrangement.
On top of that, Microsoft is changing how the Start menu is structured.. New controls let users decide which sections appear inside the menu, including areas for pinned apps, recommendations, and app lists.. One detail stands out for its clarity: Microsoft is renaming the “Recommended” section to “Recent.” The feature mainly surfaces recently used files and newly installed apps. and the older label has often been seen as vague.
There are also smaller privacy-focused additions. Users will be able to hide their profile photo and account name from the Start menu, a change Microsoft says could be useful during presentations or screen-sharing sessions.
The changes are expected to roll out to Insider testers over the next few weeks.. Microsoft has also acknowledged why it’s making this push: the company says users judge Windows hardest on the Start menu and taskbar.. After years of complaints about Windows 11’s limited customization, this update reads like a direct response to that pressure.
A pattern runs through the updates being tested: Microsoft is restoring customization features people lost in Windows 11—moving the taskbar. adjusting its size. resizing and reshaping the Start menu. and letting users choose which sections show—while pairing those changes with clearer naming (“Recommended” to “Recent”) and privacy controls that can be toggled for the Start menu.
Microsoft Windows 11 taskbar Start menu Insiders Experimental channel movable taskbar privacy controls customization