Microsoft Lets Windows 11 Taskbar Sit on Any Edge

Microsoft continues to focus on core Windows improvements instead of adding further AI features. The latest step appears in a blog post that expands customization options for the taskbar and Start menu in Windows 11.

Taskbar changes

The company announced that users will soon position the taskbar on any of the four screen edges. Alignment choices for the Start button and icons will match each placement, offering top-aligned or centered layouts on vertical sides and left-aligned or centered layouts on horizontal sides. These capabilities existed in earlier Windows releases before being dropped in Windows 11.

Vertical taskbars can appear as a narrow strip matching the current bottom default, a wider version that displays full application labels, or an ultra-thin variant suited to low-resolution screens where screen space is limited.

Start menu updates

New section-level toggles will let users independently show or hide the Pinned, Recommended and All areas. Additional controls will adjust overall menu size and allow the account name and profile picture to be hidden for privacy reasons.

Microsoft is also revising the Recommended area, renaming it Recent "to better reflect what the section primarily shows, including recently installed apps and recently used files." The company reported that it is refining the selection and ordering of files shown there "to reduce less relevant items and better reflect what you have been working on."

The features will reach Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel during the coming weeks. No firm timeline has been shared for broad availability, though the updates are expected to arrive for general users within a few months.

The refinements follow Microsoft's stated goal of restoring long-requested personalisation options that many users missed after the Windows 11 launch.