How do I get my old Taskbar back in Windows 11?

Summary: How to bring back the old taskbar on Windows 11? This question has hovered over the internet since the launch of Windows 11. If you're also someone who is looking to get the classic Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11, this is the right place to learn how to do it. Read on to know more...

The taskbar in Windows 11 is a bit different than that in Windows 10. The Taskbar in Windows 11 is a completely revamped design, it now appears in the center of the screen called Centred Taskbar. It’s an enhancement that came with Windows 11.

Once you upgrade to Windows 11, the first thing you’ll see on the home screen is the centered Start Menu. Some users don’t like the centered menu and want to revert Windows 11 Taskbar to the left like it was in Windows 10. 

However, if you’re wondering how to bring back the taskbar of Windows 10 in Windows 11, follow this article and left-align the start menu on Windows 11 easily. All you have to do is use Settings to change the alignment or tweak the registry settings to make it look like Windows 10. 

How do I get the old Start menu back in Windows 10?

As said above you can make changes with the help of the Settings in Windows 11 to left align Start Menu. Here’s how to do it: 

Method 1: Use Windows Settings: 

1. Go to Settings > Select Personalization > Click on Taskbar.
2. Then scroll down and click on Taskbar behaviors.

3. Click on Taskbar alignment and then select Left. 
4. Restart your system to apply the changes and you have enabled the classic Start Menu on your Windows 11.
5. You can also choose to automatically hide the Taskbar on Windows 11 or unhide it. 

There’s another way you can bring back the Windows 10 Taskbar on Windows 11 by making changes to the registry. 

Note: Tweaking changes to the registry may sometimes cause errors in the system. Therefore it is advised to keep a backup of your Windows data so that you don’t lose important data due to any unforeseen reasons. Even if you have lost your data you can use Remo Recover Windows software to recover data easily.

Method 2: Make changes to the Registry

1. Go to the Search box and type in regedit.

2. Then double click on Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path on your system: 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

4. Right-click on the Advanced option and then click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name the new value as Start_ShowClassicMode. Then double click on Start_ShowClassicMode and edit the value data to 1.

6. Now restart your system and verify whether you have reset the taskbar to the left side. 

Note: If you want to go around and have a whole fresh installation of  Windows 11 you can get that by employing a factory reset Windows on 11.

Not only can you revert the Windows taskbar to the left, but you can also customize your Windows 11 startup menu. You can also select what items you want to see on the Menu bar.

How to customise Windows 11 Taskbar?

1. Go to Settings, click on Personalization and then click Start.
2. You can choose to see recently added apps by switching on Show recently added apps menu.
3. You can also choose the See most used apps option to see most used apps on the Windows Taskbar and also Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer.
4. Plus there’s also an option to select Folders, these folders appear on Start next to the Power button. 

Conclusion:

By trying the two methods given above you can easily move Windows 11  start menu to the left or tweak the Windows registry to get back the classic Taskbar on Windows 11 and you can also personalize the taskbar. Let us know how you’re liking the Windows 11 so far in the comments section below,

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Start menu on Windows 11?

Windows 11 includes a "Start menu" that is centered on the screen, which can be annoying to users who prefer Windows 7/8.1. There are two different registry edits stated above that can be made to achieve this. These settings can be undone if desired by clicking the "Restore defaults" button.

How do I turn on the Start Menu in Windows 11?

Similar to Windows 10, the Start menu, folders that appear and other behaviors can be edited by opening the Start menu and then visiting Settings > Personalization > Start.