Microsoft is finally giving Windows 11 users what they’ve been demanding since launch. On May 15, 2026, the company confirmed that Insiders in the Experimental channel will get long-awaited taskbar and Start menu personalization upgrades, including the ability to dock the taskbar on any edge of the screen. This marks a dramatic shift from the rigid default that has forced the taskbar to the bottom since Windows 11’s debut.

The news broke via an official Windows Insider blog post and quickly lit up feedback forums. For power users, the announcement feels like a homecoming. Windows 10 and earlier versions allowed the taskbar to sit at the top, left, or right, but Windows 11 ripped that flexibility away, citing telemetry showing most users preferred the bottom. Critics called the decision arbitrary, and upvoted feedback items on the Feedback Hub flooded Microsoft with requests to restore the option. Now, nearly five years after the OS launched, the company is reversing course.

Taskbar freedom: any side, any time

The new taskbar positioning feature will let users drag the taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom of the screen—just like the classic Windows experience. Early previews suggest that the taskbar automatically reorients its icons, system tray, and Start button based on the chosen edge. When moved to the left or right, the taskbar switches to a vertical layout, with icons stacking cleanly and the clock and notification area rotating accordingly.

Microsoft hasn’t shared every technical detail yet, but based on screenshots circulating in Insider builds, the transition looks polished. The taskbar retains its centered or left-aligned icon settings, and widgets still slide out from the side. On a vertically oriented taskbar, the widget panel may shift to a top-down layout, though this is still being tested.

This change also addresses a major productivity pain point for ultrawide monitor users. With a taskbar on the left or right, vertical screen real estate is preserved—a boon for coding, writing, and design work. Multitaskers who juggle several windows can now position the taskbar on a secondary monitor edge without compromising the primary display’s layout.

Start menu gets a customization boost

Alongside the taskbar overhaul, Microsoft is rolling out deeper Start menu controls. The experimental build introduces the ability to resize the Start menu panel itself, not just the grid of pinned apps. Users can choose between compact, default, and expanded views, with the latter showing more rows of pins and a larger recommended section. The expanded view is particularly welcome on touchscreen devices and 2-in-1s.

Another standout addition: the recommended files section can now be hidden entirely. Until now, Windows 11 forced a strip of recent files and apps at the bottom of Start, with no option to remove it unless you used third-party tools. The new toggle in Settings > Personalization > Start lets you collapse the section or turn it off, freeing up space for more pinned apps.

Microsoft is also testing a new layout for the “All apps” list. Instead of the simple alphabetical scroll, Insiders can opt for a grid view that groups apps by function or pin favorites to the top. This mirrors the launcher philosophy seen in some Linux distributions and macOS Launchpad, making it easier to locate tools without typing.

Early builds even hint at support for custom Start menu backgrounds—not just the system accent color or transparency. You may be able to choose an image or solid color, though this feature hasn’t been officially confirmed and might only be in A/B testing.

How to get the new features

The changes are arriving exclusively through the Windows Insider Experimental channel, a ring that Microsoft introduced in 2025 to test more radical UI concepts before they reach the Dev or Beta channels. Unlike other Insider rings, Experimental builds can be unstable and feature changes may be reverted at any time. Microsoft warns that these builds are for enthusiasts who are comfortable with bugs and incomplete implementations.

To enroll, open Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program, sign in with a Microsoft account linked to the program, and choose Experimental channel. If you don’t see it, your device may not meet hardware requirements or the channel may be full. Microsoft often caps enrollment for new test rings.

Once you receive the build—likely numbered in the 26000 series or higher—navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar to find the new “Taskbar alignment” and “Taskbar location” dropdowns. The Start menu options will appear under Settings > Personalization > Start. Some features may be gradually rolled out via Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR), so patience is required.

Community reaction: from frustration to relief

The Windows community has celebrated and scrutinized the update in equal measure. On the Windows Forum and Reddit’s r/Windows11, users who had resorted to registry hacks or third-party apps like ExplorerPatcher to restore taskbar movement expressed relief. One top comment read: “Finally, I can move the taskbar to the top without breaking my system every Patch Tuesday.” Another joked that it only took Microsoft “half a decade to add back a feature they removed for no reason.”

However, some Insiders are already reporting wrinkles. A few testers note that moving the taskbar to the top occasionally causes the system tray icons to overlap the clock when certain scaling settings are active. Others see the taskbar revert to the bottom after connecting or disconnecting an external monitor. These are likely teething problems Microsoft will iron out before the feature reaches production builds.

The new Start menu customization also drew mixed feedback. While many are thrilled to kill the recommended section, others worry that the grid view for all apps makes the UI feel cramped on 1080p screens. A thread on the Windows Forum suggests an optional compact grid toggle, and a Microsoft representative has already replied that the feedback is being reviewed.

A look back: why the taskbar was locked in the first place

When Windows 11 launched in 2021, Microsoft justified the static bottom-aligned taskbar by emphasizing the new centered design language and touch-friendly interactions. The company claimed that telemetry from Windows 10 showed overwhelmingly bottom-placed taskbars, making the engineering effort to maintain other positions unjustified. That logic ignored a vocal minority of power users, accessibility advocates, and those with unique monitor setups.

Third-party developers quickly filled the gap. Tools like Start11, StartAllBack, and ExplorerPatcher became mandatory for anyone who wanted a left-side taskbar or a more classic Start menu. These tools worked by hooking into system processes, often breaking with cumulative updates. The fact that millions used them proved the demand was far from niche.

Microsoft’s reversal is part of a broader trend in Windows development over the past two years. Under new leadership, the Windows team has been more receptive to user feedback, re-adding features like never-combine taskbar buttons, drag-and-drop to the taskbar, and seconds in the system tray clock. The May 2026 announcement continues that pattern.

What this means for Windows 11’s future

The taskbar and Start menu experiments likely signal that Microsoft is preparing a major UI refresh for Windows 11’s next feature update, codenamed “Hudson Valley” internally. Leaks suggest that the 2026 update may introduce a more modular shell, where components like the taskbar, Start menu, and widget board can be rearranged or replaced entirely through the Microsoft Store.

The Experimental channel tests will determine how these features scale across different form factors. The vertical taskbar, for example, must work seamlessly on tablets when the device rotates. Microsoft’s Continuum mode, which switches between desktop and tablet postures, needs to handle edge-to-edge taskbar transitions gracefully. Early tests indicate that automatic rotation triggers a brief flicker, but Microsoft is optimizing the animations.

Accessibility has also been a driver. Placing the taskbar on the left or right can reduce strain for users with specific motor disabilities, and customizable Start menu sizes help those with visual impairments. Microsoft’s commitment to inclusive design is finally being reflected in core shell components.

Businesses and IT admins will welcome the changes too. Group Policy templates will eventually include settings to lock the taskbar position and Start menu layout, ensuring consistency across enterprise deployments. This may take additional months to appear in release preview and production channels.

How to get the most out of the new setup

If you’re planning to jump into the Experimental channel, here are a few tips to maximize the new features without too many headaches:

  • Back up your system: Experimental builds can be rough. Create a system image or enable Windows’ built-in rollback option before installing.
  • Use multiple monitors carefully: The taskbar behavior on secondary monitors is still being refined. You may encounter inconsistencies, so avoid relying on a multi-monitor setup for critical work during testing.
  • Explore the Start menu toggles: Dig into Settings > Personalization > Start to try different combinations—collapsing the recommended section, switching to the grid all-apps view, and resizing the panel. What works on a 27-inch display may feel overwhelming on a 13-inch laptop.
  • Join the feedback loop: Use the Feedback Hub (Win + F) to report bugs and suggestions. Microsoft’s engineers actively monitor feedback categories related to the shell and taskbar.

The road ahead

The Experimental channel features are expected to trickle into the Dev channel within a few months, then Beta, and finally general release by late 2026 or early 2027, aligning with the next major Windows 11 update. Of course, Microsoft could accelerate the timeline if feedback is overwhelmingly positive and stability holds.

This moment is more than just a feature drop—it’s a cultural shift for Windows. By resurrecting a seemingly small customization option, Microsoft acknowledges that the most passionate users shape the platform’s direction. The company learned that locking down the UI alienates the very enthusiasts who evangelize the OS.

As one Windows Forum moderator put it: “The taskbar on the left isn’t just nostalgia—it’s efficiency. And now, Windows 11 is finally listening.” For the millions who never stopped asking, the wait is almost over.