"The ability to move the taskbar to the top or sides of the screen has been one of the most requested features, and we are bringing it to Windows 11," said Diego Baca, partner director of Microsoft Design.
What changed in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.8493
Microsoft has added a resizable, movable taskbar and more Start menu controls in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.8493, rolling out to Insiders in the Experimental channel. The taskbar can now be moved to the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen and configured to use smaller buttons. According to Microsoft, enabling the small taskbar produces smaller icons, a shorter taskbar, and more vertical space for apps, and no restart or sign-out is required.
Insiders can change the taskbar position via Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, where the new option appears alongside the existing taskbar icon alignment control. The taskbar size itself can be adjusted in the same dialog by checking the "Show smaller taskbar buttons" option; Microsoft says this reduces the height of both the icons and the taskbar.
Start menu: toggle Recommended, customize size, keep recently installed apps
Microsoft is also giving users more control over the Start menu layout. New options let users toggle off recommended content and customize the Start menu's size. "These controls are designed to work together. If you want a Start menu with just your pinned apps, you can turn off Recommended and All," Boca added. "If you want a full Start that shows everything, you can leave it all on. The goal is simple: it is your choice, and it should be easy to make."
At the same time, Microsoft will maintain a list of recently installed apps, which it described as a key discovery mechanism for new applications alongside the Microsoft Store. The company is also adjusting how files are displayed and ordered in the Start menu to prioritize the most relevant items and will permit users to hide their name and profile picture from the Start menu.
Modern Windows Run dialog: dark mode, speed, and the disappearing Browse button
Earlier this month Microsoft said it is testing a modern Windows Run dialog with dark mode support and that the modern version should be faster than the legacy Run dialog. The modern Run will remove the "Browse" button; Microsoft reports that, in a sample of 35 million users who opened Windows Run, the Browse button was used by only 0.0038% of users.
Microsoft has stated the modern Run will not be enabled automatically; users who want it must turn it on manually in Settings > Advanced Settings.
Pledges from the Windows organization on performance and quality
Windows president Pavan Davuluri announced some of these changes in March as part of a broader pledge to improve Windows 11 system performance and make the experience "more responsive and consistent." In addition to taskbar and Start menu updates, Microsoft said it plans to reduce notifications, simplify Windows settings, and ensure that device setup on new Windows PCs requires fewer reboots.
Microsoft is also working to improve Windows search, aiming for a more consistent experience across the Start menu, taskbar, File Explorer, and Settings. "As part of this effort, we are evolving how Windows is built behind the scenes to raise the quality bar and deliver innovation where it matters most, shaped by the feedback we are hearing from you," Davuluri said.
What this means for end users and IT administrators
- End users: Individuals testing the Experimental channel will be able to move and shrink the taskbar without restarting and can tailor the Start menu to show pinned apps, recommended content, or everything while still seeing recently installed apps.
- IT administrators and device managers: The changes land first in an Insider experimental build, so administrators managing pilot programs will want to note the new Settings paths for taskbar behaviors and Advanced Settings for the modern Run dialog as they evaluate deployment and user training.
Microsoft's incremental changes — from taskbar placement and size to Start menu controls and a modern Run — are being presented as user-facing responses to feedback, while broader promises about performance, notifications, settings, and search signal work behind the scenes. For now, the features are available to Insiders in the Experimental channel and will require manual toggles for some elements such as the modern Run dialog; Microsoft will retain recently installed apps in the Start menu as a discovery path for new software.
Source: BleepingComputer — Microsoft testing adjustable taskbar, Start menu in Windows 11
