Microsoft is testing a Windows 11 update that lets users reposition the taskbar and resize the Start menu. The update began rolling out in May 2026 to Windows 11 Insiders in the Experimental channel.
The new build allows users to place the taskbar along the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen. Icon alignment within the taskbar is also adjustable, and the Start menu can be opened from whichever position the taskbar occupies. A shorter taskbar option is available as well, which Microsoft suggests could be useful on devices with smaller displays. Users can also choose between a “Small” or “Large” Start menu size.
Additional changes are coming to the Start menu’s layout. New toggles will allow users to show or hide the “Pinned,” “Recommended,” and “All” sections. Microsoft is also renaming the “Recommended” section to “Recent” to, in the company’s words, “better reflect what the section primarily shows, including recently installed apps and recently used files.” Users will also be able to hide their name and profile picture from the Start menu — a feature that could be useful when sharing a screen or giving a presentation.
Microsoft first teased the movable taskbar in March 2026, framing the effort as part of a broader push to rebuild user trust. Diego Baca, Microsoft’s design director, addressed that goal directly in a blog post: “We have talked about earning trust through steady and visible progress. Start and taskbar are where that trust is tested most, every time you sit down at your PC.”
The features are expected to reach the Experimental Channel in the “coming weeks.” There is no confirmed timeline for a wider rollout beyond the Insider program.
Source: The Verge