Windows Central Insider
On Windows 11, the Taskbar is finally getting some major upgrades, including support for repositioning and resizing. However, these aren't exactly new capabilities, since they were already available on Windows 10 and earlier versions of the operating system.
As part of the Windows K2 initiative, Microsoft is addressing some of Windows 11's biggest pain points in an effort to regain users' trust, and several of those improvements are coming to the Taskbar experience.
In the latest Windows 11 preview build from the Experimental channel for version 25H2, Microsoft is restoring the ability to place the Taskbar on any edge of the screen. The company is also introducing an option to shrink the Taskbar.
Windows 11 regains position for the Taskbar
When the company released Windows 11, it introduced a redesigned Taskbar that, despite its modern appearance, removed several basic capabilities, including the ability to change its position on the screen.
Now, after years of user complaints, Microsoft appears to be acknowledging that many of the Taskbar features available on Windows 10 were the right approach after all.
Starting with build 26300.8493, users can place the Taskbar at the top, bottom, left, or right edge of the screen.
Microsoft also notes that Windows 11 automatically adapts interface elements based on the Taskbar's position. For example, when the Taskbar is docked at the top of the screen, the Start menu and Search interface open downward from the top edge.
Buttons, system tray icons, and other interface elements are also properly aligned regardless of the Taskbar's location, including the date and time display. However, when using the vertical layout, the system displays the year in abbreviated form rather than the full four-digit format. In addition, seconds are not displayed while the Taskbar is positioned vertically.
One thing to point out is that whether you position the Taskbar on the left or right, both layouts support ungrouping with app labels using the "Never combine" option.
The new "Taskbar position" option is available from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar under the "Taskbar behaviors" section.
One interesting fact about the settings implementations is that each of the options generates a live preview of the desktop background.
Microsoft says it is working on additional improvements and refinements. However, the company notes that auto-hide currently doesn't work properly, and the tablet-optimized Taskbar remains unsupported in layouts other than the bottom position.
Windows 11 regains resize feature for the Taskbar
As part of the original release of Windows 11, Microsoft also removed the ability to change the Taskbar size. In fact, the Taskbar was noticeably taller than in previous versions, partly because the company intentionally optimized the experience for touch devices.
Now, that capability is finally making a comeback with a new option that reduces the Taskbar height and button size, giving users more available screen space.
The change is subtle but immediately noticeable, especially for users accustomed to the smaller Taskbar design from the Windows 10 era. The reduced size makes the desktop feel more compact and familiar without significantly altering the overall Windows 11 design.
Microsoft also notes that resizing the Taskbar on Windows 11 does not require signing out or restarting the computer. However, as far as I can remember, Windows 10 behaved the same way, meaning this wasn't exactly a limitation in the previous version. Even so, Microsoft appears to be highlighting the behavior as part of the updated implementation.
Instead of adding a separate setting, the company is repurposing the existing "Show smaller taskbar buttons" option to control both icon and Taskbar size.
Previously, this feature only reduced the size of Taskbar icons to fit more apps in the same space. Now, enabling the option also shrinks the Taskbar itself.
You can find the setting under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar in the "Taskbar behaviors" section. To make the Taskbar permanently smaller, you must select the "Always" option.
If you choose the "When taskbar is full" setting, the Taskbar will remain at its default size until it runs out of space. At that point, instead of moving apps into the overflow menu, Windows 11 automatically switches to the smaller Taskbar and icon layout to fit more applications on the screen.
Windows 10 had a better implementation
While these are welcome additions, the implementation still feels somewhat incomplete compared to the experience available on Windows 10.
For example, on Windows 10, as long as the Taskbar was unlocked, you could simply drag it to the top, bottom, left, or right side of the screen with minimal effort and fewer clicks.
On Windows 11, changing the Taskbar position now requires navigating to the "Taskbar" settings page, expanding the "Taskbar behaviors" section, and selecting the desired layout manually. Dragging the Taskbar directly on the desktop is not supported.
Similarly, while Windows 10 included a toggle to make the Taskbar and icons smaller, it also allowed users to resize the Taskbar height freely by dragging its edge with the mouse. That flexibility made it possible to create multiple rows of pinned and running apps, something the new Windows 11 implementation still doesn't support.
The new approach isn't necessarily bad, but the Windows 10 implementation was clearly more flexible and user-friendly.
Windows Central's Take
I like to see Microsoft is finally bringing these Taskbar features back because, honestly, they never should've disappeared in the first place. The ability to move the Taskbar or make it smaller may sound minor, but these are the types of customization options people want. Their absence made Windows 11 feel unnecessarily restrictive compared to Windows 10.
At the same time, this implementation still feels as if the company is cautiously reintroducing features rather than fully embracing the flexibility users have been accustomed to for decades. On Windows 10, repositioning the Taskbar felt natural because you could simply drag it wherever you wanted. Now, the process is buried inside Settings, and some functionality, like multi-row Taskbars, is still missing entirely.
I do think these changes matter because they show the company is finally listening to long-standing feedback rather than forcing a simplified design philosophy on power users. Over the last few years, I've noticed the company slowly walking back several Windows 11 decisions, and this feels like another example of Microsoft realizing that removing customization options wasn't the right move.
What are your thoughts about these new Taskbar features on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.
More resources
Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:
- Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
- Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
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