Microsoft is preparing to address one of the most discussed points of Windows 11: the taskbar. After years of requests, the company is working on new customization options that should bring a freedom much closer to that seen in the past on Windows 10.
The most important news is simple to understand. The taskbar will no longer be stuck at the bottom only. The idea is to allow users to also move it to the top or to the sides of the screen, so as to better adapt the desktop to their habits.
More flexible Windows 11 taskbar
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The new development phase focuses on two specific aspects: position and size. In practice, Windows 11 should soon offer one taskbar easier to customize, both for those who want to change the desktop layout and for those looking for a more compact interface.
For many users it is an expected return. Since the launch of the operating system, in fact, one of the most recurring criticisms has concerned the loss of options that were normal and immediate on previous versions of Windows.
Microsoft brings the taskbar back to the top or to the sides
The most visible part of the change concerns the possibility of moving the taskbar in multiple locations. In addition to the classic bottom alignment, Microsoft wants to allow positioning at the top, left or right.
From what emerges, however, the mechanism should not follow the old logic of free drag. Control would instead pass from Windows Settingswith dedicated options within the taskbar menu.
It is a less immediate choice than in the past, but still useful. The most important aspect, in fact, is that the function should return in full and not just as an internal test.
A smaller taskbar also arrives
Alongside the position, the size also changes. Microsoft is in fact working on one more compact taskbardesigned to take up less space on the desktop and leave more space for apps.
This option can be very interesting especially on laptops or smaller screens. Not everyone wants to hide the taskbar completely. Many prefer to continue seeing it, but with a smaller footprint.
The effect should closely resemble what was seen above Windows 10. The bar would become lower, the icons smaller and some text elements would compress better into the available space.
Windows 11 panels will also adapt
Another important point concerns the behavior of the interface. Move the taskbar it wouldn’t make sense if the rest of the system then remained stuck in its old position.
For this reason, Microsoft is also adapting connected panels, such as Research, Quick Settings e Widget. This way the system should remain consistent even when the bar is moved vertically or to the top of the screen.
There is only one limit reported for now. In vertical positions, the full search bar should not appear, simply because there is not enough space at the side.
Windows 11 is trying to catch up
This move also says something else. Microsoft has understood that some of the most experienced users continue to see Windows 11 as less flexible than Windows 10.
Bringing back options like movable and resizable taskbar goes precisely in that direction. It’s not a revolution, but it’s a concrete fix on one of the most criticized aspects of the interface.
If everything goes as planned, it will be one of the most appreciated innovations by those who use the PC every day and want a more personal, more practical and less rigid desktop.