Hate Windows 11? Here’s how you can make it work more like Windows 10

I wrote the unique model of this submit when Home windows 11 was nonetheless lower than a 12 months outdated, after studying a ton of suggestions from early adopters. I did not have to spend so much of time in help boards and different neighborhood websites to listen to a gentle stream of criticism from individuals who have been aggravated by the modifications Microsoft made within the Home windows 10 person interface that they had grown snug with.

Sufficient time has handed for the reason that authentic Home windows 11 launch that a few of these modifications have develop into second nature. Over that point, I’ve observed that these complaints have mellowed considerably, however there are nonetheless loads of individuals who would favor the outdated, acquainted interface.

Additionally: Your full Home windows 11 improve information

This is not a novel phenomenon, after all. Each new model of Home windows brings out its share of damaging reactions from individuals who surprise why Microsoft felt it obligatory to vary issues up for no apparent purpose. Home windows 11, nonetheless, appears to have kicked that response as much as, uh … 11, particularly with the choice to take away some options that energy customers took as a right.

The foundation of the issue is Microsoft’s determination in Home windows 11 to discard an enormous quantity of legacy code and rewrite key options, together with the taskbar, the Begin menu, and File Explorer. The outdated code in lots of instances dated again to the Home windows 95 period, and I’m certain there are program managers who’ve agonized over PowerPoint decks to elucidate simply why these rewrites make sense from an architectural standpoint.

Additionally: 7 fast methods to make Home windows 11 much less annoying proper now

The excellent news is that Microsoft has responded to some suggestions with fixes that tackle a number of the most distinguished complaints. For annoyances that are not but resolved, there are sometimes workarounds. As well as, there is a thriving neighborhood of builders constructing utilities to revive the options Microsoft took away.

Suggestions results in (a number of) fixes

With the assistance of two massive characteristic updates (and a few smaller modifications delivered as a part of month-to-month replace packages), Microsoft has tweaked a few of these design modifications in order that they’re now not fairly as annoying. Model 22H2, for instance, restored the Process Supervisor choice to the shortcut menu that seems while you right-click the taskbar. It additionally eliminated the floating search bar and improved the Search choices on the taskbar.

Additionally: This hidden Home windows 11 setting provides an ‘Finish activity’ possibility to each activity in your taskbar

Extra not too long ago, File Explorer obtained a much-needed design change in Home windows 11, model 24H2. The Minimize, Copy, Paste, Rename, Share, and Delete icons within the right-click context menu now embrace labels that make them simpler to establish.

If you cannot get used to the taskbar and Begin button being within the heart of the display, you may transfer them again to the left aspect. However the single most upvoted suggestions merchandise for Home windows 11 is the choice to maneuver the taskbar from its location on the underside of the show to the highest or both aspect, as you might in earlier Home windows variations, and there is no signal that Microsoft is engaged on including that characteristic.

After which there’s the Begin menu, which might be the second greatest supply of complaints. Home windows Insiders are presently testing a serious redesign of the Begin menu that ought to arrive late this 12 months or early in 2026 for most people. You continue to cannot resize the Begin menu, however you now have the power to scroll shortly by means of all put in apps in class, grid, or checklist views, with out having to make use of a separate menu. Here is what that appears like on my Home windows Insider check system.

There is a shortcut for that  

In some instances, the repair for widespread annoyances is to be taught a keyboard shortcut. Are you bugged by File Explorer’s new, streamlined shortcut menus, which require an additional click on to get to the whole menu? Microsoft added a Present Extra Choices shortcut, however there is a shortcut that allows you to skip the additional steps: Maintain down the Shift key as you right-click.

And what in regards to the determination to take away the ribbon from File Explorer? That makes it tougher to point out or disguise the Element pane and the Preview pane, which at the moment are buried three menus deep: View > Present > Particulars Pane/Preview Pane.

Additionally: My favourite keyboard shortcut of all time (and it really works on each browser)

There is a shortcut for that, too: Alt+P to point out or disguise the Preview pane, and Alt+Shift+P to do the identical with the Particulars pane. After you’ve got used these shortcuts a number of instances, muscle reminiscence takes over.

Do you discover the brand new widgets characteristic annoying? It is simple sufficient to cover them. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and flip the Widgets change to the Off place. (You may at all times make the Widgets pane seem by utilizing its keyboard shortcut: Home windows key + W.)

However some Home windows 11 annoyances haven’t got a straightforward repair. If you wish to transfer the taskbar to the highest of the show or snap it to both aspect, you are not going to discover a answer within the official Settings app. That is the place these third-party apps come in useful.

Third-party customization apps

With the suitable instruments, you may undo Microsoft’s modifications and switch the Home windows 11 interface into one thing extra acquainted, even remodeling the Begin menu into its Home windows 7 look. Earlier than you get began, although, think about the attainable issues you are letting your self in for in case you select one in all these choices.

Additionally: 6 issues I at all times do after organising Home windows 11 – and why you must too

As a result of these utilities try to take over features which can be usually dealt with by the working system, there’s the likelihood that one in all Microsoft’s month-to-month updates will trigger the put in model to cease working correctly till the builders launch an replace of their very own.

There’s additionally a threat they will be detected as malware, which may stop them from working correctly or may block Home windows itself from updating. That already occurred final 12 months with two standard customization instruments.

When you’re OK with these caveats, I can advocate these 4 choices, two of that are fully free: 

• ExplorerPatcher: This free, open supply challenge permits you to substitute the Home windows 11 taskbar with the Home windows 10 model, disable the Home windows 11 context menu and command bar in File Explorer, and tweak the Begin menu and search field. There is a full checklist of options within the challenge’s wiki. 
• Open Shell: Longtime Home windows customers would possibly keep in mind a utility program referred to as Basic Shell, whose authentic goal was to revive the Begin menu to Home windows 8. That challenge was deserted years in the past, however a gaggle of volunteers picked up the codebase and turned it into the free Open Shell. Its greatest declare to fame is the power to revive the Home windows 7 Begin menu and the Home windows Explorer toolbar. 
• Start11: This business product from Stardock affords a 30-day trial; after that, you may must pony up $6 for a single gadget or $15 for a license that works on as much as 5 gadgets. Its customization choices permit you to substitute the Home windows 11 Begin menu with the Home windows 7 or Home windows 10 model, transfer the taskbar to the highest of the show, restore the taskbar context menu, restore the ribbon to File Explorer, and far more. 
• StartAllBack: The daring promise of this business software ($5 for a single gadget, with reductions for extra installations) is to “unsweep [the] basic UI from beneath the rug.” The checklist of tweaks consists of the power to tug and drop gadgets onto taskbar icons, enhancements to Begin, File Explorer, and context menus, and “light-weight styling and UI consistency.” Like Start11, it affords a 30-day free trial. 

Is there one thing in your Home windows 11 annoyance checklist that Microsoft hasn’t addressed? Depart a be aware within the feedback and let’s examine if we are able to discover a answer.