When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Here's how to lock Windows 11 taskbar settings using the Registry or Group Policy. The Windows taskbar is a pretty nifty thing, offering a wide range of customization options. You can change its position, size, the buttons displayed, the pinned programs, the appearance of the search box, and much more. However, if multiple people use the computer, they might adjust those settings to suit their personal preferences.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Microsoft explains why Windows 11 removed the movable taskbar and customizable Start menu, and why it took 5 years to bring them back. When Microsoft made the switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11 as their operating system of focus, it wasn't just the look that changed. A number of useful features were also removed, like the freely repositionable taskbar and the customizable Start menu. Only recently did Microsoft finally backtrack, bringing back the ability to move the taskbar to any edge and allowing users to resize the Start menu again .

PCWorld reports that Microsoft is finally addressing long-standing Windows 11 taskbar complaints through a new update packed with customization options. Users can now resize the taskbar, reposition it to any screen edge, and adjust Start menu layouts, restoring features many had missed. The update also cleans up Windows Search by hiding Bing and Microsoft Store clutter, while legacy tools like WMIC are being removed to modernize the OS. With yesterday's Patch Tuesday for September, Microsoft not only fixed a record number of security vulnerabilities but also released several new features for Windows 11, which you can try out now (or soon). Microsoft gradually rolls out new features across eligible Windows 11 PCs. That means most users will gain access to the new features within the next few days or weeks.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. It took entirely too long to get the taskbar back on top without mods. But at least I found a cool new program with community-supplied tweaks. This morning I woke up to a freshly rebooted desktop. A bit annoying, but that's just something that happens with Windows 11 -- it reboots to install an update after a while, sometimes even when you don't ask it to.

The September Windows 11 update set a new patching record with almost 1,000 security flaws fixed. Lance Whitney is a technology journalist with an IT background. He's written for TechRepublic, PCMag, Macworld, and Time, among others, He also teaches classes in AI, cybersecurity, and social media. The September Windows update finally lets you move the taskbar to any side. It also enhances the Start menu and Search window.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Everyone assumed the Windows taskbar copied a rival OS. Many assumed NeXTSTEP inspired the Windows taskbar, but Microsoft veterans say its roots trace to a 1991 project called Cairo. In a recent social media thread, Microsoft veterans Brad Silverberg, Joe Belfiore, and Dave Plummer shared a few anecdotes and clarifications about how the taskbar became part of Windows. The taskbar, first introduced with Windows 95, allowed users to keep track of multiple active programs simultaneously, making it one of the highlight features of the cutting-edge operating system.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. With optional update KB5120998, Microsoft is making the taskbar repositionable again. But the update comes with some risks. Microsoft just released optional update KB5120998 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. On top of numerous minor improvements, it introduces a few big changes that'll be noticeable in day-to-day use.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. It was inevitable: Microsoft plans to carve out space on the Windows 11 taskbar for Copilot, while adding "Hey Copilot" as a wake word to trigger interactions with its AI. While the company isn't making any overt changes to the branding of Windows 11, its executives this week spoke about reinventing the "AI PC," the first generation of PCs it launched with early NPUs. Microsoft plans to make PCs smarter, including agents that can take actions and granting Copilot Vision more powers. Adding Copilot to the taskbar will actually be the most visible change to the Windows 11 user interface.

If you woke up to a Windows PC suddenly without Microsoft's Copilot app installed, you didn't dream the last few years of AI hype, Microsoft just made a mistake. The latest monthly Windows 11 update that rolled out on March 11 "unintentionally uninstalled and unpinned" the AI assistant, according to a Microsoft support article spotted by The Verge. Microsoft is aware that Copilot's gone missing and is "working on a resolution to address this issue." For now, if you want Copilot back, you can redownload its app from the Microsoft Store and manually pin it to your taskbar. Just like any new feature, since Copilot was added to Windows in 2023, there's been people interested in removing it.

It's impossible to ignore the rapid rise in the capabilities of artificial intelligence tools in recent months. Microsoft hasn't been shy in stuffing Windows full of AI features: Windows computers now come with a dedicated key for launching Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant, which has been integrated into the operating system. We'll guide you through everything you can use Copilot for on your Windows laptop or desktop, and how you can get it up and running. We'll also explain the difference between Copilot and a Copilot PC, which is a label you might have spotted if you've been shopping for a Windows computer lately. When it comes to the Copilot assistant inside Windows, it's very similar to the Copilot app on the web.