How to customize the Windows 11 taskbar

How to move the Windows 11 taskbar and start menu button to the left

To move the Start button and taskbar icons to the left, change the alignment setting.

1. Right-click an empty space on your taskbar.
2. Click Taskbar settings.
3. Click Taskbar behaviors.
4. Select Left at Taskbar alignment.
5. Close settings.

How to automatically hide the Windows 11 taskbar

1. Right-click an empty space on your taskbar.
2. Click Taskbar settings.
3. Click Taskbar behaviors.
4. Check the Automatically hide the taskbar box.
5. Close settings.

The taskbar disappears when your mouse leaves it and reappears when you move the mouse to the bottom edge.

How to turn off flashing icons on the Windows 11 taskbar

1. Right-click an empty space on your taskbar.
2. Click Taskbar settings.
3. Click Taskbar behaviors.
4. Uncheck the Show flashing on taskbar apps box.
5. Close settings.

How to remove the search bar or icon from the Windows 11 taskbar

1. Right-click an empty space on your taskbar.
2. Click Taskbar settings.
3. Under Taskbar items, set Search to Hide.
4. Close settings.

The search bar or icon is now removed from your Windows 11 taskbar.

How to remove widgets from the Windows 11 taskbar

1. Right-click an empty space on your taskbar.
2. Click Taskbar settings.
3. Under Taskbar items, turn off Widgets.
4. Close settings.

Widgets are now removed from your Windows 11 taskbar.

How to make the Windows 11 taskbar look like the Windows 10 taskbar

To get the classic Windows 10 look, set the alignment to left, switch to dark mode, and turn off the see-through effect.

1. Right-click an empty space on your taskbar.
2. Click Taskbar settings.
3. Click Taskbar behaviors.
4. Select Left at Taskbar alignment.
   
5. Click Personalization in the left menu.
6. Click Colors.
7. At Choose your mode, select Custom.
8. Set the default Windows mode to Dark.
9. Turn off Transparency effects for a solid taskbar.
10. Close settings.

Your taskbar now looks like the Windows 10 taskbar.

How to pin the Recycle Bin to the Windows 11 taskbar

Windows 11 does not show the Recycle Bin on the taskbar by default. You can add it by creating a shortcut.

1. Right-click on your desktop.
2. Hover over New.
3. Click Shortcut.
   
4. Type the following text in the location field: explorer.exe shell:RecycleBinFolder
   
5. Click Next.
6. Type Recycle Bin in the name field.
   
7. Click Finish.
8. Right-click on the shortcut.
9. Click Show more options.
   
10. Click Pin to taskbar.
    
11. The Recycle Bin is now on the taskbar. To change its icon, right-click it.
12. Right-click on Recycle Bin.
13. Click Properties.
    
14. In the 'Properties' window, click Change Icon.
    
15. In the Change Icon window, pick an icon. Click Browse to use a custom .ico file you downloaded.
    
16. Click OK.