Forum Discussion
Lack of Taskbar Flexibility in Windows 11 – Still No Row Customization?
I’m genuinely surprised that in 2025, Windows 11 still doesn't support basic taskbar row customization. The ability to add multiple rows to the taskbar was available in previous versions of Windows, yet it’s completely missing here.
Yes, I’ve tried third-party tools like ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack — they help a bit, but the tray icons don't scale with them, which makes it half-functional at best. Why does a core UI element require unofficial tools to do something so basic?
Is Microsoft intentionally locking this down, or is there any roadmap to restore this functionality?
If anyone has a solid workaround that does allow tray icons to align correctly across multiple rows, I’d be grateful.
Thanks in advance.
3 Replies
The deprecated taskbar and start menu customization call out is in my opinion the #1 reason why power users refuse to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Yet despite Microsoft having so many issues convincing the masses to upgrade Microsoft arrogantly refuses to fix the UI dumpster fire they created. Windows 11 is destined to be the next Windows ME, Windows Vista, Windows 8. Every other version of Windows Microsoft completely misses the mark and becomes a throw away version of Windows that users hate and refuse to use. I guess we will all have to wait for Windows 12 to get a new version of Windows that the masses will actually upgrade to.
Microsoft seems to prioritize a streamlined, minimalist UI, and they've intentionally restricted deep customization, possibly to maintain a consistent experience or for compatibility reasons. They haven't officially announced plans to restore features like multi-row taskbars, so it appears to be a deliberate design choice rather than an oversight.
Microsoft appears to prioritize consistency and simplicity over extensive customization, which can be frustrating for power users. Features like multi-row taskbars were available in Windows 10 but have been removed or restricted in Windows 11.
