Forum Discussion

Joerg_Baermann's avatar
Joerg_Baermann
Brass Contributor
Aug 31, 2021

Windows 11 Start and Taskbar feedback

Got nothing against that the start menu is simplified, but I still dislike to be forced scrolling trough app pages like on an iPad/Chromebook.

On Windows 10 all pins could be displayed on a glance and sorted into groups, now the same amount of apps take 3 pages, not very desktop friendly.

Big tiles like on the Windows 10 start menu also work better for people who are visually and fine-motor control challenged.
Small stuff is hard to select with a Tobii and hands that are very hard to control.
Does Microsoft even know that Windows is used on communication devices for people with disabilities?


Making the taskbar unmovable is another minus.
We got an 85" CTOUCH display where it the taskbar is moved to the top of the screen, that to prevent  that certain kids (with disabilities) can mess around with it.
Not quite sure why Microsoft felt the need to dictate where the taskbar should be either.

I would like to see that such features are optional, at least to meet accessibility.

31 Replies

  • jwalk4258's avatar
    jwalk4258
    Copper Contributor

    Overall I like Windows11, except (and I'm nitpicking here) is the location of the start button on the taskbar. I'm so used to the start button being on the lower left-hand side of the screen and now its almost in the middle part of the taskbar.

    • tyjrschl's avatar
      tyjrschl
      Copper Contributor
      There is a setting to move it to the left, inside the settings, I hunted that down and now my stuff is left justified again. 🙂
      • Wynnefox's avatar
        Wynnefox
        Copper Contributor

        tyjrschl 
        It's a left side alignment, but I'm looking for left side vertical. Which is currently not possible with out 3rd party software or registry editing.

    • Joerg_Baermann's avatar
      Joerg_Baermann
      Brass Contributor

      jwalk4258 

      You might want to check Settings - Personalization - Taksbar - Taksbar behaviors and set it to Left instead of Center then.


      On big monitors I find it a lot better having it placed in center instead.

  • Arjun5's avatar
    Arjun5
    Copper Contributor
    I want Microsoft to get back the small taskbar icons
    • tyjrschl's avatar
      tyjrschl
      Copper Contributor
      I also want the ability to make the never combine AND remove the text label. That is gone, and now the open apps bleed off the task at and are grouped under an elipse and we now have to hover over popup windows to select the program. Super inefficient. I tried using alt tab instead to change programs and that is not working well either because toggling between two programs is not a true toggle, it requires alt+ 2 tabs to get back and forth. I have about 10 apps open daily doing build, testing and support of EMT software and this has really slowed me down. Please MS, restore the task bar features!!
    • _Boi_'s avatar
      _Boi_
      Copper Contributor
      So true I did it using registery editor and now the date under the time is only half visible. Is there a way I can completely remove the date from taskbar ?
  • thefirm's avatar
    thefirm
    Copper Contributor

    Joerg_Baermann I use windows for at least half the work day. The loss of the taskbar option to separate apps and have them labeled when open is terrible. I am losing time when working with several open files that use the same app wasting time hovering over the app icon waiting for them to pop up so I can select which one to click on.

  • Raindrops's avatar
    Raindrops
    Copper Contributor

    Biggest drawback for me is that in Windows 11 you can't drag file over app icon on taskbar which bring that app window in front (if app was running).
    It was one of my crucial tasbar functions for my workflow since windows 7 and now its gone which makes me frustrated each time I still try to do it.

  • hammr5900's avatar
    hammr5900
    Copper Contributor
    Microsoft, why did you not include showing the clock and former action center on all monitors? Gggrrrr!

    Please add this back.

  • Sorwin's avatar
    Sorwin
    Brass Contributor
    Another big issue is the lack of application titles. Having 4 screens, it's impossible to work things anymore. All I see is an icon with a barely visible dash at the bottom to indicate the app is open. Why on earth remove the app titles? I work with 4-5 VS projects open at once, as well as multiple other apps open at once, and it's a complete pain to track them in W11. That alone was enough to revert to W10
  • Wynnefox's avatar
    Wynnefox
    Copper Contributor
    This needs to be made so. I run a 2 monitor set up and used to having my taskbar on the left side of my right monitor.
  • I agree with your opinion and upvote this.

     

    some additions from my side

    I feel there should be an option for customization as you suggested earlier because I feel that the windows community is the one that wants things to be customized according to the user and not the tech giants as seen in other OS apart from windows. secondly I would like that the resizing of the task bar should be brought back as it was something that helps us personalise the whole desktop as it was a very personal thing to do according to preference Joerg_Baermann 

    • Joerg_Baermann's avatar
      Joerg_Baermann
      Brass Contributor

      Using Start11 does allow some customization that should be there by default, how hard can it be for Microsoft to have default options like that or better?
      Heck, even Linux is way more flexible when it comes to GUI options.

       

  • Hello
    I think that Microsoft will listen to these suggestions and allow you to customize the Taskbar as in Windows10.
    Indeed, this needs to be improved for users - using accessibility, Each such post helps in improving Windows !