Windows 11 adds movable taskbar and resizable Start menu in latest Insider build

At a glance:

• Windows 11 Insiders in the Experimental channel can now move the taskbar to any screen edge — bottom, top, left, or right — and resize the Start menu between "Small" and "Large".
• New toggles let users show or hide the "Pinned," "Recommended" (renamed "Recent"), and "All" sections of the Start menu, plus hide their name and profile picture.
• A shorter taskbar option is also available for devices with smaller displays; rollout to the Experimental Channel begins in the coming weeks.

What's new in the Windows 11 Insider build

Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users more control over the two elements they interact with most: the taskbar and the Start menu. The latest test build, rolling out to Insiders on the Experimental channel, introduces a fully repositionable taskbar and a resizable Start menu — changes the company first teased back in March as part of a broader effort to rebuild user trust.

The taskbar can now be placed on the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen. Icons inside the taskbar are also adjustable in alignment, so users can choose how their pinned apps and system tray items are ordered. The Start menu drawer opens from wherever the taskbar sits, eliminating the need to dock it at the bottom as in previous versions.

For devices with smaller displays, Microsoft is adding a shorter taskbar option. That's a practical concession to the ultrabook and compact-tablet crowd, where screen real estate is at a premium and every pixel counts.

Start menu customisation goes deeper

The Start menu changes go beyond size. New toggle switches will let users show or hide three sections:

• Pinned
• Recommended (being renamed to "Recent")
• All

Microsoft says the rename to "Recent" better reflects what the section primarily displays — recently installed apps and recently used files — and it's a small but meaningful tweak to how users navigate their own machines.

There's also a new option to hide your name and profile picture from the Start menu. That's aimed at a very specific use case: sharing your screen during a meeting or presentation when you don't want your personal identity visible to everyone on the call.

Why Microsoft is making these changes

The updates land in a context Microsoft is keen to highlight. In a blog post accompanying the rollout, design director Diego Baca said the company has been focused on "earning trust through steady and visible progress" and that the Start menu and taskbar are "where that trust is tested most, every time you sit down at your PC."

That framing is notable. Windows 11's launch was rocky — mandatory hardware requirements alienated some users, and the UI redesign drew criticism for removing familiar elements. Giving power users the ability to reposition the taskbar and fine-tune the Start menu layout is Microsoft's way of showing it's listening, even if the changes are incremental rather than revolutionary.

What to expect next

The features are rolling out in the "coming weeks" to the Experimental channel. Once Insider feedback is gathered, they'll likely move through the Dev and Canary channels before reaching the general release. For now, the changes are opt-in for testers, but they signal a direction Microsoft is committed to: more customisation without forcing a one-size-fits-all desktop experience.

If you're a Windows 11 Insider on the Experimental channel, you can expect to see the repositionable taskbar, resizable Start menu (Small or Large), shorter taskbar option, new section toggles, the "Recent" rename, and the hidden-profile-picture setting land in the coming weeks.