Windows 11 took away many of the Start menu, taskbar and File Explorer settings that earlier versions had. You can get most of them back with Windhawk, a free, open-source platform for Windows mods. Install Windhawk, then add individual mods that fix each problem.
Why Windows 11 feels harder to customize
Windows 11 has some good additions, such as new File Explorer features, a redesigned Notepad and a Phone Link side panel in the Start menu. It also dropped customization options that Windows had offered for decades.
Windows 11 doesn’t give you proper controls for the Start menu, taskbar, notification center or File Explorer. These features were probably removed because too few people used them to justify maintaining them. If you did use them, the Windows developer community has built mods to bring them back, and Windhawk is where you’ll find many of them.
Install Windhawk and add a mod
Every fix below uses the same install process. Once Windhawk is on your PC, you add each mod from inside the app.
- Install Windhawk on your PC.
- Open Windhawk.
- Click the Explorer tab in the top right corner.
- Find the mod you want by name.
- Click Details.
- Click Install.
You can change a mod’s options from its settings once it’s installed.
Customize or strip down the Start menu
The default Start menu is basic. The Recommended section takes up space even if you never open anything in it, and you can’t make the menu match your desktop theme.
The Windows 11 Start Menu Styler mod gives you control over how the Start menu looks and works. With it you can:
- Remove the Recommended section
- Restore the classic Windows 10 style menu
- Apply themes such as FluentInspired or RosePine
- Strip the menu down to only a search bar
- Install the Windows 11 Start Menu Styler mod using the steps above.
- Open the mod’s settings and choose the style or theme you want.
- To fine-tune a style further, add your own custom JavaScript code in the mod settings.
Not every theme works well with the new Start menu layout. If something looks wrong after you apply a theme, disable the Start menu layout in the mod settings to fix it.
Make taskbar icons bigger and sharper
Windows 11 shrinks taskbar icons to 24 x 24 pixels instead of the standard 32 x 32. On high-resolution monitors they can look blurry or too small, and they’re harder to click and tell apart.
- Install the Taskbar height and icon size mod.
- In the mod settings, set the icon size back to 32 x 32 for sharper icons, or larger if you prefer.
- Adjust the taskbar height and button width to the sizes you want.
For more visual changes, add the Windows 11 Taskbar Styler mod as well. It handles transparency, blur effects, hover animations, spacing and other style tweaks.
Show folder sizes in File Explorer
In the details view, File Explorer shows sizes for files but not for folders. Normally you have to right-click a folder and open Properties to see how much space it uses, which makes freeing up disk space slow work.
The Better file sizes in Explorer details mod fills in the Size column for folders. It’s off by default, so you need to pick one of its three options after you install it.
- Install the Better file sizes in Explorer details mod.
- Open the mod settings.
- Select Enabled, calculated manually while holding the Shift key. This option helps you avoid problems with files loading.
- In File Explorer, hold Shift while you refresh the folder to see folder sizes.
The mod also has an option to integrate with Everything search. In testing it showed incorrect folder sizes, so the Shift key option is the safer choice.
Move the taskbar to the left or right side
Windows 11 removed the option to place the taskbar vertically. A vertical taskbar is useful on an ultrawide monitor because it leaves more vertical space for documents and web pages.
- Install the Vertical Taskbar for Windows 11 mod.
- In the mod settings, choose whether the taskbar sits on the left or right side of the screen.
- If you use more than one monitor, set separate positions for your primary and secondary monitors.
- Adjust the taskbar width to make it thinner or wider.
A width of 58 pixels on the left side is enough to see icons clearly without the taskbar taking up too much room.
Control how taskbar buttons group and show labels
Windows 11 gives you only two choices for taskbar buttons: combine them and hide labels, or ungroup them and show labels. You can’t choose to always combine, never combine, or combine only when the taskbar is full.
- Install the Taskbar Labels for Windows 11 mod.
- In the mod settings, choose how buttons group and whether labels show. For example, you can ungroup buttons while hiding labels, or show labels while keeping buttons combined.
- Change the running indicator, progress indicator style, font size and other options if you want.
- To give specific apps their own behavior, use the mod’s advanced settings.
Add mouse and window shortcuts with other mods
Windhawk has many smaller mods that add convenient controls. Look in the Explorer tab for mods that let you:
- Scroll through browser tabs with the mouse wheel
- Change the volume by scrolling over the taskbar
- Middle-click a taskbar button to close an app
- Scroll through inactive windows
- Resize windows by dragging their edges
Frequently asked questions
Is Windhawk free and open source?
Yes. Windhawk is an open-source platform for Windows mods, and community developers build the individual mods you install through it.
Why doesn’t File Explorer show folder sizes by default?
Windows 11 shows sizes only for files in the details view. You need a mod such as Better file sizes in Explorer details to see folder sizes there.
What should I do if a Start menu theme looks broken?
Some themes don’t work well with the new Start menu layout. Disable the Start menu layout in the Windows 11 Start Menu Styler settings to fix it.
Can I put the Windows 11 taskbar on the side of the screen?
Not with the built-in settings. The Vertical Taskbar for Windows 11 mod lets you place it on the left or right and set its width.
