Microsoft is testing a Windows 11 resizable taskbar and Start menu — and for millions of users who have complained since launch day in 2021, it is long overdue. The new options, currently live for Windows Insiders, let you shrink the taskbar, move it, and resize the Start menu panel itself. Here is exactly what is changing, how it works, and what you need to do to experience it.
Why Windows 11 Taskbar Customisation Became Such a Big Deal
When Windows 11 launched in October 2021, Microsoft stripped away several customisation features that Windows 10 users had relied on for years. The taskbar was locked to the bottom of the screen with no option to move it to the top, left, or right. Its height was fixed, its buttons could not be scaled down, and third-party tweaks quickly became the only workaround. The feedback on Microsoft’s own community forums was blunt: users wanted control back.
That sentiment has never gone away. Threads on the Microsoft Community Hub and the Windows Insider feedback portal consistently rank taskbar flexibility among the top requested features. According to the Windows Forum, the complaints have accumulated across four years of Windows 11 updates, with users noting that “taskbar height customisation has been eliminated” and calling for the familiar Windows 10-style compact layout to return. Microsoft has now heard those calls.
What the New Windows 11 Resizable Taskbar Actually Does
The resizable taskbar and Start menu update is currently rolling out to Windows Insider Preview Build 26300.8553 and related Dev Channel builds. According to Microsoft’s official Windows Insider blog, here are the specific changes being tested:
- Smaller taskbar buttons toggle: Under Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviours, a new “Show smaller taskbar buttons” option lets you switch between a compact and a standard-height bar. Setting it to Always activates the slimmer layout at all times.
- Taskbar position control: Insiders can now change where the taskbar sits on screen, moving it away from the fixed bottom position for the first time in Windows 11’s history.
- Resizable Start menu panel: The Start menu can be resized between Small, Large, and Automatic presets, letting you dial in how much screen real estate the panel consumes.
- Modular Start menu layout: A new single-page design reorganises pinned apps and prioritises the apps you use most, with Microsoft acknowledging the smartphone-style layout was an intentional design choice — one now made flexible.
- Removable Recommendations section: The “Recommended” section in the Start menu, which has drawn criticism for showing recently opened files, can now be hidden.
These changes collectively represent the most significant update to Windows 11 taskbar size and Start menu flexibility since the OS launched.
How to Try the Windows 11 Taskbar Size Changes Right Now
The features are gated to the Windows Insider Programme. To access them, your PC must be running a genuine, activated copy of Windows 11 enrolled in the Dev or Beta Channel. Here is the fastest path to try the resizable Start menu Windows 11 update:
- Open Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Programme and sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Choose the Dev Channel (fastest access) or Beta Channel (more stable).
- Install available updates and restart your machine.
- Once on Build 26300.8553 or later, navigate to Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviours to find the new size and position options.
- For Start menu resizing, right-click the Start button and look for the new size preset options, or find them under Settings > Personalisation > Start.
Note that Insider builds can occasionally introduce instability. If you rely on your PC for critical work, consider waiting for the stable channel release instead.
Windows 11 Taskbar Customisation: What Users Have Been Asking For Since 2021
The irony is that Windows 10 already had much of this flexibility baked in. You could reduce taskbar icon size via display scaling, move the bar to any screen edge, and use small toolbar buttons via a simple right-click menu. All of that disappeared with Windows 11’s visual redesign, which prioritised a clean, centred aesthetic over configurability.
The community response was swift. Third-party tools like StartAllBack and ExplorerPatcher emerged specifically to restore the Windows 10-style taskbar experience, attracting millions of downloads. The fact that users were installing unofficial shell extensions just to get a smaller taskbar underlined how significant the omission was.
Microsoft’s move to test native Windows 11 taskbar customisation options signals a broader shift in the company’s approach — one that acknowledges productivity and personalisation matter as much as a consistent visual language.
The Resizable Start Menu Windows 11 Changes Explained in Detail
The Start menu redesign deserves particular attention. The original Windows 11 Start menu divided the panel into two sections: Pinned apps at the top and a “Recommended” section below showing recent files and newly installed apps. Many users found the Recommended section intrusive, and the fixed size of the panel meant you could only pin a limited number of apps before running out of space.
The new modular layout addresses both problems. The three size presets work as follows:
- Small: A compact panel that maximises screen space, similar in footprint to the Windows 10 Start menu.
- Large: An expanded panel giving you more pinned app slots and a wider view, useful on large monitors or high-resolution displays.
- Automatic: Windows adapts the size based on your display resolution and DPI settings — a sensible default for most users.
With the Recommended section now optional, power users can dedicate the entire Start menu canvas to their pinned app grid — something that previously required a third-party workaround.
When Will These Changes Reach the Stable Windows 11 Release?
Microsoft has not confirmed a specific stable-release date. Based on the current Insider build cadence, the most likely delivery window is the Windows 11 26H2 update, expected in the second half of 2025. Features tested in the Dev Channel typically graduate to the Beta Channel within a few weeks if feedback is positive, and then reach the stable release with the next major feature update.
Given the volume of positive coverage and the years of pent-up demand for Windows 11 taskbar customisation, it would be surprising if Microsoft walked these changes back. The cleaner bet is that they arrive in broadly available form before the end of 2025.
For the full technical detail on how the new settings work, Microsoft’s own Windows Insider blog post — Improving Windows quality: Making Taskbar and Start more personal — is the authoritative source. BleepingComputer also published a thorough breakdown at Windows 11 Finally Gets a Resizable Taskbar and Start Menu.
Do You Need a Valid Windows 11 Licence to Access These Features?
Yes — and this is worth emphasising. The Windows Insider Programme requires a genuine, activated copy of Windows 11. An unactivated or counterfeit install will not allow Insider enrolment, and even if you bypass that check, update delivery is unreliable on unlicensed systems. More broadly, once these features reach the stable release, they will be delivered via Windows Update — which also requires an activated licence to function correctly.
If your current Windows 11 key is a retail licence transferred from an old machine, or if you are still running Windows 10 and thinking about upgrading to take advantage of the improved desktop experience, now is a practical moment to ensure your licence is in order. ShopKeyOnline offers genuine Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Retail keys from €17.95 — instant email delivery with official Microsoft download links included. For a budget-conscious option, the Windows 11 Home OEM licence starts from €9.80 and is a solid choice for single-device use.
Either way, a valid licence means you get the new Windows 11 resizable taskbar and Start menu features the moment they land on stable — no workarounds, no delays.
What This Means for Windows 11 Going Forward
The taskbar and Start menu update is part of a wider quality-of-life push at Microsoft. The company has been systematically addressing the feedback that greeted Windows 11 at launch — restoring drag-and-drop to the taskbar (fixed in 2022), adding back the combined overflow menu, reintroducing Task Manager via right-click, and now tackling the size and position complaints that have persisted since day one.
The pattern suggests Microsoft is becoming more responsive to its user base, and that Windows 11 is maturing into an OS that balances its modern aesthetic with the practical flexibility power users expect. The resizable Start menu Windows 11 feature is arguably the most visible symbol of that shift — four years in the making, but finally on its way.
For anyone who held off upgrading from Windows 10 partly because of the locked-down taskbar, the trajectory is clear: Windows 11 is getting better, and 2025 looks like the year it genuinely earns its keep as a daily driver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Windows 11 resizable taskbar available now?
It is currently available only to Windows Insiders on the Dev and Beta Channels, specifically from Insider Preview Build 26300.8553 onwards. It has not yet been released to the stable public channel. Based on Microsoft’s typical update cadence, a stable release is expected with the Windows 11 26H2 update in late 2025.
Can I move the taskbar to the top or side in Windows 11?
Yes — but only in the current Insider Preview builds. Microsoft is testing the ability to reposition the taskbar away from its fixed bottom location, restoring a feature that was available in Windows 10 and removed when Windows 11 launched. This is not yet in the stable release.
What does “Show smaller taskbar buttons” do in Windows 11?
The new toggle, found under Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviours, reduces the height of the taskbar and scales down the taskbar buttons, giving you more vertical screen space. Setting it to Always keeps the compact bar active regardless of other display settings.
Does resizing the Start menu remove the Recommended section?
Resizing the Start menu adjusts the overall panel size between Small, Large, and Automatic presets. Hiding the Recommended section is a separate option — you can disable it independently to dedicate the full Start menu canvas to your pinned app grid.
Do I need to join the Windows Insider Programme to get these features?
To access them now, yes — you need to enrol your activated Windows 11 device in the Dev or Beta Channel. Once the features ship in the stable release (expected late 2025), they will arrive automatically via Windows Update on any fully activated copy of Windows 11.
Will these customisation options work on Windows 11 Home as well as Pro?
Yes. The new taskbar and Start menu customisation options are a shell-level change that applies to both Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro. You do not need the Pro edition specifically to access taskbar resizing or Start menu presets.
