How do I get the Quick Launch bar back in Windows 11?

Hi everyone,

I recently upgrade my Windows 10 Pro PC to Windows 11 and I'm pretty disapointed with the taskbar.
I was used to have a nice quick launch bar in Win 10, but the new Win 11 one sucks
Anyway after a bit of research online I installed StartAllBack and was able to make things look a bit more like what I'm used to: meaning I can now pin apps in the taskbar like I used to do with the good old Quick Launch bar.

I'm now very closed to what I want, except that I didn't find a way to clearly separate pinned apps to currently opened/running apps: they all appear mixed up in the task bar.
I remember in Win 10 I could right click on the taskbar and do "lock the taskbar" (or something similar, sorry I forgot what it was) and it then clearly put the pinned apps on the left of the task bar, and all opened/running apps on the right., it was really neat and convenient.

Do you know a way of achieving this in Win 11?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help, it's much appreciated.

You started off asking about the Quick Launch bar but then changed to asking about the position of icons on the Taskbar.

If you want to know about the Quick Launch bar or other Taskbar Toolbars then please post a picture of your Taskbar and say what it is you want to know.
- I used ExplorerPatcher to get back Taskbar Toolbar capabilities in Windows 11 just as you used StartAllBack.
- Once you have Taskbar Toolbar capabilities back in WIndows 11, they look the same as, and can be managed in the same way as, they were in Windows 10. Taskbar Toolbars - Creating and naming, customising, moving [post #20] - TenForumsTutorials


All the best,
Denis

Jambon29 said:

I'm now very closed to what I want, except that I didn't find a way to clearly separate pinned apps to currently opened/running apps: they all appear mixed up in the task bar.

Click to expand...

They are all mixed up just as they were in Windows 10.
Many apps open a 'wide icon' on the right of the pinned apps when they launch even if, in many cases, that app was a pinned one.
Some pinned apps create their 'wide icon' in the same position as their pinned icon.
The user has no control over how any app behaves in this respect. It seems to be a feature of the design of individual apps. Just as it was in Windows 10.


Denis

Sorry, you're right, my main issue is I want to have the Quick Launch bar back.
Does ExplorerPatcher bring back the Quick Launch bar in Windows 11?

Yes.
That ElevenForum thread I gave you the link to has a lot of discussions about it.
This GitHub link always gets you the latest version - Download the latest version of ExplorerPatcher

Installation instructions are here - GitHub - valinet/ExplorerPatcher: This project aims to enhance the working environment on Windows
The single most important part of its settings is the top line of the Properties, Taskbar dialog.

Choose Taskbar style: Windows 10 [ExplorerPatcher]


Denis

So I installed and ran ExplorerPatcher but I wasn't able to bring back the Quick Launch bar.
I shut down StartAllBack but it's the same.

Could you tell me how to bring back the Quick Launch bar using ExplorerPatcher?

I was adding that as you posted.
The single most important part of its settings is the top line of the Properties, Taskbar dialog - Choose Taskbar style: Windows 10 [ExplorerPatcher]
Then you'll be able to add any Taskbar Toolbar you want; the Quick launch bar is merely one example. I made my own.
The Quick launch bar folder is at
%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
so you can paste that into your File explorer address bar and it will take you straight there.

Whichever folder you decide on having as your Taskbar Toolbar, right-click on the Taskbar then select Toolbars..., New toolbar, paste the path I've given you or a path to another folder of your own choosing into the input box. click on the Select folder button.



Denis

All fixed now?

Denis

Yes all fixed, THANKS A LOT!

This thread has made me realise that there is no single, complete explanation of what to do with ExplorerPatcher to get back Taskbar Toolbars.
For common subjects, I would normally hope to be able to just post a link to an explanation & wish you good luck. But there was nowhere to link to.
So I'll write one and add it to the main ElevenForum thread about ExplorerPatcher.
When I've done so, I'll give you a link to my post so you can suggest improvements to it.


All the best,
Denis

I've posted my guide to Windows 11 Taskbar Toolbars at
My guide to Windows 11 Taskbar Toolbars [post #2225] - ElevenForum


If I had written that before your query, would it have helped you get it all done more quickly & with less uncertainty?
Do you have any suggestions for improvement?


Denis

Thanks for posting the guide.
I'm not sure whether or not it would have helped me better as this tutorial Taskbar Toolbars - Creating and naming, customising, moving [post #20] - TenForumsTutorials was already very well documented and helped me a lot.

Thanks again

Jambon29 said:

Hi everyone,

I recently upgrade my Windows 10 Pro PC to Windows 11 and I'm pretty disapointed with the taskbar.
I was used to have a nice quick launch bar in Win 10, but the new Win 11 one sucks

Anyway after a bit of research online I installed StartAllBack and was able to make things look a bit more like what I'm used to: meaning I can now pin apps in the taskbar like I used to do with the good old Quick Launch bar.

I'm now very closed to what I want, except that I didn't find a way to clearly separate pinned apps to currently opened/running apps: they all appear mixed up in the task bar.
I remember in Win 10 I could right click on the taskbar and do "lock the taskbar" (or something similar, sorry I forgot what it was) and it then clearly put the pinned apps on the left of the task bar, and all opened/running apps on the right., it was really neat and convenient.

Do you know a way of achieving this in Win 11?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help, it's much appreciated.

Click to expand...

Hi! I'm using StartAllBack but haven't found a way to move the quick launch over to the left side. As long as you have the quick launch bar, why not just remove the pinned apps and add them to the quick launch bar? What I miss is the toolbar in file explorer from Open Shell. I haven't tried running both. I know Explorer Patcher and StartAllBack are not compatible but haven't tested Open Shell.