Suggestions for new workflow without QuickLaunch & Toolbars?

cbiweb · Oct 12, 2021

I'm still on Win10, and my desktop PC is compatible with 11, but without the QuickLaunch and Toolbars I'm not planning on upgrading. ...that is, unless I can figure out how to maintain a similar efficient workflow without those features.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to ideas.

I truly hope that MS returns the functionality in some form , because QL and Toolbars have been indispensable since it was first introduced, I think in Win 95.

Edwin · Oct 12, 2021

3rd party software or registry hacks!

TigerTom · Oct 13, 2021

Yepp, I use the easy-to-install ExplorerPatcher which brings back the W10 taskbar style, ungrouped the program icons, set TB size to triple hight, and added a Quicklaunch to the left and a "Systembar" to the right. The Systembar holds programs/shortcuts to WiFi, Sndvol.exe, etc)

Now it feels pretty much "home" :)

DigitalGoat · Oct 13, 2021

Maybe shortcuts with key combos assigned and make use of the virtual desktops Windows provides to keep processes separate.

hdmi · Oct 14, 2021

On Windows 11 you can restore the Taskbar from Windows 10 via a registry tweak. But it isn't a perfect solution, as it breaks a few (minor) things and also you will lose the Start Menu, Win+X menu, Clipboard History, and File Explorer's ability to Search. I use Open-Shell to get my Start Menu back (Windows 7 style, with a custom skin). To search my files and folders, I can still use the Search bar that's at the bottom of this Start Menu (and it's also possible to open the search result in File Explorer from there, if needed), as it works exactly the same way it did in Windows 7, although I much prefer to use Everything. I can live without the Win+X menu and the Clipboard History, as I never really used them. On my Windows 11, here's how it looks like:

P.S., please upvote the issue in the Feedback Hub: Windows Insider Program

Try3 · Oct 14, 2021

cbiweb said:
without the QuickLaunch and Toolbars I'm not planning on upgrading. ...that is, unless I can figure out how to maintain a similar efficient workflow without those features

I've restored Taskbar Toolbars & set the Taskbar up the way I want it using

1 Restore Taskbar toolbar capability [UndockingDisabled method] - Change Taskbar to old form [#4, 20-21] - ElevenForum

EnableUndockedTaskBar.reg

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
;This creates the UndockingDisabled entry to enable the Taskbar to show Taskbar Toolbars again
; Windows must be restarted for the change to take effect
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages]
"UndockingDisabled"=dword:00000001

2 Taskbar size & Taskbar small icons - Change Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorials

3 Ungroup Taskbar icons - Enable or Disable Grouping of Taskbar Buttons [Windows 10, 11] - TenForumsTutorials

4 SystemIcons changes - %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}\SystemIcons - This opens a dialog that allows specific system icons to be selected, just as it did for Windows 10.

With these tweaks, my Taskbar now appears & works more or less as it does in Windows 10. My Start button icon is inert.

As with the method HDMI mentioned, I have lost the Start menu but I didn't want it anyway. My Taskbar Toolbar has been my Windows user interface for years.

So solutions already exist and more will emerge over time [you won't need to upgrade until 2025].

All the best,
Denis

cbiweb · Oct 14, 2021

Try3 said:
I've restored Taskbar Toolbars & set the Taskbar up the way I want it using...

<snip>...</snip>

So solutions already exist and more will emerge over time [you won't need to upgrade until 2025].

All the best,
Denis

Thank you for that, Denis. When I get a day or two when I can dedicate some serious test time, I'll upgrade and implement those suggestions. The upside is I can roll back within ten days if I don't like what I see. But from what you and others have said, it shouldn't be a problem.

Try3 · Oct 14, 2021

cbiweb said:
Thank you for that, Denis. When I get a day or two when I can dedicate some serious test time, I'll upgrade and implement those suggestions. The upside is I can roll back within ten days if I don't like what I see. But from what you and others have said, it shouldn't be a problem.

Make a system image [of all partitions] before doing the upgrade. Then you'll be able to have a perfect 'rollback' whenever you want.
Do you already know about system imaging?

This is how I did my upgrade:-
Upgrading with the Windows 11 RTM ISO on a well-below spec computer [my post #266] - ElevenForum
I only bothered because I wanted a testbed computer. I won't update my main computers until I have to.

Best of luck,
Denis

JIGSAW · Oct 14, 2021

Try3 said:
I've restored Taskbar Toolbars & set the Taskbar up the way I want it using

1 Restore Taskbar toolbar capability [UndockingDisabled method] - Change Taskbar to old form [#4, 20-21] - ElevenForum

EnableUndockedTaskBar.reg

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ;This creates the UndockingDisabled entry to enable the Taskbar to show Taskbar Toolbars again ; Windows must be restarted for the change to take effect [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages] "UndockingDisabled"=dword:00000001

2 Taskbar size & Taskbar small icons - Change Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorials

3 Ungroup Taskbar icons - Enable or Disable Grouping of Taskbar Buttons [Windows 10, 11] - TenForumsTutorials

4 SystemIcons changes - %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}\SystemIcons - This opens a dialog that allows specific system icons to be selected, just as it did for Windows 10.

With these tweaks, my Taskbar now appears & works more or less as it does in Windows 10. My Start button icon is inert.
View attachment 10003

As with the method HDMI mentioned, I have lost the Start menu but I didn't want it anyway. My Taskbar Toolbar has been my Windows user interface for years.

So solutions already exist and more will emerge over time [you won't need to upgrade until 2025].

All the best,
Denis

Look into ExplorerPatcher ... much easier

hdmi · Oct 15, 2021

Instead of using the .reg file, you can also issue the following command from an elevated command prompt:

Code:

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages /f /v UndockingDisabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Restart the computer for changes to take effect.
(If you want to undo this registry change, you can use

Code:

reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages /f /v UndockingDisabled

.)

Next, to open the System icon settings (where you can choose to restore the 3 different icons for Network, Power, and Sound), run this:

Code:

explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}

Below are a number of other changes that you could decide to make. Explorer needs to be restarted for these changes to take effect so, either put the following at the end of your batchfile or put it in a separate batchfile:

Code:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

To disable (hide) Search on taskbar:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search /f /v SearchboxTaskbarMode /t REG_DWORD /d 0

(0 = Hidden, 1 = Show search or Cortana icon, 2 = Show search box)

The Task View button can still be shown/hidden by going into taskbar settings like normal, but for those who want to apply multiple changes with just a single batchfile, I will also include the batch code:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v ShowTaskViewButton /t REG_DWORD /d 0

(0 = Hidden, 1 = Show Task View button)

To change the (classic) taskbar icons size to Small:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v TaskbarSmallIcons /t REG_DWORD /d 1

(0 = Default, 1 = Small)

To make the clock on taskbar show seconds:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v ShowSecondsInSystemClock /t REG_DWORD /d 1

(If you want to undo this registry change, you can use

Code:

reg delete HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v ShowSecondsInSystemClock

.)

hdmi · Oct 15, 2021

JIGSAW said:
Look into ExplorerPatcher ... much easier

After reading his explanation that he posted on Reddit, I think I will give it a shot.

P.S., I am using it now. Thanks for the heads up! There are still some side effects it seems, but yeah, it's an improvement compared to the UndockingDisabled registry hack (I especially like that it eliminates the delay before Windows login :)), and the fact that Valinet has said he's going to continue working on it definitely is promising although it might take a while before the next release. I found a list of these side effects with some suggestions and possible workarounds that might prove to be useful at least for now or possibly longer:

Classic Shell • View topic - Classic Shell / Open Shell Start and Windows 11

JAM83 · Nov 22, 2021

Try3 said:
I've restored Taskbar Toolbars & set the Taskbar up the way I want it using

1 Restore Taskbar toolbar capability [UndockingDisabled method] - Change Taskbar to old form [#4, 20-21] - ElevenForum

EnableUndockedTaskBar.reg

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ;This creates the UndockingDisabled entry to enable the Taskbar to show Taskbar Toolbars again ; Windows must be restarted for the change to take effect [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages] "UndockingDisabled"=dword:00000001

2 Taskbar size & Taskbar small icons - Change Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorials

3 Ungroup Taskbar icons - Enable or Disable Grouping of Taskbar Buttons [Windows 10, 11] - TenForumsTutorials

4 SystemIcons changes - %windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}\SystemIcons - This opens a dialog that allows specific system icons to be selected, just as it did for Windows 10.

With these tweaks, my Taskbar now appears & works more or less as it does in Windows 10. My Start button icon is inert.
View attachment 10003

As with the method HDMI mentioned, I have lost the Start menu but I didn't want it anyway. My Taskbar Toolbar has been my Windows user interface for years.

So solutions already exist and more will emerge over time [you won't need to upgrade until 2025].

All the best,
Denis

this is all fine and dandy, but I don't want my taskbar moving back to the left. I like it centered. If i wanted to go back to Windows 10 taskbar GUI, i'd just reinstall Windows 10.

unifex · Nov 24, 2021

Personally, I never use QuickLaunch, I just remove it from Explorer together with Network, OneDrive and the rest of Windows constructs that I never use. Taskbar is also not too big a priority for me, I do pin a few programs there, mostly browsers (I use several different profiles for different purposes), but that's all, so for me the Taskbar change in Windows 11 is not a big deal. Programs that I use the most are on my desktop.

hdmi · Nov 24, 2021

unifex said:
Personally, I never use QuickLaunch, I just remove it from Explorer together with Network, OneDrive and the rest of Windows constructs that I never use. Taskbar is also not too big a priority for me, I do pin a few programs there, mostly browsers (I use several different profiles for different purposes), but that's all, so for me the Taskbar change in Windows 11 is not a big deal. Programs that I use the most are on my desktop.

That's Quick Access, not Quick Launch. Quick Launch is on the taskbar in Windows XP/Vista, and it is disabled by default on Windows 7/8/8.1/10, see: Quick Launch - Enable or Disable
On Windows 11, it can still be enabled after you have applied a tweak to bring back the "classic" taskbar (of Windows 10). There are currently at least 3 different methods (that I know of) to bring back the classic taskbar on Windows 11. Each method has its own unique set of problems/limitations. But then, the same can also be said about the "modern" taskbar that is enabled on Windows 11 by default. (The missing ability to put a toolbar on the taskbar is only one example of that.)

sormaz · Aug 30, 2023

hdmi said:
Instead of using the .reg file, you can also issue the following command from an elevated command prompt:

Code:

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages /f /v UndockingDisabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Restart the computer for changes to take effect.
(If you want to undo this registry change, you can use

Code:

reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages /f /v UndockingDisabled

.)

Next, to open the System icon settings (where you can choose to restore the 3 different icons for Network, Power, and Sound), run this:

Code:

explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}

Below are a number of other changes that you could decide to make. Explorer needs to be restarted for these changes to take effect so, either put the following at the end of your batchfile or put it in a separate batchfile:

Code:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe start explorer.exe

To disable (hide) Search on taskbar:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search /f /v SearchboxTaskbarMode /t REG_DWORD /d 0

(0 = Hidden, 1 = Show search or Cortana icon, 2 = Show search box)

The Task View button can still be shown/hidden by going into taskbar settings like normal, but for those who want to apply multiple changes with just a single batchfile, I will also include the batch code:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v ShowTaskViewButton /t REG_DWORD /d 0

(0 = Hidden, 1 = Show Task View button)

To change the (classic) taskbar icons size to Small:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v TaskbarSmallIcons /t REG_DWORD /d 1

(0 = Default, 1 = Small)

To make the clock on taskbar show seconds:

Code:

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v ShowSecondsInSystemClock /t REG_DWORD /d 1

(If you want to undo this registry change, you can use

Code:

reg delete HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /f /v ShowSecondsInSystemClock

.)

After I applied reg command for toolbars my explorer and search button do not work. They appear frozen. When I click explorer I see activity, but no window is opening.

Try3 · Aug 30, 2023

sormaz said:
After I applied reg command for toolbars my explorer and search button do not work

That UndockingDisabled method only worked in Windows 11 Version 21H2 [not in Version 22H2].

Denis

hdmi · Aug 31, 2023

sormaz said:
After I applied reg command for toolbars my explorer and search button do not work. They appear frozen. When I click explorer I see activity, but no window is opening.

This forum thread is almost 2 years old. Undo the registry tweak, like so:
reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages /v UndockingDisabled /f

Reboot your computer again, and, next, you could always decide to download and install ExplorerPatcher. In its settings window, apply the Windows 10 taskbar option, but also keep in mind that there will be a few bugs with this option in use. Task View (Win+Tab) not working, the Volume Change overlay/popup not showing, and the Windows 10 network flyout having the bottom part of its panel content truncated. You might also experience explorer crashing repeatedly if you don't change the Control Interface option (in the File Explorer section of the ExplorerPatcher settings panel) to Windows 10 Ribbon. I call them minor bugs, as these are bugs that I can still very easily live with... it's much better than losing the toolbars IMO, and (also IMO) the Windows 11 taskbar doesn't let me reduce the taskbar height enough for it to be in any way usable, as the minimum height is still downright gargantuan. So much so, Microsoft must be thinking we all are visually impaired.

sormaz · Aug 31, 2023

Try3 said:
That UndockingDisabled method only worked in Windows 11 Version 21H2 [not in Version 22H2].

Denis

Any solution for teh version 22H2

hdmi said:
This forum thread is almost 2 years old. Undo the registry tweak, like so:
reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages /v UndockingDisabled /f

Reboot your computer again, and, next, you could always decide to download and install ExplorerPatcher. In its settings window, apply the Windows 10 taskbar option, but also keep in mind that there will be a few bugs with this option in use. Task View (Win+Tab) not working, the Volume Change overlay/popup not showing, and the Windows 10 network flyout having the bottom part of its panel content truncated. You might also experience explorer crashing repeatedly if you don't change the Control Interface option (in the File Explorer section of the ExplorerPatcher settings panel) to Windows 10 Ribbon. I call them minor bugs, as these are bugs that I can still very easily live with... it's much better than losing the toolbars IMO, and (also IMO) the Windows 11 taskbar doesn't let me reduce the taskbar height enough for it to be in any way usable, as the minimum height is still downright gargantuan. So much so, Microsoft must be thinking we all are visually impaired.

Thanks for very detailed report and suggestions. I agree that Microsoft screwed up toolbars option. It was very good productivity tool for me as I have all files in OneDrive cloud. I had created a bunch of shortcuts to common files and folders for my tasks (I would update shortcuts twice a year - academic position), actually shared across several computers (office and home). IT served me for 4-5 years well.

I will consider your suggestions and see what is the best option for me.

Try3 · Aug 31, 2023

sormaz said:
Any solution for teh version 22H2

Until recently, I had been using ExplorerPatcher.
New Version of ExplorerPatcher - ElevenForum
That has had problems on my computer since the last Windows 11 Cumulative update. Others have found the same but some people can still use it successfully.
ExplorerPatcher's writer [Valinet] puts in a lot of effort to bring us this free software.

I'm now using a trial version of StartAllBack.
StartAllBack- ElevenForum
The trial lasts until November so then I'll see if ExplorerPatcher works again and, if not, I'll buy StartAllBack.

All the best,
Denis

Suggestions for new workflow without QuickLaunch & Toolbars?

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