Suggestions for new workflow without QuickLaunch & Toolbars?


cbiweb

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Microsoft Windows 11 Home x64, version 22H2 build 22621.2361
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.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Microsoft Windows 11 Home x64, version 22H2 build 22621.2361
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Laptop 17-cn0008ca
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1135G7 @ 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    HP 883C
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (2 x 8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor (17.1")
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    (1) 256 GB PCIe® SSD
    (2) 1 TB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
    Mouse
    Dell Wireless
    Internet Speed
    Down: 35.53Mbps; Up: 26.19 Mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi, Firefox, Cent, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    Bit Defender
  • Operating System
    Microsoft Windows 11 Home x64, version 22H2 build 22621.2361
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 7700 AIO
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Dell Inc. 0VY7G1
    Memory
    16.00 GB SODIMM
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    (1) Realtek Audio (2) Intel® Smart Sound Technology for USB Audio (3) Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio (4) Voice Changer Virtual Audio Device (WDM)
    Hard Drives
    C:/ 459.67 GB
    D:/ (Seagate External) 1.82 TB
    Mouse
    Logitech M220
    Browser
    Edge, Vivaldi
    Antivirus
    Defender
3rd party software or registry hacks!
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Strix
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook
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" :)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    W10 Enterprise LTSC
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom
    CPU
    i7-2700K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-P67A-D3-B3
    Memory
    24GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI GeForce RTX2060 Super
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung curved
    Screen Resolution
    FHD
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO870 SSD 1TB
    Seagate Barracuda HDD 8TB
    PSU
    be quiet 550W
    Case
    CoolerMaster
    Cooling
    be quiet PURE ROCK SLIM BK008
    Keyboard
    KLIM Domination k852
    Mouse
    Logitech standard cordless
    Internet Speed
    10/1 DSL (the fastest line speed available here...)
    Browser
    Mozilla FF 91.2.0esr
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    W10 GUI heavily modified with Stardock Blinds "7 for 10" skin and Startmenu.
    No MS Account and no MS apps.
    I upgraded to W10 only for gaming purposes, otherwise I'd kept my beloved W7 Ultimate x64
  • Operating System
    W11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    custom
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-2500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte PH67A-D3-B3
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics card(s)
    MSI Geforce 1050Ti
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    FujitsuSiemens 19"
    Screen Resolution
    1280x1024 (oldschool 4:3)
    Hard Drives
    Samsung EVO850 SSD 250GB + Samsung 1TB HDD
    PSU
    be quiet 550W
    Case
    Mars MCNW ATX Gaming
    Cooling
    be quiet PURE ROCK SLIM BK008
    Mouse
    oldschool Dell optical wired
    Keyboard
    Dell German 102
    Internet Speed
    slow DSL, 10/1Mbps, but thats the best offer here
    Browser
    Mozilla 91.2.0esr
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    This is an older PC for testing new OS,
    Furthermore: 4 Dell/HP laptops on Win7 Ultimate x64, used for NAS, Media server, browsing, workshop and sound studio
Maybe shortcuts with key combos assigned and make use of the virtual desktops Windows provides to keep processes separate.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 22H2, build: 22621.521
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Scan 3XS Custom 1700
    CPU
    Intel i7-12700K 3.6GHz Base (5.0GHz Turbo)
    Motherboard
    Asus ProArt Creator B660 D4
    Memory
    64GB DDR 3600Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus Tuff RTX 3080 10GB OC
    Sound Card
    Onboard Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gigabyte G32QC 32inch 16:9 curved @2560 x 1440p 165Hz Freesync Premium Pro/ Dell SE2422H 24inch 16:9 1920 x 1080p 75Hz Freesync
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440p & 1920 x 1080p
    Hard Drives
    WD SN570 1TB NVME (Boot), Samsung 870QVO 1TB (SSD), SanDisk 3D Ultra 500Gb (SSD) x2, Seagate 3Tb Expansion Desk (Ext HDD), 2x Toshiba 1Tb P300 (Ext HDD)
    PSU
    Corsair RM1000X Modular
    Case
    Corsair 4000D Airflow Desktop
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H150i RGB Pro XT 360mm Liquid Cooler, 3 x 120mm fans, 1x Exhaust
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Ergonomic
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    800Mbs
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Defender, Malwarebytes
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:

Classic taskbar.png

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

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
  • Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
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.
Windows 11 taskbar after setting up.png

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
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 23H2 Build 22631.3296
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.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Microsoft Windows 11 Home x64, version 22H2 build 22621.2361
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Laptop 17-cn0008ca
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1135G7 @ 2.40GHz
    Motherboard
    HP 883C
    Memory
    16 GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (2 x 8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xᵉ Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor (17.1")
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    (1) 256 GB PCIe® SSD
    (2) 1 TB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
    Mouse
    Dell Wireless
    Internet Speed
    Down: 35.53Mbps; Up: 26.19 Mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi, Firefox, Cent, Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    Bit Defender
  • Operating System
    Microsoft Windows 11 Home x64, version 22H2 build 22621.2361
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 7700 AIO
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Dell Inc. 0VY7G1
    Memory
    16.00 GB SODIMM
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    (1) Realtek Audio (2) Intel® Smart Sound Technology for USB Audio (3) Intel® Smart Sound Technology for Bluetooth® Audio (4) Voice Changer Virtual Audio Device (WDM)
    Hard Drives
    C:/ 459.67 GB
    D:/ (Seagate External) 1.82 TB
    Mouse
    Logitech M220
    Browser
    Edge, Vivaldi
    Antivirus
    Defender
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
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 23H2 Build 22631.3296
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
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win10_64bit
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
.)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
  • Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
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:
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
  • Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
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.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 23H2 v22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built Myself in 2013
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 1800X 8-Core @ 3.60GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus Crosshair VI Hero
    Memory
    16GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB Series
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB GDDR5
    Sound Card
    On Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" , PLANAR 22", eMachine 22"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ~ P34A60 512GB NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 M.2
    ~ 3TB WD Red HDD (extra storage)
    ~ SanDisk 250GB SSD
    ~ 2 X 1TB HDD
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    PSU
    Corsair RM850 Fully Modular (850watts)
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 630 CA-PH630-W1
    Cooling
    CORSAIR iCUE H100i RGB PRO XT
    Keyboard
    Logitech K860
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master
    Internet Speed
    752Mbps (Download) / 537Mbps (Upload)
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    *This is my Main Computer That I use*
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    AMD A10-5700 APU @ 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Asus CM1745
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon R7 350x GDDR5 4 GB
    Sound Card
    On Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual Monitor Setup ONN 22" Monitors
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    ~~~~~~~~
    250GB SSD

    500GB HDD
    ~~~~~~~~
    PSU
    350Watt PSU
    Cooling
    Air Cooling
    Mouse
    MX Master
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Ergonomic 4000
    Internet Speed
    752Mbps (Download) / 537Mbps (Upload)
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    *Computer for Weather Software*
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.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-10600K
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix Z490-A Gaming
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 1650
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung U32J59x 32" 4K
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
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.)
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
  • Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
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.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Enterprise 22H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkVision
    CPU
    12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-12700K 3.60 GHz
    Memory
    32 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ThinkVision + Acer
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
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
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 23H2 Build 22631.3296
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.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
  • Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
That UndockingDisabled method only worked in Windows 11 Version 21H2 [not in Version 22H2].


Denis
Any solution for teh version 22H2
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.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Enterprise 22H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkVision
    CPU
    12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-12700K 3.60 GHz
    Memory
    32 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ThinkVision + Acer
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
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
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 23H2 Build 22631.3296

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