If you’re accustomed to longtime Windows creature comforts such because the “Never Combine” taskbar, upgrading to Windows 11 generally is a huge adjustment. Microsoft modified or eradicated loads of these features in pursuit extra trendy, streamlined interface, and in doing so made it tougher for a few of us to get work achieved.
But it doesn’t must be that approach. With a free, open-source program known as Explorer Patcher, you’ll be able to convey back many older features of Windows with out missing out on Windows 11’s advantages. It solely takes a couple of minutes to arrange, and is brimming with choices that may enhance your Windows 11 workflow.
Here’s how you can get began:
Installing Explorer Patcher
Explorer Patcher is a free obtain on the developer’s GitHub web page, although the precise obtain hyperlink is a bit buried.
To discover it, scroll right down to the “How To” part and click on the hyperlink to “setup program.” Or, simply use this direct obtain hyperlink. Once you’ve downloaded the EXE file, simply double-click it to put in.
Quick disclaimer: Microsoft has beforehand warned in opposition to utilizing Explorer Patcher as a result of a bug that at one level prevented gadgets from beginning up. While Explorer Patcher shortly resolved this concern, utilizing any program that drastically modifies the core Windows interface carries some threat, particularly for those who don’t often back up your knowledge.
Still on board? Let’s stroll by all of the issues Explorer Patcher can do.
How to switch the Windows 11 taskbar
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Right-click the taskbar after putting in Explorer Patcher, and also you’ll see a brand new “Properties” choice that brings you to the app’s essential menu.
Your first cease must be the “Taskbar” part. Set the Taskbar Style to “Windows 10,” and also you’ll see every kind of choices for modifying it. Just a few choices of be aware:
- Combine taskbar icons: Choose “Never combine” to convey back labels for every particular person window.
- Primary taskbar location: Move the Windows 11 taskbar to the highest or sides of the display screen as an alternative of the underside.
- Taskbar icon dimension: Information density diehards can go for smaller icons and labels right here.
- Start button fashion: Explorer Patcher units the angled Windows 10 icon because the default, however you may as well change back to the flat Windows 11-style icon.
This part additionally has choices for hiding the search and job view buttons, however these settings are additionally obtainable in Windows 11 with none further software program.
Modify Windows 11’s clock and notification panel
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As lengthy as you’re tweaking the Windows 11 job bar, take a minute to go to the “System tray” part in Explorer Patcher. You’ll discover some helpful choices right here as nicely:
- Show seconds within the clock: Self-explanatory.
- Control Center button: Explorer Patcher breaks out separate taskbar icons for Wi-Fi and sound, so you’ll be able to disguise the gear-shaped Control Center icon for these features for those who like.
- Clock: Choose both the Windows 10 or Windows 7 fashion, and also you’ll see solely the calendar view as an alternative of the complete notifications panel when clicking on the time. (After doing this, think about minimizing the Windows 11 clock within the notification panel as nicely.)
- Network: Choose what occurs if you click on the Wi-Fi or ethernet icon.
- Sound and Battery: Switch between Windows 10 and Windows 7 menus for these icons.
Note that you just’ll must click on “Restart File Explorer” in Explorer Patcher’s menu to use any settings which have an asterisk subsequent to them. This will make the taskbar icons briefly disappear and reappear, and can shut any Explorer home windows which are already open.
Modify Windows 11 File Explorer
Jared Newman / Foundry
Explorer Patcher’s “File Explorer” part is one other huge attraction, permitting you to eradicate a few of Windows 11’s extra confounding design selections. Notable choices in this menu:
- Disable the Windows 11 context menu: Bring back the Windows 10-style menu, which supplies faster entry to shell extensions and makes use of textual content as an alternative of cryptic icons for issues like copy and paste.
- Control Interface: Swap the Windows 11 ribbon for the Windows 10 model or the outdated Windows 7 command bar (which holds up surprisingly nicely).
- Register as shell extension: Required for settings have have ** subsequent to them, together with “Shrink address bar height,” “Disable navigation bar,” and “Hide search bar completely.”
Jared Newman / Foundry
While Explorer Patcher doesn’t provide the deep Start menu customization present in Start11, it does provide just a few useful choices:
- Start menu fashion: Bring back Windows 10’s expandable Start menu, full with tiles and zones. (Note which you can solely add apps to this Start menu by File Explorer.)
- Disable the “Recommended” part: Adds two extra rows for pinned apps within the Windows 11 Start menu by hiding the part for current apps and paperwork.
- Open Start in All Apps by default: Jumps straight to the alphabetical app checklist if you click on the Start button.
Jared Newman / Foundry
Explorer Patcher’s different tentpole function is its capability to customise the multitasking menu. Just head to the “Window switcher” part, and also you’ll see a single merchandise with a handful of choices in its drop-down menu:
- Windows 11: A large Alt-Tab menu with rounded window corners.
- Windows 10: A barely extra compact menu with not-as-rounded corners.
- Windows NT: An excellent compact menu with app icons solely.
- Simple Window Switcher: A menu with customizable top, width, opacity, padding, and scroll wheel controls, plus an choice to indicate the desktop.
More Explorer Patcher choices
Jared Newman / Foundry
Beyond the choices above, Explorer Patcher has a handful of different toggles which are value contemplating, which you’ll discover within the appropriately-named “Other” tab:
- Open clock flyout: Use Win+C to indicate the clock as an alternative of Teams.
- Disable rounded corners: Brings back extra of the Windows 10 aesthetic.
- Disable quadrants when snapping home windows: This makes two-way split-screen a lot simpler to invoke.
Uninstalling Explorer Patcher
Explorer Patcher is straightforward to take away, as you’ll discover it inside Windows 11’s app checklist. Just head to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, seek for “Explorer Patcher,” then hit “…” and click on the Uninstall button. Depending on which choices you’ve enabled, you might must restart your PC to finish the elimination, in any other case you’ll merely see the taskbar disappear for a second earlier than reverting to its outdated self.
If you’re a veteran PC person struggling with Windows 11, nonetheless, likelihood is you received’t need to go back after giving Explorer Patcher a attempt.
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…. to be continued
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