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 1. Home
 2. Software Apps
 3. Windows 11


MICROSOFT EXPLAINS WHY YOU CAN'T MOVE WINDOWS 11 TASKBAR

By Sean Endicott last updated April 11, 2022

Windows 11 won't gain a side taskbar any time soon, according to Microsoft's
head of product over Windows Core Experiences.

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Comments (29)

Windows 11 Taskbar Icons Surfacepro (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows
Central)



WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

 * Microsoft's Tali Roth recently discussed why the Taskbar on Windows 11 cannot
   be moved to the side of the screen.
 * Roth argued that the feature is not highly requested and that adding it would
   take a huge amount of work.
 * Windows 10 supports a side Taskbar, but Microsoft rebuilt the Taskbar for
   Windows 11.

The Windows 11 Taskbar is staying put, at least for the time being. While many
have complained about the inability to move the Taskbar on Microsoft's latest
operating system, the company does not plan to give people the option to
reposition it any time soon. Tali Roth, the head of product of Windows Core
Experiences at Microsoft, recently discussed the Taskbar in an Ask Me Anything
(AMA) session on YouTube.



Roth's defense of the Taskbar staying in place starts off with the argument that
moving the UI element would be a large undertaking.



"When it comes to something like actually being able to move the taskbar to
different locations on the screen, there's a number of challenges with that,"
said Roth (via Neowin). "When you think about having the taskbar on the right or
the left, all of a sudden the reflow and the work that all of the apps have to
do to be able to understand the environment is just huge."




She continued, citing the fact that the feature is not in high demand.

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU...Windows Central



"And when you look at the data, while we know there is a set of people that love
it that way and, like, really appreciate it, we also recognize that this set of
users is really small compared to the set of other folks that are asking for
other features. So, at the moment, we are continuing to focus on things that I
hear more pain around."



The ability to be able to move the Taskbar is one of the most-requested features
in the Feedback Hub, so Roth's claim is likely based on telemetry gathered by
Microsoft or other data.

While Microsoft will look into adding the option, a side Taskbar appears
unlikely. "It is one of those things that we are still continuing to look at,
and we will keep looking to feedback, but at the moment, we do not have a plan
or a set date for when we would, or if we should, actually build the side
taskbar," explained Roth.

Previous versions of Windows support moving the Taskbar to the side of the
screen, but Microsoft rebuilt the Taskbar for Windows 11. During that process,
the company did not include certain features from older versions of Windows,
including repositioning the Taskbar and dragging and dropping content.

Sean Endicott
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News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is the news writer for Windows Central. If it runs Windows, is
made by Microsoft, or has anything to do with either, he's on it. Sean's been
with Windows Central since 2017 and is also our resident app expert. If you have
a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.

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See all comments (29)


29 Comments
 * Yet another reason to stay on Windows 10. (And/or 7 for me). later
   -1
 * Your brother, Positive One, has no problem with it.
 * Positive One is lame. Negative One, in contrast, has a leather jacket.
 * I don't understand the issue. Apps don't rely on a specific resolution or
   aspect ratio so why should it matter whether the Task Bar trims the working
   area vertically or horizontally? I use a Surface Pro with two external 16:9
   monitors and I move apps between them and they don't seem to have any issues,
   so I can't see why changing the working area of the same screen should be a
   problem.
 * It's kinda poorly worded which I try to understand what exactly they meant.
   Unless there is upcoming change on how the expected UI layout for apps that
   may affect or rely to having Taskbar at the bottom? I'm trying to figure out
   what exactly though. Maybe what they meant is desktop UI elements that may
   have to reflow how they place and behave. Not the app themselves.
 * I felt like the complexity they meant for moving the Taskbar may have to do
   with having to realign other UI elements like Noticiation and Quick Access
   for example and having to reconfigure the gesture for example and conflict
   with other elements. Example if you have Taskbar on the top and auto hide it,
   the potential conflict with Snap Bar on the top. So either they have ti
   restrict it or move Snap Bar somewhere or just let the two behaviours co
   exist. Another one is if you have let's say Taskbar on right, so the Widget
   Board will remain on the left but causes longer mouse travel which isn't
   good. Or also align it on the right but now there is 2 gestures to open
   Widget from the right together Quick Access and Notifications and Start Menu.
   Not to mention whatever is in their roadmap for future new UI changes or
   interactions that make it more complex to address in terms of UX design if
   the Taskbar is movable. Unless they go with compromise like if it's movable,
   then gestures and other behaviours are disabled or something restricted.
   There is a thing as well maybe Microsoft just wanting Windows from now one
   have standardised UX, making more predictable and each side of the display
   have distinct function and place. I think the only feature that have little
   conflict is allowing Taskbar icons to be ungrouped, since there is no reflow
   for desktop elements. Only conflict is Snap Group, but that is single issue
   to be addressed.
 * Good points, though kinda baffled they didn't include the feature from the
   get go as it would have ultimately meant less work. The route they've gone
   for is going to create headaches.
 * Well on that regard, not sure. Maybe lack of development time especially
   considering how Windows 11 were rushed to the public before holidays.
   Especially that they have replaced certain desktop elements like that
   Taskbar, those needs more time to reimplement features. Not sure how long
   exactly they have been working on Windows 11, but feels like not more than a
   year and we have to consider under-the-hood development needed to be done
   first. But at the end of the day, what user see is what will be judged,
   regardless of the reasoning behind this. It doesn't help if there is less
   transparent communication to some of the decision making that affected users.
 * The entire debacle reeks of shareprice chasing. If Microsoft continues
   rushing they will be running off a cliff straight into a shareprice crash.
   That's what happens when companies start following a bunch of bean counting
   lemmings.
 * And that is why they fail. MS doesn't do what they should have done in the
   first place (maintain functionality) while worrying about something some
   equally small number vocal people obsess over such as emojis.
 * "Popularity" does not correlate to "importance". So, every time I see a
   director using popularity as the only metrics, I think they are incompetent.
   They don't understand, a lot of popular features are "nice to have" not "must
   have". Things like taskbar position is a "must have" because for people who
   used it, it is a "red flag" when the feature is missing. Things "Nice to
   Have" is like News feed. It is not a "red flag" when missing.
 * Change is fine, I have no problem with it. If you're not used to moving your
   cursor to middle, hit the windows key, it brings up the start menu like it
   has for over 20 years.
 * "The ability to be able to move the Taskbar is one of the most-requested
   features in the Feedback Hub, so Roth's claim is likely based on telemetry
   gathered by Microsoft or other data." Let me fix that line. The ability to be
   able to move the Taskbar is one of the most-requested features in the
   Feedback Hub, so Roth's claim is likely based on telemetry designed to
   support MS's position.
 * Telemetry indicates nobody is using left/right sides for the taskbar in W11
   so there is no reason to support it.
 * Haha good one. Personally I keep the Taskbar at the bottom but when I'll
   upgrade I better still be able to move the button left aligned like previous
   Windows versions or else I rollback... centered buttons is too much Mac
   looking and I hate Mac's interface...
 * @Martin Plamondon You can left align via settings.
 * Christ Almighty, this is, like, the one thing that I really wanted. Is it me?
   Am I the problem? We used to be friends, Microsoft.
 * Who's the freak asking to have a side taskbar Edit: Reading this thread, a
   lot. Luckily not enough.
 * Side task bar helps with workflow for some people. Especially on larger
   screens, screens in vertical orientation etc.
 * Not necessarily just the side, but I know a few people who like having it at
   the top (so the menu drops down) like in Ubuntu/other Linux distros.
 * Side taskbar does make sense when you think about what most people use their
   computers for. Horizontal real estate isn't exactly highly sought after, it's
   why people are moving towards 3:2 ratios, so gaining that little bit of extra
   vertical space for emails or Web browsing is quite useful. I personally hide
   the taskbar for this very reason.
 * I used to keep mine at top. I think Microsoft should at least keep that
   option as changes is not as drastic as left or right side. (I think some 3rd
   party does it, but it should be built in)
 * When will they finally allow you to see your program windows separately on
   the taskbar instead of combining everything in one icon? Extra clicks all day
   long.
 * I just like to have the option. Maybe my monitor/screen situation changes,
   which makes a taskbar change more important. I don't care much for
   "upgrading" an OS, only to have less functionality than the previous one. One
   step forward, two steps back?
 * This isn't the only issue I have with the task bar. I constantly run into
   issues we're I loose the right side(date and time) opening and closing full
   screen applications. I've pretty much trained myself to just use the window
   key as opposed to clicking on the icon and type the name of the app I am
   looking for. The whole interface is just darn clunky except the search
   feature. it's part of the reason I stay on my Linux boot more now than the
   windows boot. Cinnamon desktop environment is everything you would think
   would be on windows 11 that just isn't there.
 * Reminds me of that time Microsoft asked IE users if they wanted tabs and they
   said no, so MS let Firefox break their browser stronghold
 * r/Windows11 need to read this. The fact of the matter is that I have very
   rarely seen the taskbar on the top or on the side in videos and screenshots
   on the internet. I have NEVER, not even once, seen a taskbar anywhere besides
   the bottom, in the wild. Microsoft should more prioritize necessities rather
   than niceties, like making a better file manager and tackling the disjointed
   UI. I'd personally much rather see a consistent and comprehensive dark mode
   and design language rather than being able to move the taskbar to the top or
   sides.
 * TouchPad upward swipe would not pull up the taskbar? left/right swipes
   assigned to something else?
 * Obviously Roth has a EGO too big for his britches. Everyone I talk too HATES
   the (self) centered panel... hmm perhaps same is being discussed about Roth.
   He needs to quit looking down on everyone and actually listen. It really
   can't be, or SHOULDN'T be that difficult for such a super powered programmer
   as the "almighty" Roth.

Show more comments

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