The Windows 11 taskbar cannot be moved to the sides or top of the screen, as on Windows 10. A choice assumed by Microsoft which explains it by the voice of Tali Roth, product director at the Redmond firm . The taskbar will remain at the bottom, period.
Windows 11 has brought many changes and for good reason, since Microsoft has reworked many important aspects of the OS. The taskbar was one of the major challenges of this new iteration. However, it is criticized by users for the absence of a drag and drop option, but also for the impossibility of changing its place. For this last point, Microsoft explains its choice.
It was Tali Roth, product manager at Microsoft, who explained it in a question and answer session. For her, there are two major reasons for which the taskbar must remain at the bottom and cannot be placed on the right, left or top of the screen.
Windows 11 will keep its taskbar at the bottom
The first is technical. According to her, this represents too big a challenge to implement quickly. Applications must adapt. She points out that moving the taskbar would mean apps have to instantly understand the new environment around them, which is a huge job. An argument that does not fly when we see for example that Stardock, a mod that allows you to modify this bar, does it easily.
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The other argument is more pragmatic. According to Microsoft, moving the taskbar is not requested by many people. So the engineers decided to focus on other things. A very practical argument for society. So the Windows 11 taskbar is at the bottom and will stay at the bottom. As a reminder, this bar has been redesigned from scratch, and nothing has therefore been taken from Windows 10 at the technical level. It is actually a legacy of the late Windows 10X, a version of the OS designed for two-screen terminals and for touch.
As a reminder, Windows 11 was released in October 2021 and brings a new design, without necessarily upsetting the use compared to Windows 10. Microsoft intends to use this OS for years and improve it over time. It is therefore not impossible that one day, this taskbar will have the possibility of changing places.