Start11 is fixing Windows 11’s Taskbar and showing up Microsoft

More fixes have already arrived

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Stardock has updated itsStart menuforWindows 11, which brings more options to help manage the Taskbar.

Since the release ofWindows 11in November 2021, reception to the new Start menu has been mixed at best. The centered icons and the fewer features of the Start menu have frustrated some, and while feature updates fromMicrosofthave refined the Taskbar, users are still wanting more customization.

The recent 1.2 version ofStart11brings the ability to group multiple icons into one on the taskbar, alongside bringing drag and drop to the taskbar from today (March 17), instead of waiting for a future Windows 11 update, most likelySun Valley 2.

The app is available as afree download for 30 days, after which you can buy a license for $4.99 / £5.99 / AU$ 5.99 for your PC.

Analysis: Take note, Microsoft

The impressive aspect of Start11 isn’t that you can use features that were removed in Windows 11. Rather, it’s how you can customize it to levels that Microsoft wouldn’t consider including.

From the color scheme of the Taskbar, to changing the design to better mimic the Start menus ofWindows XPandWindows 8, Start11 offers that level of curation that Microsoft seemingly hasn’t thought of.

In our review of Windows 11 we noted that it was the first step of a reboot to Windows as a whole. We’re already seeing the results of this withWindows Media Playerreturning, and other apps that are finally seeing a design refresh.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

But the Start menu is an iconic feature of Windows, ever since it debuted in Windows 95, so any change was bound to spark some debate between users. However, Start11 looks set to ease those concerns, regardless of what Microsoft may have planned for the Start menu in the future.

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

Alt + Tab trouble: Windows 11’s 24H2 update turns time-saving shortcut into ten-second headache

Windows 11’s Paint and Notepad apps are getting smart new AI features – though one of the best will be for Copilot+ PCs only

iStorage Group acquires Kanguru Solutions as it looks to expand security offering