How to Get Windows 11-like Taskbar in Windows 10

The improved taskbar design must have impressed you if you’ve glimpsed the new Windows 11. The Windows 11 taskbar is centered in the middle and bundles a few other features together. If you want a similar experience on your Windows 10 computer, you can enjoy it before you decide to take the plunge to the Windows 11 update.

Before we get into it, let us tell you that Windows 10 doesn’t have a native way to change the look of the taskbar. You will have to play around with the system settings. The good thing is, it’s not rocket science.

However, with this method, it is not possible to replicate the entire look. For example, the Start button will always be on the left. And the icons for Wi-Fi, volume, etc. will be the standard Windows 10 icons.

If you still want to move forward, here’s how to get a Windows 11-like taskbar in Windows 10.

How to get a Windows 11-like taskbar in Windows 10

It should work on all editions of Windows 10.

Step 1: Open Windows Explorer and create two empty folders. The name and location of the folders don’t matter much.

In our case, we have named our folders F1 and F2.

2nd step: Then right click on the taskbar and select Toolbars> New Toolbar. The system will now ask you for a location. Choose one of the empty folders you just created.

Do the same for the second folder.

Once at the bottom, you will see two toolbars on the taskbar with the names of the folders you just created.

Step 3: Then right click on the taskbar and uncheck the Lock all toolbars option. You will notice vertical markers next to the toolbars you just created. These markers are movable.

All you have to do is drag one of the toolbars to the left, next to the Start button. Let the toolbar on the right remain as it is.

Step 4: After that, drag the icons folder to the right and align it to the center.

At this point you will see a rough structure forming. For the final touch, right-click on the toolbars and uncheck the Show Title and Show Text option for both toolbars.

This will remove the name and text, leaving you with empty space on either side of the icons folder, just like Windows 11.

Step 5: Finally, right click on taskbar and select Lock taskbar, lock taskbar in place. After that, you can no longer change the height or location of the taskbar.

This is how you can change the location of the taskbar and make it look like Windows 11.

Although this process seems tedious, you only have to configure it once.

Taskbar customizations

In Windows 11, Microsoft minimized the entire taskbar to the center. By default, the Start button and the Search button are found next to the app icons and center folder options.

But as we noted earlier, you won’t be able to bring the Start button to the center. However, you can still do some customization.

1. Delete news and weather

If you want the full experience, you can remove or disable the News & Weather widget from the taskbar.

To do this, right-click on the taskbar and select News & Interests> Deactivate. That’s it.

The widget will disappear from the taskbar.

2. Decluttering system status bar

At the same time, if you want to declutter the system tray, you can do so by removing some of the icons. By default, Windows 10 displays Wi-Fi status, volume, battery, among others.

However, if you don’t check it regularly, it can overflow with icons. For example, one of our Windows PCs had icons for Meet Now, Windows Update Status, and Dropbox, which made it cluttered.

Step 1: Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings. Then scroll down until you see the Notification area option.

Select the ‘Select which icon …’ option.

2nd step: Next, toggle the switch for the icons you want to remove. It is more or less that.

You will have a clean system tray like Windows 11, although the user experience and icons will remain the same as Windows 10.

Taste of Windows 11

This is how you can get a Windows 11-like taskbar in Windows 10. It’s a one-time process, and once the taskbar is locked, it stays pretty much the same. Of course, you can add your share of icons to it freely without worrying about overflowing icons.