Windows 11 Users Get Vertical Taskbars, Thanks to Third-Party Solutions

For those nostalgic about the vertical taskbars of past Windows versions, Stardock has come to the rescue. Their latest beta release of Start11 reintroduces this much-desired feature to Windows 11. With this update, you can place a vertical taskbar on either side of your screen, just like in the good old days.

The demand for vertical taskbars has been substantial. Over 55,000 users have viewed a specific post in the Microsoft community discussing this feature, and thousands have weighed in with comments on similar threads across the web. Reddit and various forums are buzzing with the same request, yet Microsoft hasn’t budged on expanding taskbar options in Windows 11 to include a vertical option.

Stardock decided to step into this gap, although using a third-party app to bring back a feature that used to be standard in Windows does feel a bit unconventional. Start11 isn’t just about taskbars, though. It lets you customize the Start menu, allowing it to look like iterations from Windows 11, 10, or even 7. With more customization options than the native Windows 11 menu, Start11 offers a broader range of tweaks to fit your preferences.

The ability to set up vertical taskbars comes in the beta version 2.5 of Start11. This update also includes support for centered taskbar buttons, even when the Start icon is aligned to the left.

Now, when it comes to the burning question of whether Windows 11 itself supports vertical taskbars, the short answer is no. Microsoft seems disinclined to officially bring back this feature for the latest version of its OS. Since cutting out the option to shift the taskbar around the screen, many have been left wondering why. Older Windows versions allowed users to move the taskbar to the top or sides without a hitch (something Start11 now accommodates in its latest iteration).

Back in 2022, during an Ask Me Anything session, Microsoft’s Head of Product, Tali Roth, addressed taskbar positioning among other topics. Roth explained, “Enabling the taskbar to move involves several challenges. Having it on the side requires apps to adapt in significant ways, which is no small task.”

It’s a bit surprising that Microsoft, a tech giant with immense resources, hasn’t managed to resolve these so-called challenges, yet a third-party developer like Stardock has. This discrepancy becomes clearer when you consider Roth’s further reasoning from the same session last year.

Roth noted that the audience for vertical taskbars, while loud, is small compared to the multitude of other features Microsoft users request. Consequently, Microsoft’s development priorities lie elsewhere: “We’re focusing on features where we see more pressing demand,” Roth explained, leaving the door open for the possibility but setting no specific timeline for vertical taskbar support.

In summary, while it’s within Microsoft’s capabilities to enable vertical taskbars on Windows 11, they don’t see enough interest to warrant the investment of resources at this time.