Technical Level : Basic
Summary
The Start menu and Taskbar have been hallmarks of the Windows desktop experience for more than 20 years. Both have evolved over the years with features and enhancements to make users productive and more agile at their everyday computing tasks. Windows 10 introduced an assortment of enhancements and productivity boosters. In particular, both are optimized for Touch, Keyboard and Mouse; making users feel right at home, no matter the device or form factor they are using.
Windows 11 features the most dramatic overhaul since the launch of Windows Vista in 2006. Not only does it look different, but the way users interact with it works a bit differently from Windows 10 and earlier versions. The Taskbar which hosts your app shortcuts and running programs looks familiar, but the immediate differences such as the center alignment and behaviors present new experiences for users. With all these changes, the user experience remains strongly familiar. In this article, we go through some of the changes, improvements and even ways you can restore some of the older functionality. In this article, we take a look at some of these improvements and how you can get started with them if you are coming from earlier version of Windows.
Since Windows 10 will continue to be supported until October 2025, I decided to update this article to feature information about both versions of the Windows operating system. Users can also use this as a reference guide if they transitioning from the previous version.
When you sign into Windows 11 for the first time, you are greeted by the desktop then Taskbar. A lot of what you see looks familiar, your programs and notifications are still there. The Start button now uses a new design similar to the Microsoft logo. Lets dive in and look at some of these changes to get you up and running.
Details
The Start
Depending on how your computer is setup, you might see different options when you click Start. Here are some of the common features and functions you should know when you click Start in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11
Windows 10
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Resources: Quick Tip: Find and launch programs quickly using All Apps in Windows 10
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This command
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Does this
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All apps
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Displays all programs installed on your computer
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(Windows 11 only) | Pinned | Displays gallery of frequently accessed programs. | ||
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Power
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Shuts down, restarts, hibernates or put your computer to Sleep.
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Most used
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Displays all your recently used programs.
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(Windows 11 only) | Recommended | Open recently access files and programs. | ||
(Windows 11 only) | Instant Search | Universal search, find files, programs, search the web. | ||
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Settings
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Displays a collection tools you can use to change the settings of your Windows installation.
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Documents
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Opens your documents folder where you will find all of your saved files
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File Explorer
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Provides access to all your personal folders (Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, Downloads and other folders) or your computer environment (hard disks, optical drives or attached storage).
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User Name
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Change account settings, lock your computer, sign out of your computer or switch to another user account.
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Resize Start Menu (Windows 10)
The new Start menu is also more customizable; you can easily resize it by placing the pointer at both horizontal and vertical edges, then drag it into a desired state. See below:
The Start menu in Windows 11 does have some customization options available. If you want to move the Start and Taskbar shortcuts back to the familiar left alignment, you can do so from the Taskbar settings.
Right click the Taskbar, click Taskbar settings > Personalization, scroll down Taskbar behaviors
Toggle on the option to Left
This will restore the familiar behavior. It won't work or look like the Windows 10 Start menu exactly. There are registry options available in earlier builds of Windows 11, but this has since been disabled. Users looking for exact functionality should consider third party customization such as Star Dock Desktop objects once support for Windows 11 becomes available.
Customize Start menu & Taskbar
Quick Tip: Add Personal Folders to the Start menu
Quick Tip: Customize which icons appear in the Windows 10 System Tray
The Taskbar
The Taskbar is another important element of the Windows Desktop, it is the first thing you see when you sign into Windows. Every time you start a program or open a window, a shortcut is placed on the Taskbar with a visual indicator at the bottom of the program telling you it is running. When you exit a program, it will disappear from the Taskbar or the indicator will no longer appear below the program.
Windows 11
Windows 10
If you have many windows associated with the same program open, for example, several Microsoft Word documents; these will be displayed as a single group on the Taskbar. To view all the windows associated with the program, hover over the program icon and you will see a preview of each window.
If you have more than one window with the associated program open and you hover the icon over the program shortcut, you will see a visual preview of each window.
Widgets
A new addition to the Taskbar in Windows 11 is Widgets. Users of earlier versions of Windows such as Vista, remember Sidebar gadgets; small desktop apps that appeared on screen at a glance for weather, news, sports or a picture gallery. Widgets in Windows 11 brings back similar functionality that you can call up and view at a glance.
At the end of the Taskbar, you will find the Notification Area. Here you will find the Peek, Date and Time, Language, Notification Center, Volume, Available Network, Battery and a 'Show hidden icons' button that will reveal other notifications. Below you will find more information about each.
Windows 11
Windows 10
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This command
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Does this
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Peek/Show desktop *
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If you want to see whats on your desktop without minimizing windows, hover over the Peek button or click it if you want to go immediately to the desktop.
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In Windows 11, the peek functionality is no longer available. |
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Date and Time
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displays your date and time, you can also click it to view a full calendar and additional clocks.
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Language Input
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| If you need to use multiple languages, use this to quickly switch input methods. |
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Notifications Center
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Displays all your notifications, for example a tweet, when you attach a thumb drive, scheduled updates, new email messages. The Notification Center also gives you quick access to quickly configure and adjust areas of the system, such as Tablet mode, access to Settings, display brightness, Airplane Mode and others.
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Volume
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Adjust your volume, click it to individually adjust volume settings for individual applications, speakers and system sounds.
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Network Flyout
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Use this to quickly connect to Wireless or Virtual Private Networks.
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Battery
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Displays your battery status.
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| Hidden icons |
| Over time, when you install programs, they might place additional icons that will be hidden, click this menu to see them. |
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Cortana Search and Notification Center in Windows 10.
Cortana in Windows 11
Windows 11 users will notice some functionality and features first introduced in Windows 10 have been moved or are less prominent. The Cortana digital assistant is available as a dedicated app you can launch separately. In Windows 10, this was integrated with Search, but Windows 11 primarily focuses on classic search for files, apps and web. You can use Cortana Search to find information such as the following:
⦁ Weather – “Kingston Weather”
⦁ Finance – “MSFT stock”
⦁ Dictionary – “define impressive”
⦁ Calculator – “12*38”
⦁ Flight Status – “UA 238”
⦁ Reference – “how old is Madonna”
⦁ Showtimes – “movies near me”
⦁ Tech Help – “memory in my computer”
⦁ Time Zone – “time in Bahamas”
⦁ Unit Conversion – “42 ft in meters”
⦁ Chit Chat – “tell me a joke”
Search the web and Windows
Just like the Notification area as discussed below, Search splits out the Cortana digital assistant and classic search. Classic search lets you search your system or OneDrive for files, apps, emails and the web. Search can be initiated from either the Taskbar or Start menu.
The Notification area in Windows 11 is split out into two categories. A dedicated menu lets you manage your quick access settings for volume, wifi, battery and other settings you might want to access on the fly. While the Date and Time, keeps app notifications along with a calendar.
While this is just an early look at Windows 11, users might be wondering why some customization and accessibility options might be missing. For instance, the Power menu first introduced in Windows 8 (Windows key + X), does not work in Windows 11. Users instead will need to right click the Start button to access this option.
Task View
You can use Virtual Desktops to gain additional space for all the programs you are running. For instance, you can create a desktop for email, productivity applications, web browsers or a desktop for personal and work. Windows 11 includes greater personalization options, such as the ability to apply a unique background, keyboard commands to organize virtual desktops and renaming.
Task View in Windows 10
Task View in Windows 11
Learn more about setting up Virtual Desktops using in the following article:
How to: manage running programs and virtual desktops using Task View in Windows 10
Related:
Basics: End your Windows Session - shutting down your PC
Basics: Using Settings to customize Windows
Basics: How to open a document in Windows 10
Basics: Finding information on the Web and in Windows using Cortana
Basics: Using Apps in Window 10
