Microsoft released a Windows 11 Insider Preview build that adds the ability to dock the taskbar to any edge of the screen and introduces new customization options for the Start menu. The build is available in the Experimental channel of the Windows Insider Program.

The updated taskbar can be positioned at the left, right, top, or bottom of the display. Users can configure separate taskbar settings for each dock position, including icon alignment, label visibility, and icon grouping, and the operating system retains those settings for each position.

The taskbar does not auto-hide when docked to any position other than the bottom of the screen. The tablet-optimized taskbar, which uses larger icon sizes and spacing for touch input, is not yet supported in alternate positions. Touch gestures and the Search box are also not currently supported when the taskbar is docked to the left, right, or top.

Microsoft is evaluating support for different taskbar positions on each monitor in multi-monitor configurations. The company is also testing an option that reduces the size of the taskbar and its icons to increase available vertical space on smaller screens.

The Start menu has gained a user-selectable size setting, replacing the previous behavior in which the menu resized dynamically based on display size. Each section of the Start menu—pinned apps, recommended apps, and all apps—can now be individually toggled on or off. Users can hide recommended apps advertised from the Microsoft Store while continuing to view jump lists and recent files in File Explorer. Microsoft said "Improved file relevancy" will "better reflect what you have been working on."

The features will roll out to the Beta channel and eventually to the public version of Windows 11 over the coming weeks. Microsoft describes the updates as part of its "commitment to Windows quality" initiative.

Windows 11 launched in 2021 with rounded corners and translucent menus, replacing the flat colors and hard corners of Windows 8 and 10. The reformulated taskbar and Start menu introduced with that release initially removed several features that had been present in Windows 10.