For some time, it appeared like Microsoft may by no means transfer previous Windows 10, however then it dropped Windows 11 in late 2021. Even with an extended hole between new variations, it was not possible for Microsoft to make everybody blissful. Despite some notable enhancements in Windows 11, there are nonetheless some nagging points. Thankfully, plenty of them are fixable with various levels of legwork—right here’s how one can patch the most important annoyances in Windows 11.
Bypass the TPM 2.0 examine
The first massive Windows 11 headache begins earlier than you even set up it. Microsoft requires a TPM 2.0 module (amongst other hardware features), and never all machines have a kind of. If your laptop is in any other case able to operating Win11, you possibly can safely bypass this examine. The quickest technique to repair this concern is to make a small tweak to the registry throughout the setup course of.
Bypassing Windows 11’s TPM examine bypass by way of a registry edit.
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While within the Windows set up dialog, you possibly can hit Shift + F10 to open a command immediate, and from there you possibly can launch the Windows registry editor by typing “regedit”and urgent enter. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMSetup after which right-click. Select New > Key and identify it LabConfig. Under that key, we have to add two values utilizing New > DWORD (32-bit worth). One of them needs to be referred to as BypassTPMCheck and the opposite shall be BypassSecureBootCheck. Double-click to vary the values, setting them each to “1.”
With that completed, you possibly can return to setup and proceed your Windows set up journey.
Move the Start menu and taskbar icons to the left
Windows 11 fully revamped the taskbar, and one of many first stuff you’ll discover about it’s that your icons are now not left-justified. Now, the icons are within the center, together with the beginning button. If this modification rubs you the fallacious approach, Microsoft will let you change it. However, the choice is a bit buried.
Change the alignment of Windows 11’s taskbar icons and Start menu with this setting. You need ‘left’ to make it appear to be Windows 10.
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The characteristic you want is offered in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. Scroll right down to the underside, and increase the “Taskbar behaviors” part. Near the highest of this listing is the alignment possibility. Change it from “Center” to “Left,” and also you’re all set. It’s one of many many tweaks you possibly can carry out to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10.
Get the Windows 10 context menu again
One of probably the most irritating experiences in Windows 11 shouldn’t come as a shock. There are two totally different context menus now, matching the 2 settings apps. When you right-click, Windows 11 offers you a simplified context menu that’s lacking a ton of choices, similar to the Windows 11 Settings app. If you need the total shebang, it’s a must to click on Show extra choices to get the remainder of the context choices. Luckily, you possibly can return to the right context menu with somewhat registry modifying.
Left: Ugh. Right: Ahhhhhhh, sure.
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Either run “regedit” or search the beginning menu for “registry editor” to get began. Navigate to ComputerHKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWARECLASSESCLSID after which right-click. Use New > Key to create a brand new key folder. Name the important thing {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} after which right-click on it so as to add one other subkey, this one named InprocServer32. By default, this key incorporates a default with no worth set. Double click on on it, go away the information worth clean, hit Ok, and also you’re completed. When you restart your laptop, you’ll have the basic menu again.
Scheduled darkish mode
It’s at all times good when the repair for an issue is an open supply app, and such is the case for Windows 11’s darkish mode. We applaud Microsoft for including a darkish mode in Win11, nevertheless it’s nearly ineffective with out the flexibility to schedule activation like each different platform with a darkish theme. That’s why Auto Dark Mode is round.
Auto Dark Mode’s scheduling choices.
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You can get this free app from the GitHub page or within the Microsoft Store. After putting in, you’ll have the choice to configure a schedule within the app. You can use customized hours for mild and darkish mode, or automate it primarily based in your geographical location. Auto Dark Mode additionally contains choices to manage which components of the interface change colour, pausing theme modifications whereas gaming, and extra. Did we point out it’s free?
Return of the Explorer ribbon
After so a few years of Windows 10, many people bought used to the ribbon interface in Windows 10, nevertheless it’s been scaled again closely in Windows 11. To convey again the ribbon and all its soar menus, you’ll should dig into the registry editor. Again, both run “regedit” or search the beginning menu for “registry editor.”
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This time we’re going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionShell Extensions. Under this key, you must have two subkeys referred to as Approved and Cached. We’re going so as to add a 3rd one (New > Key) referred to as Blocked. Inside this subkey, right-click once more and add a brand new String Value. Rename the string to {e2bf9676-5f8f-435c-97eb-11607a5bedf7} and restart your machine. The ribbon needs to be again on the high of the Explorer window while you open it.
Make the widget board related
Microsoft is promising to make Windows widgets something you’ll want to use. However, until you might be deeply embedded within the Microsoft ecosystem, the content material on this pop-up gained’t be related to you in any respect. It’s a good suggestion to get in there and make some changes so that you aren’t aggravated each time your cursor swings too shut.
Click the tiny “manage interests” possibility within the Widget settings to start out making changes.
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You can open the widget board by hovering your cursor over the climate icon within the taskbar. You can use the three-dot button on widgets to take away them, and if you wish to add extra, click on the plus button within the high proper. This can be the place you’ll discover a small, simply missed “Manage interests” hyperlink that may alter the information tales that seem within the widget board. It opens an online web page (in Edge, in fact) that allows you to register your curiosity or disinterest in numerous subjects. Since you’re studying this, you may need to guarantee know-how is checked. If you’re explicitly not into one thing—celebrities, for instance— you possibly can block that from showing.
Adjust taskbar location and dimension
When it revamped the taskbar for Windows 11, Microsoft dropped the choice to vary the dimensions and placement. This won’t have been a preferred characteristic in Windows 10, nevertheless it’s been within the OS since time immemorial. If you relied on taskbar changes to your workflow, there’s excellent news and unhealthy information. Good: you possibly can nonetheless alter these parameters. The unhealthy information is it requires extra registry modifying, and altering the settings isn’t very handy.
We’ll present you ways to try this under, nevertheless it’s additionally price declaring that third-party instruments Start11 and StartAllBack (each $5 packages) give fanatics a great deal of flexibility for altering Windows 11’s Start menu and taskbar habits, together with choices you merely can’t get utilizing native instruments alone. Both are extremely really helpful and might repair most of what we hate about Windows 11’s interface.
The finish results of all of your laborious registry modifying: Windows 11’s taskbar on the high of your display.
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If you don’t need to pay cash to vary your taskbar’s place, you’ll as soon as once more should dive into the Registry Editor. This time, it’s good to navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStuckRects3. In this key, you’ll discover a Settings binary file. Double click on on it to edit, and find the fifth worth on the second line—it ought to learn “03” earlier than you edit something. Changing this quantity to 01 and hitting Ok will transfer to taskbar to the highest of the display in your subsequent restart. Meanwhile, changing it with 00 will transfer it to the left, and 02 will put it on the fitting.
You should open this key each time you need to transfer the bar, sadly. If you’re a left taskbar individual, put together for disappointment. While you possibly can transfer the bar to that facet, present builds of Windows 11 don’t render it accurately—chances are you’ll not have the ability to see your icons. However, shifting to the highest works simply effective.
The taskbar might be laborious to see on high-resolution displays for these with poor imaginative and prescient, or possibly you need it smaller to avoid wasting area for content material on a smaller show. There aren’t any settings for that in Windows 11, however you possibly can change this within the registry. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerSuperior within the Registry Editor. In this key, right-click and create a brand new DWORD (32-bit) Value referred to as TaskbarSi. Double-click that worth to edit, and alter it to 0 (small), 1 (normal), or 2 (giant). Click Ok, and restart to finish the method.
At this level, you may be taking a look at a Windows 11 UI that’s a lot totally different than it was out of the field. Microsoft typically warns in opposition to making modifications like this, significantly on the subject of bypassing boot protections, nevertheless it’s your machine and your workflow is extra essential than Microsoft’s growth priorities. Now that your PC seems and behaves how you need it to, take issues even additional with these 10 little-known Windows 11 features that will blow your mind.