Windows 11 might bring back the top taskbar

Generally new versions of operating systems are supposed to have more features than the old ones, not fewer. So when Windows 11 showed up with a few longstanding interface options no longer available, like putting the taskbar on top of the screen instead of on the bottom, power users were justifiably annoyed. But if a new preview build is any indication, that capability might make a much-appreciated return after more than a year in limbo.

Twitter user Albacore, a well-known delver into the deepest, darkest secrets of Windows preview builds, found a surprise in Windows 11 25309. It turns out that with a little tweak, it’s possible to get that topside taskbar that some users have been missing. Don’t get too excited, though: As TechRadar reports, the functionality is broken at the moment. When you click on any of the shortcuts or interactive elements in the bar, the interaction happens down at the bottom of the screen anyway.

This is at least a tiny indication that someone on the Windows development team wants the top-pinned taskbar back, and is working to make it a reality. When we’ll see it, or even if we will at all, is still anyone’s guess — Albacore’s video seems to indicate that it’s in the very early stages of development. In the meantime, if you want some of the flexibility of the older Windows taskbar in Windows 11, we recommend the add-on program StartAllBack.