Bring back Windows 11's missing features with this free app
PCWorld|June 2023
This free program restores Windows' taskbar labels and more
JARED NEWMAN
Bring back Windows 11's missing features with this free app

If you're accustomed to longtime Windows creature comforts such as the "Never combine" taskbar (fave.co/3]lxpcU), upgrading to Windows 11 can be a big adjustment. Microsoft changed or eliminated a lot of those features (fave.co/3MKARbu) in pursuit of a more modern, streamlined interface, and in doing so made it harder for some of us to get work done.

But it doesn't have to be that way. With a free, open-source program called Explorer Patcher (fave.co/3Oes2aQ), you can bring back many older features of Windows without missing out on Windows 11's benefits. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and it is brimming with options that can improve your Windows 11 workflow.

Here’s how to get started.

INSTALLING EXPLORER PATCHER

Explorer Patcher is a free download on the developer’s GitHub page (fave.co/ 3Oes2aQ), though the actual download link is a bit buried.

To find it, scroll down to the How To section (fave.co/42VADDs) and click the link to “setup program.” Or just use this direct download link (fave.co/41MPAqv). Once you’ve downloaded the EXE file, just double-click it to install.

Quick disclaimer: Microsoft has previously warned against using Explorer Patcher due to a bug that at one point prevented devices from starting up (fave. co/3BxGaEH). While Explorer Patcher quickly resolved this issue, using any program that drastically modifies the core Windows interface carries some risk, especially if you don’t regularly back up your data (fave.co/3OjP0xs).

Still on board? Let’s walk through all the things Explorer Patcher can do.

HOW TO MODIFY THE WINDOWS 11 TASKBAR 

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