How to move Taskbar to top or side on Windows 11

• On Windows 11, to move the Taskbar, edit the “Settings” binary key in the “StuckRects3” Registry key.
• The 01 value moves Taskbar to the top.
• The 02 value moves Taskbar to the right.
• The 00 value moves Taskbar to the left.
• The 03 value moves Taskbar to the bottom.

UPDATED 2/22/2023: Windows 11 has a redesigned Taskbar with a center alignment for the Start menu and app buttons, a new notification area, new effects and animations, and more. Although it introduces many welcome improvements, it also removes some legacy capabilities, such as the ability to move the Taskbar around.

You can’t move the Taskbar on Windows 11 because this is an entirely new design, and moving it around the screen is challenging. Microsoft has explained that only moving the Taskbar to the right side suddenly changes the entire design (including the Start menu and apps), and the current interface and animations are designed for the bottom placement. As a result, the work implicating it was not worth the effort since there was insufficient demand.

If you are among those who like the Taskbar on another location (such as at the top, left, or right side), it’s still possible to move it. The only caveat is that you can only complete this task by editing the Registry.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to change the Taskbar position to the different sides of the screen on Windows 11. 

• Move Taskbar position on Windows 11 (Deprecated)
• Move Taskbar to top with ExplorerPatcher tool
• Move Taskbar to top with Start11 tool

Move Taskbar position on Windows 11 (Deprecated)

To move the Taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom of the screen on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start on Windows 11.

2. Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry Editor.

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects3

4. Double-click the Settings binary key.

5. Under the “Value data” section, in the second row and the sixth column, click the 03 value, press the Delete key, and replace the value with 01 to move the Windows 11 Taskbar at the top of the screen.

   

6. Change the 03 value to 02 to move the Taskbar on the right side of the screen.

7. Change the 03 value to 00 to move the Taskbar on the left side of the screen.

8. Change the value to 03 to move the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

9. Click the OK button.

10. Right-click the Start button and select the Task Manager option.

11. Click the Processes tab.

12. Select the Windows Explorer process.

    

13. Click the Restart button.

Once you complete the steps, the Windows 11 Taskbar will move to the top or either side of the screen as specified in the binary key.

While you can still change the Taskbar position, this is not a supported feature on Windows 11, which means this behavior may not work as expected.

Move Taskbar to top with ExplorerPatcher tool

Alternatively, if you can’t use the Registry settings, you may be able to use third-party tools to move the Taskbar to the top of the screen. For example, ExplorerPatcher is a free solution that brings back the classic design of the Taskbar with legacy functionalities, such as the ability to change the bar position. It’s not a perfect solution, but this might be the best free option if you want to reposition settings.

To move the Taskbar to the top of the screen with ExplorerPatcher, use these steps:

1. Open ExplorerPatcher GitHub page.

2. Under the “Assets” section, click the ep_setup.exe link to download the app.

   

   Quick note: The browser may complain the software is untrusted, but this is only because the app makes system changes. Although the app works as advertised, use it at your own risk.

3. Confirm you want to keep the file in the web browser (if applicable).

4. Double-click the file to install the app.

5. Right-click the Taskbar and select the Properties option.

6. Click on Taskbar.

7. Use the “Taskbar style” setting and select the “Windows 10” option.

8. Use the “Primary taskbar location on screen” setting and select the Top option to move the Taskbar to the top of the screen. (You also have the option to move it to the left or right side.)

   

9. (Optional) Use the “Start button style” setting and select the “Windows 11” option.

10. (Optional) Use the “Combine taskbar icons on the primary taskbar” setting and select the Always combine option.

11. Click on Start menu.

12. Use the “Start menu style” setting and select the “Windows 11” option.

    

13. Click the Restart File Explorer option in the bottom-left corner (if you don’t see the changes).

After you complete the steps, you can start using the Taskbar from the top of the screen.

It’s important to note that the ExplorerPatcher app is known to break sometimes due to changes that Microsoft makes to the operating system. However, the developer usually fixes the problems in a timely manner.

Move Taskbar to top with Start11 tool

Another way to change the Taskbar location on the screen is by using the Start11 app from Startdock, which is similar to the ExplorerPatcher app, but with the difference that this is a more reliable solution since it’s a paid product. At the time of this update, the app costs $6.99, but you can use the 30-day trial before purchasing using your email.

To move the Taskbar to the top with Start11, use these steps:

1. Open Start11 page.

2. Click the Try Free button to download the app on your computer.

   

   Quick note: The browser may complain the software is untrusted, but this is only because the app makes system changes. Although the app works as advertised, use it at your own risk.

3. Double-click the setup file to launch the installer.

4. Check the option to agree to terms.

5. Click the Next button.

6. Click the Next button again.

7. Open Start11 from the Start menu.

8. Click the “Start 30 Day Trial” button.

   

9. Confirm your email address.

10. Click the Continue button.

11. Confirm the email to start the trial.

12. Click the Finish button.

13. Click on Start Menu.

14. Choose the “Windows 11 style” option.

    

15. Click on Taskbar.

16. Click the Taskbar position setting.

17. Choose the Align top option for the “Primary monitor” setting.

    

18. Click the Yes button.

19. (Optional) Choose the Align top option for the “Secondary monitor” setting.

20. Click the Yes button.

Once you complete the steps, the Taskbar will align at the top of the screen with the same Windows 11 Start menu.

The Start11 app has many settings to customize the Taskbar and Start menu, and it’s up to you to play around and find the best setup for you.

Also, I wanted to add more context on why Windows 11 doesn’t include an option to move the Taskbar. The biggest issue is that Microsoft has plans to update the elements of the desktop experience in future releases. Although it’s unclear, it’s expected that the company will try to do something similar to macOS, including adding a floating Taskbar docked at the bottom and a top bar at the top of the screen showing the System Tray, weather, and other information.

Update March 1, 2023: Microsoft warns that apps like ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack can cause booting issues on Windows 11 after installing the update KB5022913 or higher releases.

Update March 2, 2023: The developer of ExplorerPatcher has released an updated version of the tool that fixes the problem and works with the new update of Windows 11.

Update August 24, 2023: The developer of ExplorerPatcher has released yet another updated version of the tool that fixes a bug with the Start menu after installing the latest update of Windows 11.

Update February 22, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect additional information.