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Windows 11 Start Menu Styler
Customize the start menu with themes contributed by others or create your own
Details
134,280 users
Taskbar height and icon size
Control the taskbar height and icon size, improve icon quality (Windows 11 only)
Details
98,331 users
Windows 11 Taskbar Styler
Customize the taskbar with themes contributed by others or create your own
Details
106,606 users
Windows 11 Notification Center Styler
Customize the Notification Center with themes contributed by others or create your own
Details
56,611 users
Taskbar Volume Control
Control the system volume by scrolling over the taskbar
Details
34,944 users
Better file sizes in Explorer details
Optional improvements: show folder sizes, use MB/GB for large files (by default, all sizes are shown in KBs), use IEC terms (such as KiB instead of KB)
Details
33,673 users
Taskbar Clock Customization
Customize the taskbar clock: define a custom date/time format, add a news feed, customize fonts and colors, and more
Details
27,984 users
Slick Window Arrangement
Make window arrangement more slick and pleasant with a sliding animation and snapping
Details
17,167 users
Taskbar Labels for Windows 11
Customize text labels and combining for running programs on the taskbar (Windows 11 only)
Details
16,181 users
Middle click to close on the taskbar
Close programs with a middle click on the taskbar instead of creating a new instance
Details
14,214 users
Modernize Folder Picker Dialog
Replaces the classic "Browse For Folder" dialog
Details
13,557 users
Taskbar tray system icon tweaks
Allows hiding system icons (volume, network, battery), the bell (always or when there are no new notifications), and the "Show desktop" button (Windows 11 only)
Details
12,678 users
Disable grouping on the taskbar
Causes a separate button to be created on the taskbar for each new window
Details
12,053 users
Taskbar Thumbnail Reorder
Reorder taskbar thumbnails with the left mouse button
Details
9,051 users
Classic context menu on Windows 11
Always show the classic context menu without having to select "Show More Options" or hold Shift
Details
8,993 users
Taskbar tray icon spacing
Reduce or increase the spacing between tray icons on the taskbar (Windows 11 only)
Details
8,356 users
Dark Mode for Notepad
The missing dark mode theme for Notepad
Details
8,264 users
Chrome/Edge scroll tabs with mouse wheel
Use the mouse wheel while hovering over the tab bar to switch between tabs
Details
8,147 users
Vertical Taskbar for Windows 11
Finally, the missing vertical taskbar option for Windows 11! Move the taskbar to the left or right side of the screen.
Details
6,405 users
Taskbar on top for Windows 11
Moves the Windows 11 taskbar to the top of the screen
Details
6,333 users
Dark mode context menus
Enables dark mode for all win32 menus.
Details
5,408 users
Taskbar auto-hide when maximized
Makes the taskbar auto-hide only when a window is maximized or intersects the taskbar
Details
5,318 users
No Focus Rectangle
Removes the focus rectangle
Details
5,136 users
Click on empty taskbar space
Trigger custom action when empty space on a taskbar is double/middle clicked
Details
4,779 users
Turn off change file extension warning
When a file is renamed and its extension is changed, a confirmation warning appears, this mod turns it off
Details
4,775 users
Open With - Remove Microsoft Store Menu Item
Removes the "Search with Microsoft Store" menu item from the "Open with" submenu
Details
4,423 users
Classic Explorer navigation bar
Restores the classic Explorer navigation bar to the version before the Windows 11 "Moments 4" update
Details
4,279 users
Show all apps by default in start menu
When the Windows 11 start menu is opened, show all apps right away
Details
3,279 users
Customize Windows notifications placement
Move notifications to another monitor or another corner of the screen
Details
3,274 users
Better Taskbar Autohide
Allow taskbar autohide when inactive window notified
Details
2,957 users
Classic Taskbar background fix
classic-taskbar-background-fix
1.0.3
Roland Pihlakas
explorer.exe
Fixes Taskbar background in classic theme by replacing black background with a classic button face colour
Get Windhawk to install this mod

Classic Taskbar background fix

Fixes Taskbar background in classic theme by replacing black background with a classic button face colour.

Install this mod if you have issues with black background around taskbar buttons and tray icons, like illustrated in the pictures below.

When combined with some classic Taskbar buttons mod, then this Taskbar background mod can be considered as an alternative to installing the @valinet's modified version of OpenShell StartMenuDLL.dll.

Before:

Before

After:

After

Note: This mod requires a complementary buttons mod to be activated

This mod does not fix the buttons' appearance, for that purpose there are other mods available. This is by design, for you to be able to choose your favourite buttons mod. Currently known Windhawk buttons mods are "Classic Taskbar 3D buttons Lite" and "Classic Taskbar 3D buttons with extended compatibility". Both are 3D buttons mods. At the time of this mod's release, there is no flat buttons mod available, but hopefully there may appear such mod later.

Mod configuration

If you use 'Classic Taskbar 3D buttons Lite' and you have issues with vertical black lines around buttons then go to the settings of the current Taskbar background mod and under "Compatibility with classic Taskbar buttons mods" choose "Enhance compatibility with 'Classic Taskbar 3D buttons Lite'". Usually the presence of 'Classic Taskbar 3D buttons Lite' should be detected automatically, but if there will be forks which still have the same increased button spacing behaviour, but a different mod id, then you may need to set this setting manually.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank @Anixx and @OrthodoxWindows for testing the mod during its development and illustrating the issues found.