The new taskbar in Windows 11 is controversial. I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be.
Center
One of the biggest changes is that icons are now in the center, instead of aligned to the left. At first, I was against this. But the more I have used Windows 11, the more I've grown to like it.
My cursor is usually near the center of the screen more than the left side, so the taskbar icons are always within reach. With that being said, I still wish you could put individual elements on sides, like for example placing start always on the left.
Bloat
This is one change where I definitely see why people are mad, and there is no defending it. There is so much bloat on the taskbar.
Disabling the Microsoft Teams button was the first thing I did. Nobody is using this, just like the people button in Windows 10.
I don't mind the full searchbar, as it adds variety to the taskbar. I don't understand why they let you switch to a medium width button. There is nothing unique offered by it, it's just bigger for the sake of being bigger.
Widgets would be cool if third parties could change the icon. Instead you're stuck with weather, "trending exchange rates" (which is a really funny concept. The British Euro is the latest trend among Gen Z), stocks, and vague news updates.
The AI button is whatever. Microsoft is really trying to push it, but I think they underestimate how little the average consumer cares or will use AI features. About half of people over the age of 30 sit in genuine awe when I tell them you can just ask a computer to write an essay.
Task view is also whatever. I don't really use it anymore. Having to wait for a second long animation to play before it activates is kinda annoying too.
Notifications/charms
The charms area is less compact, which I don't like. The system icons are now grouped together in a control panel, which I also am not a fan of because it's useless and confusing. Different items are put in the notification center and control panel, when they should just be one. There also aren't many settings you're frequently toggling on a computer, so the purpose is even more defeated.
Design
The taskbar is much less cluttered and more uniform. The background is blurred too, which looks great if you have a colorful wallpaper.
In order to make it appear more clean, the intensity of some items was reduced. Progress bars now appear inside the open window indicator, and the orange that appears when a program needs your attention is much more dim and less attention grabbing.
Removed Features
A lot of features were removed that really had no reason to be. These include:
- Labels
- Position on screen
- Toolbars
Removing the ability to change the position just doesn't make sense to me.