I have been utilizing Home windows 11 on daily basis since upgrading my desktop PC from Home windows 10 in 2021. Whereas I take pleasure in a lot of its options, such because the improved File Explorer and snap layouts for multitasking, I’ve all the time been pissed off by the restricted customization choices for the taskbar, Begin menu, and desktop. For instance, in contrast to Home windows 10, you may’t even make the taskbar vertical.
That is why customization apps have develop into important to my Home windows 11 expertise. The one I depend on most is a free app known as Windhawk, which lets you simply obtain and handle mods that change the looks of Home windows 11, similar to fully overhauling the look of the taskbar and Begin menu. Not too long ago, the app acquired a serious replace, making it even higher to make use of.
Windhawk’s newest model, 1.7, is filled with new options. One of the crucial essential adjustments is how the app manages downloading mods. Beforehand, Windhawk downloaded mods and compiled them domestically in your system. Now, it downloads precompiled mods, making set up and updates a lot faster. After I up to date all of the mods I’ve put in after the replace, it took simply seconds, so it positively works. The replace additionally provides the flexibility to view and set up older variations of mods, so if a brand new replace to a mod you utilize causes issues, you may rapidly revert to a earlier model.
How one can obtain Windhawk and customise Home windows without spending a dime your self
My two favourite mods change the look of the Begin menu and taskbar
In case you’re excited by making an attempt the most recent model of Windhawk, you may obtain it without spending a dime from GitHub. As soon as you put in it in your PC, open the Discover tab within the app to see all of the completely different mods you may set up to customise Home windows 11 to your liking.
There are tons of various mods out there on Windhawk, together with certainly one of my favorites that permits you to take away the “really helpful apps” part from the Begin menu fully. One other one I exploit is the Home windows 11 Taskbar Styler, which helps you to change the taskbar’s look, similar to making it fully clear or remodeling it right into a macOS-style dock.
Moreover, due to the most recent 1.7 replace, the builders have added a search characteristic, filtering choices, and a listing view in your put in mods, making it even simpler to handle them.
Whereas Windhawk addresses my complaints about Home windows 11’s restricted customization choices, it could be good if Microsoft finally targeted on giving customers extra methods to personalize the Begin menu, taskbar, File Explorer, and different options as an alternative of simply including extra Copilot options.
One other helpful characteristic on this new Windhawk replace is the flexibility to replace the app instantly from the About part. Now, at any time when a future Windhawk replace like this one is launched, you may replace it by going to the About part (positioned on the high proper of the app) as an alternative of visiting GitHub to obtain the most recent launch.
I have been utilizing Windhawk on my Home windows 11 laptop computer for a number of months, and I have never had any points with my Home windows breaking or comparable issues with the few mods I’ve put in, and the whole lot has been clean. Whereas Windhawk addresses my complaints about Home windows 11’s restricted customization choices, it could be good if Microsoft finally targeted on giving customers extra methods to personalize the Begin menu, taskbar, File Explorer, and different options as an alternative of simply including extra Copilot options.
