The Windows 11 taskbar is one of the best features of the new operating system: sleek, minimalist, and visually distinctive. Still, it could use some improvement. For example, by default, you can’t move the taskbar to any position you want, or even resize it. But you don’t have to live with it as is: there are ways to play with your settings to customize the taskbar exactly the way you want it.

The Windows 11 taskbar is full of buttons you’ll (probably) never use. On the left, there’s the Widgets button, which likes to show you news updates and ads. On the right, there’s the new Microsoft Copilot button, which you may or may not find useful. And in the middle, next to the Start icon, is a big old search bar. Thankfully, Microsoft was forced to remove the Chat button in the Windows 11 2023 Update, so there’s some consolation there. But you’d be surprised how much better the taskbar becomes when you strip away all of these unnecessary features. It becomes minimal, streamlined, and a whole lot more sensible.

To hide the features you don't want, right-click on an empty area of the taskbar and go to Taskbar Settings. In the Taskbar Items menu, make sure to turn off the Widgets, Task View, and Copilot features. In the Search menu, choose Hide.

Windows 11 does not yet support Windows 10's drag-and-drop feature, which allows you to simply drag an app icon to the taskbar to dock it in the taskbar. As a workaround, go to the Start menu, right-click on the app of your choice, and click the Pin to taskbar button. You can pin any open app by right-clicking on the app icon and choosing the Pin to taskbar option.