Windows 11's September Update Finally Brings Back the Taskbar Feature Everyone Asked For
The September 2026 Patch Tuesday update, KB5124008, lets you move the taskbar to any screen edge, shrink it, hide Start menu sections and turn off web results in Search.
Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11, KB5124008, brings back a feature many users have wanted since the operating system launched: moving the taskbar off the bottom edge of the screen. It arrives with several other interface changes that make Windows 11 feel less locked down (Thurrott, Pureinfotech).
Taskbar position returns after five years
Placing the taskbar at the top or sides of the screen was a Windows staple from Windows 95 through Windows 10. Windows 11 removed the option and kept the taskbar at the bottom, which drew steady complaints from long-time users with years of muscle memory. The update lets you put it at the bottom, top, left or right, on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 (PCWorld).
A related option shrinks the taskbar closer to its Windows 10 size, reducing both icon size and bar height. That helps on smaller laptop screens, where the default height wastes vertical space (Windows Latest).
| Area | What changes in KB5124008 |
|---|---|
| Taskbar position | Bottom, top, left or right |
| Taskbar size | New smaller option with smaller icons and lower height |
| Start menu size | Small, Automatic or Large |
| Start menu sections | Pinned, Recent (formerly Recommended) and All can each be hidden |
| Search | Web and Microsoft Store results can be turned off; better handling of typos and partial names |
| File Explorer | Performance improvements |
| Build (stable) | 26200.9445 / 26100.9445 |
Search and Start get more configurable
Windows 11 search has frustrated users since launch by mixing web results with local files. The update lets you turn off Bing and Microsoft Store results so queries return local files and installed apps, which also speeds up search. Microsoft says Search now handles typos and partial app and setting names better (Windows Central).
The Start menu becomes more customisable too. Pinned, Recent and All each have their own toggle, so you can build a sparser Start menu, and the menu itself comes in Small, Automatic and Large sizes. Recommended has been renamed Recent. Together this is the most control Microsoft has offered over Start since Windows 11's original redesign.
Faster File Explorer
The update also includes File Explorer performance improvements, continuing Microsoft's gradual speed and reliability fixes rather than a single overhaul.
Why it matters
None of these changes is dramatic on its own. But Windows 11 is nearly five years old, and the fixed bottom taskbar has drawn complaints since its first builds, so its return feels less like innovation than the end of a self-imposed restriction that never had a strong justification.
How to get it
The update arrives through Windows Update as part of Patch Tuesday. If it has not appeared, open Settings, then Windows Update, and check manually. Some features reach users in Europe later because of regulatory requirements, and the Qualcomm-only 26H1 version lags behind on new features.
What to watch next
Watch the October update, which adds a Copilot key remap and new touchpad scrolling.
