How Do I Change the Windows 11 Layout?

Windows 11 offers a streamlined and modern interface, providing various options to customize its layout to suit your preferences and workflow. You can easily adjust elements like the Start menu, Taskbar, and window arrangements directly from the Settings app.

Here's how to modify different aspects of your Windows 11 layout:

Customizing Your Start Menu Layout

The Start menu in Windows 11 provides flexibility in how it displays your pinned apps and recommended items.

1. Access Start Menu Settings:

   • Open the Settings app by clicking on the Start button and then the gear icon, or by pressing Win + I.
   • Navigate to Personalization > Start.

2. Choose a Layout Option:

   • Under the "Layout" section, you will find three design examples to choose from, dictating the balance between your pinned applications and recommended content.
     • More pins: This option enlarges the upper area of the Start menu dedicated to "Pinned" applications, allowing you to see more of your favorite app shortcuts at a glance.
     • Default: Provides a balanced view, dedicating roughly half the space to pinned items and the other half to recommendations.
     • More recommendations: This extends the "Recommended" list, prominently displaying your recently opened files, most frequently used applications, and most recently added apps.

3. Further Start Menu Adjustments:

   • Within the same Personalization > Start settings, you can also toggle whether to show recently added apps, most used apps, and recently opened items in the Recommended section.

Adjusting the Taskbar Layout

The Taskbar is central to your Windows 11 experience, and you can modify its appearance and behavior.

1. Change Taskbar Alignment:

   • Open Settings (Win + I).
   • Go to Personalization > Taskbar.
   • Expand Taskbar behaviors.
   • Next to "Taskbar alignment," choose either Center (the default Windows 11 look) or Left (resembling previous Windows versions).

2. Show or Hide Taskbar Icons:

   • In Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, you can toggle the visibility of core Taskbar items:
     • Search: Adds a search icon to your Taskbar.
     • Task View: Shows a button for virtual desktops and open applications.
     • Widgets: Displays the Widgets panel icon.
     • Chat: Integrates Microsoft Teams Chat directly into the Taskbar.

3. Pin and Unpin Apps:

   • To customize which app icons appear on your Taskbar, simply right-click an open app's icon on the Taskbar and select "Pin to Taskbar" or "Unpin from Taskbar".

Efficient Window Management with Snap Layouts

Windows 11 introduces Snap Layouts, a powerful feature for arranging multiple windows on your screen quickly.

• Using Snap Layouts:
  1. Hover your mouse cursor over the maximize button (the square icon) in the top-right corner of any open window.
  2. A flyout menu will appear, showing various pre-defined layouts.
  3. Click on the section of the layout where you want the current window to snap.
  4. Once the first window is snapped, Windows will then present your other open windows as thumbnails, allowing you to click and fill the remaining sections of the chosen layout. This creates a "Snap Group" which you can easily switch back to from the Taskbar.

Organizing Your Desktop Layout

While not as dynamic as the Start menu or Taskbar, you can still control how your desktop appears.

• Desktop Icons:

  • Right-click anywhere on an empty space on your desktop.
  • Hover over View to choose icon sizes (Large, Medium, Small) or enable/disable "Auto arrange icons" and "Align icons to grid."
  • Select Sort by to arrange icons by name, size, item type, or date modified.

• Background and Themes:

  • Go to Settings > Personalization > Background to change your desktop wallpaper.
  • Under Personalization, you can also choose Themes to apply comprehensive visual styles that change background, colors, sounds, and mouse cursors.

Modifying File Explorer View

You can adjust how files and folders are displayed within File Explorer for better navigation.

• View Options:
  • Open File Explorer.
  • Click on the View tab in the ribbon at the top.
  • Under the "Layout" section, choose from options like Details, List, Icons (Extra large, Large, Medium, Small), Tiles, or Content to change how items are presented.
  • Under the "Show" section, you can toggle visibility for the Navigation pane, Preview pane, and Details pane to customize your File Explorer layout.

By utilizing these options within the Windows 11 Settings and interface elements, you can create a personalized and efficient workspace tailored to your specific needs.

Quick Reference: Windows 11 Layout Customization