The Windows 11 Taskbar Update You've Been Waiting For Is Finally Here

Plus, OneDrive Becomes Slightly Less Annoying, Window Hopper Brings a macOS-Style Shortcut to Windows --

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September 2, 2026 1:00pm EDT

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TODAY'S FEATURED STORY

Microsoft Finally Backs Down: The Windows 11 Taskbar Update You've Been Waiting For

When Microsoft removed the option to move the taskbar with the release of Windows 11, that decision became a symbol of its refusal to listen to enthusiast feedback. Now, the company is reversing that stance. Next Tuesday, a movable taskbar is arriving on a PC near you, though the rollout may be a little messy. Once you get the update, you can also turn off Bing search results in the Start menu, effectively restricting searches to your files. This option addresses yet another major complaint I've heard about Windows.

I watched from the audience at Build a few months ago as Satya Nadella proudly showed off the movable taskbar. Most Windows users will likely never move their taskbars, but Microsoft wants you to know you now have that freedom. As I've previously written, the Windows team is focusing heavily on feedback this year.

I’ve been testing the taskbar and Start Menu features for months, so read on for everything you need to know about September’s forthcoming update, an easy-to-overlook update that makes OneDrive less annoying, and a convenient new keyboard shortcut tool you can download today.

EXPERT ANSWERS TO YOUR SECURITY QUESTIONS

Q: I understand why Microsoft wants me to use their products, but intrusively forcing their software on me only makes me mad. I am an old woman and set in my ways. I was perfectly happy with Windows 10. Now I have to deal with Edge, Bing, and OneDrive. Microsoft saves my passwords without my permission and didn’t tell me it was doing so. What can I do about this?
- Anita

A: Hi Anita, thanks for writing in! Your concerns match how a lot of people feel about Windows. We may prefer Windows, but we don’t want to use Microsoft’s entire product line. However, Microsoft definitely uses Windows as a platform to promote its other applications and services, often in very pushy ways.

Windows 10 was often obnoxious about pushing Microsoft services, too. If you became comfortable with Windows 10, you can set up Windows 11 to your liking, too. While you can’t uninstall Edge (unless you live in Europe), you can set another browser as your default. As I mentioned in this week’s newsletter, Windows 11’s September update will let you turn off Bing search results in your Start menu. And Windows 11 also lets you uninstall OneDrive completely: You can remove it from the Settings > Apps > Installed Apps pane, just like you’d uninstall any other app.

As far as passwords, Microsoft Edge and other modern web browsers offer to save passwords, and they're often very aggressive about it. If you stop using Edge, Windows shouldn’t automatically save any of your passwords. You can also put a stop to password auto-save in your web browser’s settings. For example, if you use Chrome, you can head to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Google Password Manager > Settings and turn off the Offer to save passwords and passkeys option. I recommend a dedicated password manager.

Ultimately, you can bend Windows 11 to your needs, but it may take a bit of work. For example, you can uninstall many of Microsoft’s preinstalled apps from the Start menu: Just right-click their shortcuts and select Uninstall. We’ve also got a great guide to turning off the annoying ads in Windows, and that might help make the OS feel less obnoxious.

- Chris Hoffman, Senior Editor, Windows Guide

Have a Windows question? Submit your question to our Windows expert, Chris Hoffman for an opportunity to have your question answered in an upcoming newsletter issue.