Microsoft has released a Windows 11 Insider build that restores a long-requested feature: the ability to move the taskbar to the top, left, or right side of the screen. The experimental Build 28120.2387, which shipped on July 6, 2026, also introduces taskbar sizing options—something Windows 11 has lacked since its debut in 2021. For millions of users who missed the flexibility of Windows 10’s taskbar, this is a significant step forward. But there’s a catch: these features are only available in the Insider Preview, meaning you’ll have to join the testing program—or wait for a stable release—to get them.
What’s Inside Insider Build 28120.2387
The headliner is clear: You can finally move the taskbar away from the bottom of the display. Instead of being locked in place, the taskbar can now be docked to the top, left, or right edge of your screen. The setting lives under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, where a new dropdown lets you pick your preferred location. Vertical taskbars on the left or right include alignment tweaks to keep icons and text readable in the new orientation.
Microsoft has also added a Taskbar size option alongside the existing “Show smaller taskbar buttons” toggle. The new size control adjusts the height (or width) of the entire bar, but it’s not a freeform drag-to-resize affair. Instead, you’ll choose from preset sizes—likely Small, Medium, and Large—that change the bar’s overall footprint. For ultrawide monitors or compact laptops, this extra bit of control can make a big difference in screen real estate.
It’s important to note that Build 28120.2387 is an Insider Experimental Preview, meaning Microsoft is still testing and refining the feature. It may contain bugs, and the company hasn’t committed to a specific date for rolling it into the production channel. As always with pre-release software, your mileage may vary.
Everything You Can Customize Right Now in Windows 11
If you’re not ready to jump into the Insider program—and most people shouldn’t, especially on a work machine—Windows 11’s stable releases already offer a surprising number of taskbar tweaks that can make daily use more comfortable. The original PCMag article that highlighted the new Insider build also walks through 13 settings you can adjust today, no preview build required.
Reclaim classic left alignment. Under Taskbar behaviors, switch Taskbar alignment from Center to Left. This doesn’t move the bar itself, but it shoves the Start button and pinned apps back to the left corner, just like the old days. Many enterprises and long-time Windows users prefer this layout.
Shrink or declutter icons. Enable “Show smaller taskbar buttons” under Taskbar behaviors to get a bit more space. You can also turn off default buttons you never use—like Task View and Widgets—by toggling them off in the Taskbar items section. The Search box can be hidden entirely, reduced to an icon, or expanded as you see fit.
Tame the system tray. The set of tiny icons near the clock is more adjustable than it appears. Open Taskbar settings and scroll to System tray icons; from here, you can pin the emoji panel, Pen menu, or Touch keyboard right to the tray. In the Other system tray icons section, you can surface Bluetooth, Task Manager, and any app that normally hides behind the little arrow. You can also drag these icons out of the overflow area onto the taskbar itself. Meanwhile, the Quick Settings panel (the network/volume/battery cluster) supports drag-and-drop reordering of its controls for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, and more.
Multi-monitor sanity. Under Taskbar behaviors, turn on “Show my taskbar on all displays.” Without this, the taskbar only appears on your primary screen, forcing you to mouse over to that display just to switch apps. Also check “When using multiple displays, show my taskbar apps on” and pick whether each monitor shows only pinned apps or the full set of open windows.
Battery percentage at a glance. Go to Settings > System > Power & battery and toggle on “Battery percentage.” That tiny number next to the battery icon removes the guesswork.
These adjustments might seem small individually, but together they transform the taskbar from a rigid strip into a more functional workspace—without taking on the risks of Insider builds.
The Road to a Movable Taskbar: A 5-Year Wait
Windows 11 launched in October 2021 with a heavily redesigned taskbar that, to the dismay of many, was locked to the bottom of the screen. You couldn’t drag it to another edge, you couldn’t resize it by pulling its border, and the context menu options for “Toolbars” were gone. Microsoft’s rationale at the time centered on a simplified, more touch-friendly design, but the outcry was swift and sustained.
Over the following years, Microsoft slowly reintroduced pieces of the old behavior. Left alignment for icons arrived in 2022. Support for multiple monitors and drag-and-drop pinning came later. Smaller buttons and a customizable system tray followed. But the core request—the ability to move the entire bar—remained unanswered.
In May 2026, Microsoft published a Windows Insider blog post titled “Improving Windows quality: making Taskbar and Start more personal,” where it teased upcoming changes. The post didn’t give a precise timeline, but it signaled that the company had heard the feedback and was working on restorations. Two months later, Build 28120.2387 delivered the goods, at least for testers. The build’s release marks the first time since Windows 11’s debut that the taskbar can be moved and resized without third-party hacks.
Should You Chase the Insider Build?
For home users who are comfortable troubleshooting minor glitches, enrolling in the Insider program can give you early access to the new taskbar freedom. The process is straightforward: open Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program, link your Microsoft account, and pick the Beta or Release Preview channel (Dev channel is riskier). After a few updates, you’ll be running the preview build with the movable taskbar.
But for anyone using their PC for work, school, or anything mission-critical, the safer play is to wait. Insider builds, especially those in the Dev channel, can introduce unexpected bugs, performance regressions, or compatibility issues with certain software. The stable-channel settings covered above already offer plenty of breathing room.
IT administrators managing fleets should avoid Insider builds entirely and instead rely on Group Policy or configuration profiles to set the left-aligned Start menu, hide widgets, and configure multi-monitor behavior for their users. Those changes can be rolled out today and will keep systems on a supported release.
What’s Next: When Will This Hit the Stable Channel?
Microsoft hasn’t announced a date, but the cadence of recent feature drops suggests the movable taskbar could land in the next major Windows 11 update. The Windows 11 2026 Update (version 26H2), detailed in reports from Windows Central, is expected to bring a suite of taskbar and Start menu refinements. Given that Build 28120.2387 already exposes the feature, it’s a strong candidate for inclusion in that release.
In the meantime, the Insider build gives Microsoft a chance to gather telemetry and fix edge cases—like how certain apps behave when the taskbar is vertical—before pushing it to hundreds of millions of devices. The company has been uncharacteristically cautious with taskbar changes since Windows 11’s rocky start, and that deliberation might mean a longer testing period.
The bottom line: If you’ve been clinging to Windows 10 just for the movable taskbar, relief is finally on the horizon. For everyone else, the current set of stable tweaks—left alignment, smaller buttons, multi-monitor support, and a decluttered tray—can bring you much closer to the Windows 11 experience you want, right now, without any risk.