How to Make Windows 11 Look Like Windows 10

Windows 11 moved the taskbar icons to the center, redesigned the Start menu, and simplified the right-click menu, and a lot of long-time Windows 10 users just want their familiar layout back. You can’t turn Windows 11 fully back into Windows 10, but you can tweak the built-in settings to get a lot closer, and a few community tools can take it further if you’re comfortable with unofficial software.

Quick steps

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and set Taskbar alignment to Left.
2. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start and switch the layout to one with more pinned apps and fewer recommendations.
3. Turn off Widgets and Chat in the taskbar settings to simplify the layout.
4. In Settings > Personalization > Colors, pick a color mode closer to the Windows 10 look.
5. Right-click anywhere and choose Show more options when you want the full, classic-style context menu.

Before you start

A few things to check before you dig in:

• These steps use built-in Windows 11 Settings, so they work the same whether you’re on Windows 11 Home or Pro.
• Windows 11 does not include an official “Windows 10 mode” or classic theme. You’re adjusting individual settings, not flipping one switch.
• Some visual elements, like the modern Start menu design and the simplified File Explorer command bar, cannot be fully reverted using Microsoft’s own settings.
• If you decide to try third-party tools later in this guide, back up your settings first, since they are not Microsoft products and aren’t officially supported.

Move the taskbar back to the left (Windows 11 taskbar like Windows 10)

The centered taskbar is one of the most noticeable Windows 11 changes. Moving it back to the left edge is the quickest way to make the whole desktop feel more like Windows 10.

1. Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings, or go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
2. Expand Taskbar behaviors.
3. Set Taskbar alignment to Left.
4. While you’re in this section, turn off any icons you don’t want, such as Widgets, Chat, Task view, or Search, under Taskbar items, to reduce clutter and get closer to the simpler Windows 10 taskbar.

Change the Start menu layout (Windows 11 old Start menu feel)

You can’t bring back the exact tiled Windows 10 Start menu, but you can shrink the “Recommended” section and give more room to pinned apps, which makes the menu feel less crowded and more like what you’re used to.

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Start.
2. Choose a layout option that favors More pins over More recommendations.
3. Scroll down and turn off toggles such as Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer if you want a cleaner, less dynamic menu.
4. Pin your most-used apps directly to the Start grid so you spend less time scrolling through the app list, similar to how you’d organize tiles in Windows 10.

Restore the classic right-click context menu

Windows 11 shortens the right-click menu by default and hides options like Send to and older app actions behind an extra click. There’s a simple built-in workaround, though it isn’t permanent without extra steps.

1. Right-click a file, folder, or empty desktop space as usual.
2. In the shortened menu that appears, select Show more options at the bottom.
3. This opens the fuller, Windows 10 style context menu with all the classic entries.

This has to be done each time you right-click, since Windows 11 doesn’t include an official setting to make the full menu the permanent default. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, some community tools can force the classic menu to show automatically, but that involves editing the registry or installing third-party software, which Microsoft doesn’t officially document or support.

Adjust colors and theme to feel more familiar

Windows 11’s default Fluent Design look (rounded corners, different accent colors, more transparency) is baked into the system and can’t be switched off entirely, but you can adjust the color scheme to feel more like Windows 10.

1. Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors.
2. Choose your preferred Mode (Light, Dark, or Custom).
3. Turn off Transparency effects if you prefer flatter, more solid-looking windows and menus.
4. Pick an accent color and decide whether to show it on the Start and taskbar under the same Colors page, which can help match the blue-heavy look many people associate with Windows 10.

What you can’t fully change with built-in settings

It’s worth being upfront about the limits here. A few Windows 11 design changes don’t have an official toggle to revert them:

• The File Explorer top bar uses a simplified command layout instead of the old Windows 10 ribbon, and there’s no built-in setting to bring the ribbon back.
• Rounded window corners and the general Fluent Design look are part of the system theme and aren’t adjustable through Settings.
• The Start menu’s pinned-apps grid and the way search results are presented are redesigned in Windows 11 and can’t be swapped for the old tiled layout using official settings.

If these are the specific things bothering you, your only real options are third-party interface tools, which modify how Windows 11 displays its shell. These aren’t made by Microsoft, aren’t guaranteed to keep working after Windows updates, and should be used at your own risk if you choose to go that route.

If it doesn’t work

Taskbar alignment option is missing or grayed out

Make sure your Windows 11 installation is up to date through Settings > Windows Update. Older builds of Windows 11 may show settings in a different location or lack certain personalization options entirely.

Start menu still shows a lot of recommendations even after changing the layout

Double-check you selected a “more pins” style layout rather than one of the recommendation-heavy options, and also review the related toggles further down the same Start settings page, since recommended content and recent items are controlled separately from the layout choice.

Right-click menu reverts to the short version after restarting

This is expected behavior. Windows 11 doesn’t save “Show more options” as a permanent preference through its own Settings app, so you’ll need to click it again each time unless you use a third-party or registry-based workaround.

Changes don’t appear after adjusting a setting

Try signing out and back in, or restarting File Explorer from Task Manager, since some personalization changes only fully apply after the shell refreshes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make Windows 11 look exactly like Windows 10?

Not completely using official Microsoft settings. You can match the taskbar position, simplify the Start menu, and adjust colors, but some design elements like the File Explorer command bar and rounded window corners are built into Windows 11 and don’t have an official revert option.

Is there an official Windows 11 classic theme?

No. Microsoft doesn’t ship a built-in “classic” or Windows 10 style theme in Windows 11. The adjustments in this guide use individual Settings options rather than one combined theme switch.

Do these settings work the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro?

Yes, the Personalization settings for taskbar, Start menu, and colors covered here are available on both Windows 11 Home and Pro editions.

Will changing the taskbar or Start menu affect Windows updates or support?

No. These are standard personalization settings, so adjusting them won’t affect how Windows Update works or your ability to get support from Microsoft.

Are third-party tools that restore the Windows 10 look safe to use?

They can work well for many people, but they aren’t Microsoft products, so they’re not officially supported and may stop working or cause issues after a Windows update. If you try one, keep a backup and be ready to uninstall it if problems come up.

Related guides

• How to Disable OneDrive on Windows 10 and 11
• How to Remove OneDrive from Your PC
• How To Stop Teams Loading Up After Logging In

Sources

• Windows client documentation (Microsoft Learn)
• Windows Documentation (Microsoft Learn)