My favourite free Home windows 11 customization app simply received even higher

I have been utilizing Windows 11 day-after-day since upgrading my desktop PC from Windows 10 in 2021. Whereas I take pleasure in a lot of its options, such because the improved File Explorer and snap layouts for multitasking, I’ve all the time been pissed off by the restricted customization choices for the taskbar, Begin menu, and desktop. For instance, in contrast to Home windows 10, you’ll be able to’t even make the taskbar vertical.

That is why customization apps have change into important to my Home windows 11 expertise. The one I depend on most is a free app referred to as Windhawk, which lets you simply obtain and handle mods that change the looks of Home windows 11, akin to fully overhauling the look of the taskbar and Begin menu. Lately, the app acquired a serious replace, making it even higher to make use of.

Windhawk’s newest model, 1.7, is filled with new options. Some of the necessary modifications is how the app manages downloading mods. Beforehand, Windhawk downloaded mods and compiled them domestically in your machine. Now, it downloads precompiled mods, making set up and updates a lot faster. Once I up to date all of the mods I’ve put in after the replace, it took simply seconds, so it undoubtedly works. The replace additionally provides the power to view and set up older variations of mods, so if a brand new replace to a mod you utilize causes issues, you’ll be able to rapidly revert to a earlier model.

Find out how to obtain Windhawk and customise Home windows free of charge your self

My two favourite mods change the look of the Begin menu and taskbar

In the event you’re enthusiastic about attempting the newest model of Windhawk, you’ll be able to obtain it free of charge from GitHub. As soon as you put in it in your PC, open the Discover tab within the app to see all of the totally different mods you’ll be able to set up to customise Home windows 11 to your liking.

There are tons of various mods obtainable on Windhawk, together with one in every of my favorites that allows you to take away the “beneficial apps” part from the Begin menu fully. One other one I take advantage of is the Home windows 11 Taskbar Styler, which helps you to change the taskbar’s look, akin to making it fully clear or remodeling it right into a macOS-style dock.

Moreover, because of the newest 1.7 replace, the builders have added a search function, filtering choices, and a listing view on your put in mods, making it even simpler to handle them.

One other helpful function on this new Windhawk replace is the power to replace the app immediately from the About part. Now, each time a future Windhawk replace like this one is launched, you’ll be able to replace it by going to the About part (positioned on the prime proper of the app) as a substitute of visiting GitHub to obtain the newest launch.

I have been utilizing Windhawk on my Home windows 11 laptop computer for a number of months, and I have not had any points with my Home windows breaking or related issues with the few mods I’ve put in, and the whole lot has been easy. Whereas Windhawk addresses my complaints about Home windows 11’s restricted customization choices, it could be good if Microsoft finally centered on giving customers extra methods to personalize the Begin menu, taskbar, File Explorer, and different options as a substitute of simply including extra Copilot options.