Customize the Offset menu and taskbar layout on Windows 10 and subsequently devices

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Applies to:

  • Windows ten version 1607 and later
  • Windows Server 2016 with Desktop Experience
  • Windows Server 2019 with Desktop Experience

Looking for consumer information? See what'due south on the Start bill of fare

Looking for OEM information? See Customize the Taskbar and Customize the Start layout.

Your organization can deploy a customized Start and taskbar to Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise, or Education devices. Use a standard, customized Start layout on devices that are mutual to multiple users, and devices that are locked downward. Configuring the taskbar allows you to pivot useful apps for your users, and remove apps that are pinned by default.

Note

Back up for applying a customized taskbar using MDM is added in Windows 10, version 1703.

As ambassador, you tin can utilize these features to customize Outset and taskbar to encounter your organization needs. This commodity describes the different ways y'all can customize Offset and taskbar, and lists the Start policies. Information technology also includes taskbar information on a clean operating system (OS) installation, and when an OS is upgraded.

Use XML

On an existing Windows device, you can prepare the Start screen, and then export the layout to an XML file. When you have the XML file, add this file to a group policy, a Windows Configuration Designer provisioning bundle, or a mobile device management (MDM) policy. Using these methods, you tin can deploy the XML file to your devices. When the devices receive your policy, they'll utilize the layout configured in the XML file.

For more information, run into Customize and consign Start layout.

For the taskbar, you can employ the same XML file as the commencement screen. Or, you can create a new XML file. When you lot accept the XML file, add this file to a group policy or a provisioning parcel. Using these methods, you can deploy the XML file to your devices. When the devices receive your policy, they'll utilize the taskbar settings you lot configured in the XML file.

For more than data, encounter Configure Windows ten taskbar.

Use group policy

Using grouping policy objects (GPO), you can manage different parts of the Start menu and taskbar. You don't need to reimage the devices. Using administrative templates, you configure settings in a policy, and so deploy this policy to your devices. Get-go carte policy settings (in this commodity) lists the policies you tin can configure.

For more data, see Use group policy to customize Windows x Offset and taskbar.

Use provisioning packages

Provisioning packages are containers that include a set of configuration settings. They're designed to configure a device rapidly, without installing a new image. For more than information on what provisioning packages are, and what they do, meet Provisioning packages.

Using a provisioning packet, you can customize the Kickoff and taskbar. For more than information, see Use provisioning packages to customize Windows x First and taskbar.

Use a mobile device management (MDM) solution

Using an MDM solution, y'all add an XML file to a policy, then deploy this policy to your devices.

If you lot use Microsoft Intune for your MDM solution, then you can utilize settings to configure Start and the taskbar. For more data on the settings you tin configure, see Start settings in Microsoft Intune.

For more than data, see Use MDM to customize Windows ten Get-go and taskbar.

Showtime menu policy settings

start layout sections.

The following listing includes the different Get-go options, and any policy or local settings. The settings in the list tin can also be used in a provisioning packet. If y'all use a provisioning package, see the Windows Configuration Designer reference.

  • User tile

    • Group policy: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Outset Menu and Taskbar\Remove Logoff on the Start menu
    • Local setting: None
    • MDM policy:
      • Showtime/HideUserTile
      • Start/HideSwitchAccount
      • First/HideSignOut
      • First/HideLock
      • Starting time/HideChangeAccountSettings

  • Near used

    • Group policy: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Remove frequent programs from the Start carte
    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Start > Bear witness most used apps
    • MDM policy: Start/HideFrequentlyUsedApps

  • Suggestions, Dynamically inserted app tile

    • Group policy: Reckoner Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Cloud Content\Turn off Microsoft consumer experiences

      This policy also enables or disables notifications for:

      • A user'south Microsoft account
      • App tiles that Microsoft dynamically adds to the default Showtime menu

    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Start > Occasionally show suggestions in Start

    • MDM policy: Allow Windows Consumer Features

  • Recently added

    • Group policy: Computer configuration\Administrative Template\Start Menu and Taskbar\Remove "Recently Added" listing from Showtime Menu

      This policy applies to:

      • Windows 10 version 1803 and later

    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Start > Show recently added apps

    • MDM policy: Starting time/HideRecentlyAddedApps

  • Pinned folders

    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Get-go > Choose which folders appear on Start
    • MDM policy: AllowPinnedFolder

  • Power

    • Grouping policy: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Remove and forbid access to the Shut Downward, Restart, Slumber, and Hibernate commands
    • Local setting: None
    • MDM policy:
      • Get-go/HidePowerButton
      • Starting time/HideHibernate
      • Start/HideRestart
      • Start/HideShutDown
      • Get-go/HideSleep

  • Get-go layout

    • Group policy: User Configuration\Authoritative Templates\Commencement Menu and Taskbar\Forestall users from customizing their Start screen

      When a full Start screen layout is imported with Grouping Policy or MDM, users can't pin, unpin, or uninstall apps from the Beginning screen. Users can see and open all apps in the All Apps view, merely they can't pin any apps to the Start screen. When a partial First screen layout is imported, users can't change the tile groups applied by the fractional layout. They tin change other tile groups, and create their ain tile groups.

      Start layout policy can exist used to pivot apps to the taskbar based on an XML File you lot provide. Users tin can change the order of pinned apps, unpin apps, and pin more apps to the taskbar.

    • Local setting: None

    • MDM policy:

      • Kickoff layout
      • ImportEdgeAssets

  • Jump lists

    • Grouping policy: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Outset Menu and Taskbar\Exercise not proceed history of recently opened documents
    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Showtime > Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Kickoff or the taskbar
    • MDM policy: Start/HideRecentJumplists

  • Beginning size

    • Grouping policy: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Forcefulness Start to be either full screen size or carte size
    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Kickoff > Utilize Outset full screen
    • MDM policy: Force Offset size

  • App listing

    • Local setting: Settings > Personalization > Commencement > Show app list in Start menu
    • MDM policy: Start/HideAppList

  • All settings

    • Group policy: User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Prevent changes to Taskbar and Outset Menu Settings
    • Local setting: None

  • Taskbar

    • Local setting: None
    • MDM policy: Start/NoPinningToTaskbar

Note

In the Settings app > Personalization > Start, in that location is a Show more than tiles on Start option. The default tile layout for Start tiles is 3 columns of medium sized tiles. Show more tiles on Start enables 4 columns. To configure the four-cavalcade layout when you customize and export a Start layout, turn on the Show more tiles setting, then arrange your tiles.

Taskbar options

Starting in Windows x version 1607, you tin pin more apps to the taskbar, and remove default pinned apps from the taskbar. You can select different taskbar configurations based on device locale or region.

At that place are three app categories that could be pinned to a taskbar:

  • Apps pinned by the user

  • Default Windows apps pinned during the OS installation, such as Microsoft Edge, File Explorer, and Store

  • Apps pinned by your arrangement, such as in an unattended Windows setup

    In an unattended Windows setup file, it'due south recommended to apply the layoutmodification.xml method to configure the taskbar options. Information technology's not recommended to use TaskbarLinks.

The following example shows how apps are pinned. In Os configured to utilise a right-to-left language, the taskbar order is reversed:

  • Windows default apps to the left (blue circle)
  • Apps pinned by the user in the middle (orange triangle)
  • Apps that you pin using XML to the right (greenish foursquare)

Windows left, user center, enterprise to the right.

If you apply the taskbar configuration to a clean install or an update, users can still:

  • Pivot more apps
  • Change the lodge of pinned apps
  • Unpin any app

Tip

In Windows 10 version 1703, you lot can utilise the Commencement/NoPinningToTaskbar MDM policy. This policy prevents users from pinning and unpinning apps on the taskbar.

Taskbar configuration applied to clean install of Windows ten

In a clean install, if you apply a taskbar layout, but the following apps are pinned to the taskbar:

  • Apps you lot specifically add together
  • Any default apps you don't remove

After the layout is practical, users tin pin more apps to the taskbar.

Taskbar configuration applied to Windows 10 upgrades

When a device is upgraded to Windows x, apps are already pinned to the taskbar. Some apps may take been pinned to the taskbar by a user, by a customized base epitome, or by using Windows unattended setup.

On Windows 10 version 1607 and subsequently, the new taskbar layout for upgrades utilize the following behavior:

  • If users pinned apps to the taskbar, then those pinned apps remain. New apps are added to the right.
  • If users didn't pin any apps (they're pinned during installation or past policy), and the apps aren't in an updated layout file, then the apps are unpinned.
  • If a user didn't pivot the app, and the app is in the updated layout file, then the app is pinned to the right.
  • New apps specified in updated layout file are pinned to correct of user's pinned apps.

Learn how to configure Windows ten taskbar.

Start layout configuration errors

If your Showtime layout customization isn't practical as you await, open the Event Viewer. Go to Applications and Services Log > Microsoft > Windows > ShellCommon-StartLayoutPopulation > Operational. Await for the following events:

  • Event 22: The XML is malformed. The specified file isn't valid XML. This consequence can happen if the file has actress spaces or unexpected characters. Or, if the file isn't saved in the UTF8 format.
  • Event 64: The XML is valid, and has unexpected values. This event tin happen when the configuration isn't understood, elements aren't in the required order, or source isn't found, such every bit a missing or misspelled .lnk.

Next steps

  • Configure Windows 10 taskbar
  • Customize and consign Beginning layout
  • Add prototype for secondary tiles
  • Offset layout XML for desktop editions of Windows 10 (reference)
  • Customize Windows 10 Offset and taskbar with Group Policy
  • Customize Windows 10 Start and taskbar with provisioning packages
  • Customize Windows 10 First and taskbar with mobile device management (MDM)
  • Changes to Offset policies in Windows 10