Former Windows and Bing lead Mikhail Parakhin has publicly criticized the Windows 11 taskbar experience following the release of the 26H2 update. Despite the update allowing users to move the taskbar to the top, left, or right of the screen, Parakhin noted that the implementation remains incomplete and fails to meet professional workflow needs.
The primary limitations identified include the lack of an auto-hide feature for vertical taskbar positions and the absence of flexible resizing capabilities. While Windows 10 allowed users to drag the taskbar to resize it or move it freely, Windows 11 restricts users to preset sizes and requires navigation through system settings rather than direct interaction.
Microsoft began rolling out these taskbar customization options in the September 2026 update, following years of user requests. The company previously removed these features in 2021 to maintain interface symmetry, citing the need to rebuild the underlying framework to ensure compatibility with modern UI elements like widgets and system trays.
Parakhin, currently the CTO of Shopify, argued that vertical taskbars are essential for optimizing widescreen displays. He pointed out that third-party tools have long demonstrated the feasibility of these features, yet Microsoft has not committed to a timeline for restoring full functionality, such as auto-hiding for non-bottom positions.
