How to Make Windows 11 Look Like Windows 10

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https://andytips.com/tech/make-windows11-look-like-windows10/
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After upgrading to or freshly installing Windows 11, many users find the unfamiliar interface inconvenient.
The centered taskbar, simplified right-click menu, and altered Start Menu and File Explorer interface.
You miss the familiar Windows 10 environment.

Searching online reveals methods using BAT files or scripts to change everything at once.
But running scripts from unknown sources feels risky.

This guide shows you how to configure settings manually wihtout BAT files.
Follow each step to restore your system to a familiar look.

1. Align Taskbar to Left

Windows 11 centers taskbar icons by default.
Here’s how to align them to the left like Windows 10.

Method 1: Using the Settings Menu

  1. Right-click on an empty space on the taskbar
  2. Select “Taskbar settings”
  3. Expand the “Taskbar behavior” section
  4. Change “Taskbar alignment” to “Left”

Method 2: Edit the Registry

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog
  2. Type regedit and press Enter
  3. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
  4. In the right pane, locate TaskbarAl (create it if it doesn’t exist)
  5. Double-click to set the value to 0
    • Data type: DWORD (32-bit)
    • Value: 0 (left alignment), 1 (center alignment)
  6. Restart Explorer or log out and log back in

2. Show Taskbar Labels

Windows 11 displays only icons on the taskbar. This setting shows program names alongside icons and displays windows from the same program individually.

Registry Editing Method

  1. Press Win + R → Run regedit
  2. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
  3. Locate the TaskbarGlomLevel value (create it if it doesn’t exist)
  4. Double-click to set the value to 2
    • Data type: DWORD (32-bit)
    • Value: 0 (Always group), 1 (Group when full), 2 (Do not group)
  5. Restart File Explorer

How to Restart File Explorer

  1. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc
  2. Locate “Windows Explorer”
  3. Right-click → Select “Restart”

Or run the following in Command Prompt:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

3. Restore the Classic Right-Click Menu

Restores the simplified context menu in Windows 11 to the Windows 10 style.

Registry Editing Method

  1. Press Win + R → Run regedit
  2. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID
  3. Create a new key under CLSID
    • Key name: {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}
  4. Create another new key under the newly created key
    • Key name: InprocServer32
  5. Select the InprocServer32 key
  6. Double-click “(Default)” in the right pane
  7. Set the value data to an empty string (leave it blank)
  8. Click OK and restart File Explorer

Now right-clicking will immediately display the full Windows 10-style context menu.

How to Undo

To revert to the original state, delete the entire key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}

4. Windows 10-Style Start Menu with Open-Shell

Change the Windows 11 Start Menu to Windows 10 or Windows 7 style.

Installing Open-Shell

  1. Visit the official GitHub page: 
    https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
  2. Download the latest version fo OpenShellSetup_X_X_X.exe from the Releases page
  3. Run the installer
  4. Select “Open-Shell Menu” in the installation options (others can be deselected)
  5. Complete the installation

Open-Shell Configuration

  1. After installation, click the Start button
  2. The Open-Shell Start Menu appears
  3. Right-click the Start button → Select “Settings”
  4. In the Settings window:
    • Menu Style: Select “Windows 7 style” or “Windows Aero”
    • Skin: Select “Immersive” or your desired skin
    • Check “Show all settings” to display detailed options
  5. Click OK

Change Start Button Icon (Optional)

Installing Open-Shell changes the Start button icon.
To keep the default Windows 11 icon:

  1. Right-click the Start button → “Settings”
  2. Uncheck “Replace Start Button”
  3. Click OK

Now the Start menu will be Windows 10 style, but the button will retain the default Windows 11 design.

5. Restore Explorer Ribbon Menu with ExplorerPatcher

Windows 11 File Explorer has a simplified command bar.
Use ExplorerPatcher to restore the Windows 10 ribbon menu.

Installing ExplorerPatcher

  1. Visit the official GitHub page: 
    https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
  2. Download ep_setup.exe from the Releases page
  3. Run the downloaded file
  4. Installation proceeds automatically
  5. File Explorer restarts automatically

Enabling the Ribbon Menu

  1. Type ep in Windows Search
  2. Run “Properties (ExplorerPatcher)”
  3. Select “File Explorer” from the left menu
  4. Under “Control Interface,” select “Windows 10 Ribbon”
  5. Click “Restart File Explorer” at the bottom

Additional Settings: Changing Taskbar Position

If you’ve installed ExplorerPatcher, you can move the taskbar to the top or side of your screen.

  1. Run ExplorerPatcher Properties
  2. Select “Taskbar” from the left menu
  3. Choose “Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher)” for “Taskbar Style”
  4. Select your desired position under “Taskbar Location” (Top, Bottom, Left, Right)
  5. Click “Restart File Explorer”

This enables changing the taskbar position, which is otherwise impossible by default in Windows 11.

6. Remove the Home Button from File Explorer

Remove the Home button located in the left navigation pane of Windows 11 File Explorer.

Registry Editing Method

Enable HubMode

  1. Press Win + R → Run regedit
  2. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
  3. Locate the HubMode value (create it if it doesn’t exist)
  4. Double-click to set the value to 1
    • Data type: DWORD (32-bit)

Delete the NameSpace Key

  1. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace
  2. Locate the {f874310e-b6b7-47dc-bc84-b9e6b38f5903} key
  3. Delete that key

Hide (Alternative)

To hide the key without deleting it:

  1. Select the {f874310e-b6b7-47dc-bc84-b9e6b38f5903} key
  2. In the right pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value:
    • Name: HiddenByDefault
    • Value: 1
  3. Restart File Explorer

Note

This registry path is under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, so administrator privileges are required.
You must run the Registry Editor with administrator privileges.

Remove the Gallery folder from navigation.

Current User Settings

  1. Press Win + R → Run regedit
  2. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID
  3. Locate the {e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c} key (create it if it doesn’t exist)
  4. In the right pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value:
    • Name: System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree
    • Value: 0

For All Users

  1. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace
  2. Delete the {e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c} key

Hide via Policy

  1. Navigate to the following path: 
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum
  2. If the NonEnum key does not exist, create it
  3. In the right pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value:
    • Name: {e88865ea-0e1c-4e20-9aa6-edcd0212c87c}
    • Value: 1
  4. Restart File Explorer

Reverting All Changes

If you wish to revert the modified settings to their original state, follow the steps below.

Restoring Registry Values

  1. Taskbar-related restoration:

    • Delete the TaskbarAl value or change it to 1
    • Delete the TaskbarGlomLevel value

  2. Right-click menu restoration:

    • Delete the entire HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2} key

  3. Home button restoration:

    • Change the HubMode value to 0
    • Regenerate the {f874310e-b6b7-47dc-bc84-b9e6b38f5903} key in NameSpace or change the HiddenByDefault value to 0

  4. Gallery restoration:

    • Change the System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree value to 1
    • Recreate the deleted NameSpace key
    • Delete the NonEnum policy value

Program Removal

  1. Removing Open-Shell:

    • Settings → Apps → Installed apps
    • Find “Open-Shell” and remove it

  2. Removing ExplorerPatcher:

    • Run ExplorerPatcher Properties
    • Click “Remove” or “Uninstall” at the bottom of the left menu
    • Or remove it via Settings → Apps

Restarting File Explorer will return it to the default Windows 11 state.

My Thoughts

It’s natural to feel uncomfortable with the changed interface when transitioning to Windows 11.
Familiar environments feel comfortable, and adapting to new ways takes time.

You can restore your system to a familiar look using the methods introduced in this article.
But sometimes, embracing new changes isn’t a bad idea either.
You might discover unexpectedly convenient features while using Windows 11’s new functionalities.

People often say:
Those who speak of the future are young, while those who only speak of the past are old.
I wonder if, as we age, we become more set on clinging to what we know.

Sticking to what you’re used to is fine.
But sometimes, embracing new changes is okay too.

Which choice will you make?