I was determined not to do any customization of the Start button location, but I couldn’t keep my hands off. There are some useful registry keys that we can use to set the default location of the Start Button and hide Task View, Chat icon for example during OSD or AutoPilot for that matter using a PowerShell script.
The really cool part is that the Start menu moves as soon as you set the registry value as shown below.
We could make it look like below example, not saying that you should that is up to you.
The following settings can be changed using the registry.
Start button alignment – 0 = Left
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
“TaskbarAl”=dword:00000000
Remove Task View from the Taskbar
[KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
“ShowTaskViewButton”=dword:00000000
Remove Chat from the Taskbar
[KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
“TaskbarMn”=dword:00000000
Remove Widgets from the Taskbar
[KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
“TaskbarDa”=dword:00000000
Remove Search from the Taskbar
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search]
“SearchboxTaskbarMode”=dword:00000000
Here is a sample script that can be used during OS Deployment or Intune for that matter to set the default behaviour in in the Default user registry hive. I used reg.exe to set the Search settings otherwise the registry hive fails to unload.
REG LOAD HKLM\Default C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT
# Removes Task View from the Taskbar
New-itemproperty "HKLM:\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "ShowTaskViewButton" -Value "0" -PropertyType Dword
# Removes Widgets from the Taskbar
New-itemproperty "HKLM:\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "TaskbarDa" -Value "0" -PropertyType Dword
# Removes Chat from the Taskbar
New-itemproperty "HKLM:\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "TaskbarMn" -Value "0" -PropertyType Dword
# Default StartMenu alignment 0=Left
New-itemproperty "HKLM:\Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "TaskbarAl" -Value "0" -PropertyType Dword
# Removes search from the Taskbar
reg.exe add "HKLM\Default\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search" /v SearchboxTaskbarMode /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
REG UNLOAD HKLM\Default
I run it in my task sequence as an inline PowerShell script as shown below.
I hope this can be useful! Now time for more playing around with Windows 11
Hi,
Is it possible /supported to override Windows 11 start layout and have pinned items of my choice only?
I asked it in MS platform as well at:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/583131/windows-111-gtgt-add-a-layout-to-an-image.html
Hi, Working on a Post right now on the topic.Depends on if you use MEMCM or Intune.
Regards,
Jörgen
hi, glad I found this writeup. How are you applying this as a scheduled task?
>I used reg.exe to set the Search settings otherwise the registry hive fails to unload.
Could you elaborate on that? Does this mean that “REG UNLOAD” fails if the last command was “New-itemproperty”, but succeeds if the last command was “REG ADD”?
Thanks.
Correct, If you create a new Registry Key, it will remain open until the powershell process finishes and then the unload command will fail.
I have a workaround for it but the posted script will work just fine.
Regards,
Jörgen
Hi
No MEMCM or Intune either. Just working with .WIM image.
Pushed these out via intune and see them on out Win 11 test machine, but they dont appear to do anything.
Hi,
The sample script only changes it for new users on the device. Did you push it out before anyone logged on?
Regards
Jörgen
This script works great thank you.
I tried adding values for making the taskbar with a dark theme and windows a light theme but it doesn’t seem to be working 🙁
Would you have any pointers?
I tried adding
reg.exe add “HKLM:\Default\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize” /v AppsUseLightTheme /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe add “HKLM:\Default\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize” /v SystemUsesLightTheme /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Thanks
David
This works wonders for new imaged systems.
however it does not for in-place upgrade TS…
is there a way to get this working on TS for in-place upgrades?
NOTE: I cannot not deploy the wind11 GPOs as we are still win10 and it seems they are not backwards compatible
This is what worked for me to set the Start Menu to the left…
Set-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\advanced -Name ‘TaskbarAl’ -Type ‘DWord’ -Value 0