Transform Windows 11 to Look Like Windows 10 Easily

Want your Windows 11 to resemble the familiar Windows 10 interface? Here’s how you can achieve that with a few tweaks and tools.

How Can I Make Windows 11 Look Like Windows 10?​

1. Move the Taskbar​

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, go to Personalization, and click on Taskbar on the right.
2. Now, click on Taskbar alignment, and choose Left from the Taskbar alignment dropdown menu.

If you want to make the Windows 11 taskbar look like the one in Windows 10, switch the alignment to the left. All the icons would be left-aligned. Though not the same, it would give a good impression of Windows 10.

2. Remove New Taskbar Icons​

1. Open Taskbar Settings: From the Settings app, go to Personalization, then Taskbar.
2. Disable Unwanted Icons: Toggle off Search, Task view, Widgets, and Chat under Taskbar items.

This will clean up your taskbar, making it look simpler and more like Windows 10.

3. Restore the Classic Start Menu Using Third-Party Software​

3.1. Start11​

1. Download Start11: Visit the Start11 website and download the installer.
2. Install and Open Start11: Follow the installation prompts and open the Start11 application.
3. Select Windows 10 Style: Choose the Windows 10 style from the configuration options.

3.2. Open-Shell (Free)​

1. Download Open-Shell: Get the Open-Shell installer from its official website.
2. Install Open-Shell: During installation, uncheck Classic Explorer and Classic IE.
3. Configure Start Menu: Open Open-Shell Menu Settings, select Windows 7 style, and use a suitable skin like Fluent-Metro.

These tools will allow you to customize your Start menu to look more like Windows 10’s.

4. Change Icons to Windows 10 Style​

1. Download Icon Pack: Find and download a Windows 10 icon pack (e.g., Windows 10 Build 10125).
2. Place Icons in a Folder: Keep the icons in an easily accessible folder.
3. Change Desktop Icons:
   • Open Settings and go to Personalization.
   • Select Themes, then Desktop icon settings.
   • Click an icon you want to change, select Change icon, navigate to your icon folder, and choose the desired icon.
4. Change Folder Icons:
   • Right-click a folder, select Properties.
   • Go to the Customize tab, click Change Icon, and select your preferred icon.

Updating your icons will provide a more cohesive Windows 10 look throughout your system.

5. Disable Rounded Corners​

1. Open Device Manager: Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Disable Display Adapter:
   • Expand Display adapters, right-click your display adapter, and select Disable device.

Disabling the display adapter will remove rounded corners but can impact performance, so only use this method if absolutely necessary.

6. Change Wallpaper to Windows 10 Default​

1. Download Windows 10 Wallpaper: Search for the Windows 10 default wallpaper online.
2. Set as Background:
   • Right-click the downloaded image, select Set as desktop background.

Changing the wallpaper will give a familiar visual cue reminiscent of Windows 10.

7. Restore Classic Context Menu​

1. Open Registry Editor: Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to CLSID Key: Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID.
3. Create New Key: Right-click CLSID, select New > Key, and name it {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}.
4. Create InProcServer32 Key: Inside the new key, create another key named InProcServer32.
5. Set Default Value: Double-click the default value inside InProcServer32 and set it to a single space.

Restart your PC to see the classic context menu.

By following these solutions, you can make Windows 11 look and feel more like Windows 10 while retaining the security and updates of the newer OS.