Windows 11 Classic View: How to Get the Familiar Look Back

Microsoft has been working hard to modernize the look and feel of Windows for a long time, and Windows 11 is the recent result. While some changes are pretty good, like the updated Settings app, some are not an improvement over the previous version. The taskbar and Start menu are good examples. Though they look pretty good, the community hates the reduced functionality.

If you don’t like how Windows 11 looks out of the box, you can restore the classic view with a few small changes. That way, you can get back the familiar Start menu, taskbar, and right-click context menu.

So, without further ado, let me show you how to change Windows 11 to the classic view.

Table of contents:

1. How to Restore Windows 11 Classic View
   1. Move the Start menu to the left side
   2. Restore the Classic Start Menu in Windows 11
   3. Change Windows 11 Taskbar Size
   4. Restore the Classic Context Menu in Windows 11
2. Use WindowBlinds 11 to Enable Windows 11 Classic View
3. Conclusion

How to Restore Windows 11 Classic View

To enable or restore Windows 11 to the classic view, you must make four main system changes. i.e., move the Start menu to the left side of the taskbar, enable the classic Start menu, change the taskbar size, and restore the classic context menu. Follow each step in order, and you’ll have the Windows 11 classic view in no time.

Step 1: Move the Start menu to the left side

One of the biggest changes you notice as soon as you log into Windows 11 is the centered Start menu. To get the classic view of previous versions in Windows 11, you must move the Start menu to the left of the taskbar. Here’s how to do it.

1. Launch the Settings application with the “windows Logo key + I” keyboard shortcut.
2. Click on the “Personalization” option on the sidebar.
3. Click on the “Taskbar” to go to the Taskbar settings page.
4. Expand the “Taskbar behaviors” section by clicking on it.
5. Select “Left” from the “Taskbar alignment” dropdown menu.
6. With that, the Start menu and taskbar icons are shifted to the left side.

As soon as the Start menu icon and the taskbar icons are moved to the left of the taskbar, it looks just like the older Windows versions.

Step 2: Restore the Classic Start Menu in Windows 11

After moving the Start menu and taskbar icons to the left side, you must restore the classic Start menu. In older versions of Windows 11, you can add a value called “Start_ShowClassicMode” to the registry editor to switch to the classic Start menu. However, Microsoft deprecated that value, and it no longer works.

Though the built-in option doesn’t work anymore, you can use third-party apps like Explorer Patcher (free), Start11, Open Shell Menu, etc., to get back the classic Start menu. You can make the Start menu look like Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 with just a few clicks. Follow the link to restore the classic Start menu in Windows 11.

Step 3: Change Windows 11 Taskbar Size

In older Windows versions, you can change the taskbar size and make it look a bit small. If you want that classic look, follow the steps below to change the Windows 11 taskbar size.

1. Launch the Registry Editor by searching for it in the Start menu.
2. Go to the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced” folder in the Registry Editor.
3. Select the “Advanced” folder and right-click on it.
4. Select the “New” and then “DWORD (32-bit) Value” from the context menu.
5. Type “TaskbarSi” as the name of the new value.
6. After that, right-click on the “TaskbarSi” value and select “Modify.”
7. Replace “0” with “1” in the Value Data field and click “Ok.”
8. Close the Registry Editor window by clicking the “X” icon at the top-right corner.
9. Reboot Windows 11 to apply the taskbar changes made in the Registry Editor.
10. After restarting, you will see the small taskbar in Windows 11.

If you want to restore the default taskbar size, delete the “TaskbarSi” value or change its value data to “2.”

Step 4: Restore the Classic Context Menu in Windows 11

Once you have dealt with the Start menu and taskbar, the next thing to do is restore the modern simplified context menu to the classic context menu in Windows 11. Here’s how to do it:

1. Launch the Registry Editor by searching for it in the Start menu.
2. Go to the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID” folder.
3. Right-click on the “CLSID” folder and select the “New -> Key” option to create a new folder.
4. Use “{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}” as the folder name (including the curly brackets).
5. Right-click on the folder you just created and select “New -> Key” to create another sub-folder under it.
6. Use “InprocServer32” as the folder name and press “Enter” to confirm it.
7. Select the folder you just created, and double-click on the “Default” value on the right panel.
8. Don’t make any changes to the value, and click on the “Ok” button. This action triggers the value with no changes.
9. Close the Registry Editor and reboot the computer.
10. After restarting, the classic context menu is restored in Windows 11.

Use WindowBlinds 11 to Enable Windows 11 Classic View

If you want more customizability and control, or you don’t want to make all the changes manually in multiple steps, I recommend using WindowBlinds 11. It allows adding custom skins, backgrounds, textures, fonts, and more. It also adds additional functionality to Windows 11, such as scheduling dark mode, high-dpi support, and more.

For example, using WindowBlinds 11, you can make Windows 11 look like Windows XP, 7, 8, or 10, change the start icon, design your own skins, create presets, add new colors and fonts, change visual styles, etc.

Now, WindowBlinds 11 is not free; it costs $19.99. However, if you like customizing Windows 11, then it is worth every penny. The best thing about this software is that it makes customizing easy, all the while providing the ability to easily undo the changes if you don’t like what you see. If you compare it to manually editing the registry and/or using multiple free third-party applications, it is miles better and provides peace of mind.

Download link: https://www.stardock.com/products/windowblinds/

Restoring Windows 11 Classic View — Conclusion

As you can see, it takes some work, but in four simple steps, you can restore Windows 11 to the classic view. Of course, be cautious while editing the registry and create a backup to be safe. If you don’t want to make all the changes manually, as recommended, use WindowBlinds 11. Yes, it costs a bit, but it makes everything that much easy, has more customization options, and adds additional capabilities to Windows 11.

Finally, bookmark this guide so that if you ever want to undo the changes, you can follow the same steps in reverse order.

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That is all. It is that simple to restore Windows 11 to the classic view.

I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.

If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.