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A Long-Overdue Windows 11 Makeover
For years, Windows 11 users have complained about one simple problem: Microsoft kept making the operating system look modern while quietly taking away many of the customization options that made Windows feel like Windows. The taskbar could no longer be freely moved around the screen, the Start menu consumed too much space, and Windows Search increasingly mixed local results with Bing and Microsoft Store content.
That is beginning to change.
Microsoft’s KB5120998 cumulative preview update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 introduces several long-requested customization features, including the ability to move the taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom of the display, resize the taskbar, change the size of the Start menu, hide sections of Start, and disable web and Microsoft Store suggestions in Windows Search. Microsoft’s own release documentation confirms that the update is being delivered through a gradual rollout, meaning the underlying features can reach PCs at different times.
Microsoft Learn
For Windows enthusiasts, this is much more than another monthly update.
It represents a small but meaningful change in Microsoft’s approach to Windows 11: giving users control instead of assuming there is one correct way to use the operating system.
What Is Windows 11 KB5120998?
KB5120998 is a preview cumulative update associated with Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. The latest August 27 release corresponds to builds 26100.9278 for Windows 11 24H2 and 26200.9278 for Windows 11 25H2.
Microsoft Learn
Unlike a normal Patch Tuesday security update, a preview update is primarily an opportunity for Microsoft to deliver and test non-security improvements before they become part of a broader monthly release.
That distinction matters.
Installing an optional preview update is not something every Windows user needs to do immediately. Users who prefer maximum stability can wait for the features to arrive through the normal servicing process.
For enthusiasts, testers, administrators, and people who have been waiting years for these specific controls, however, KB5120998 is considerably more interesting.
The Three Changes Windows 11 Users Have Been Waiting For
The
Microsoft has been testing these capabilities through Windows Insider builds for some time, and they are now moving toward broader availability.
The important detail is that the features are being rolled out gradually. Installing the update therefore does not necessarily mean every new option will immediately appear on your PC. Microsoft explicitly describes KB5120998 as using a gradual rollout in which availability can vary by device.
That is why two PCs running the same Windows version can behave differently after installing the same update.
The Taskbar Can Finally Move Again
Perhaps the biggest change is the return of something Windows users once considered completely normal: putting the taskbar wherever they want it.
Windows 11 originally restricted the taskbar to the bottom of the screen through the supported graphical interface. That restriction became one of the most criticized design decisions surrounding the operating system.
KB5120998 changes that.
Once the feature is available, Windows 11 lets you choose between:
Bottom
Top
Left
Right
The setting can be found under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar position. Microsoft confirms that taskbar tooltips, flyouts, and animations continue to originate from the appropriate side when the taskbar is repositioned.
Windows Blog
+1
For longtime Windows users, the significance is obvious.
A vertical taskbar can be extremely useful on widescreen displays because it provides additional horizontal workspace. Instead of consuming valuable vertical pixels, the taskbar sits along the side of the monitor.
That can be particularly attractive for developers, editors, researchers, traders, administrators, and anyone who works with large documents or wide application interfaces.
The Smaller Taskbar Is Finally Official
The taskbar is not only movable.
It can also become smaller.
Microsoft has introduced a Small taskbar size that reduces both icon size and taskbar height while maintaining access to Start, Search, and the system tray.
Windows Blog
+1
The option is available from:
Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size
Users can choose the smaller design when they want to reclaim a little more screen real estate.
There is an important limitation, however.
The smaller taskbar is currently supported only when the taskbar is positioned at the top or bottom of the display. Likewise, the Search box has limitations when the taskbar is moved to the sides.
Windows 11 Forum
+1
That means
Still, the direction is encouraging.
Why the Taskbar Change Matters More Than It Looks
It would be easy to dismiss taskbar positioning as a cosmetic feature.
That would be a mistake.
Operating-system customization affects productivity because people do not all use computers in the same way.
Someone using a 16:9 laptop may prefer the bottom.
Someone using an ultrawide monitor may prefer the left.
Someone working across multiple displays might want the taskbar positioned differently on each screen.
Windows has historically been powerful partly because it allowed users to build workflows around their own habits.
Returning that flexibility makes Windows 11 feel less like a fixed appliance and more like a traditional desktop operating system again.
Start Menu Finally Becomes More Flexible
The second major improvement is the Start menu.
Microsoft is giving users three Start menu size choices:
Automatic, Small, and Large.
The default remains Automatic, while the new Small and Large modes allow users to decide how much screen space Start should consume.
Microsoft Learn
+1
The setting is located under:
Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size
This may sound minor, but it addresses one of the biggest complaints about the modern Start menu.
The Start Menu Has Been Too Large for Too Long
The Windows 11 Start menu was designed around a modern visual language, but that design sometimes came at the expense of efficiency.
On smaller laptop displays, Start could occupy a surprisingly large portion of the screen.
That becomes frustrating when the user simply wants to launch an application, find a document, or perform a quick search.
The new Small mode should make Start significantly less intrusive.
The Large option goes in the opposite direction and can be useful for users who prefer larger pinned areas and easier visual navigation.
The important part is not which option Microsoft thinks is best.
The important part is that Microsoft is finally letting the user decide.
Microsoft Renames Recommended to Recent
Another subtle but welcome change is the renaming of the Start menu’s Recommended section to Recent.
The terminology is more descriptive because the section is fundamentally about recently accessed content.
Microsoft has also redesigned the Start settings page with separate controls for the Pinned, Recent, and All sections.
Microsoft Learn
+1
This gives users more granular control over what appears in Start.
Instead of accepting the entire Start experience as one package, users can decide which sections they actually want.
That is exactly the kind of customization Windows 11 has been missing.
You Can Hide Your Name and Profile Picture
Microsoft has also added an option to hide your name and profile picture from the Start menu.
The feature can be useful for people who regularly record their desktop, livestream applications, demonstrate software, or share their screen during meetings.
A Start menu showing personal account information may not always be desirable when the screen is being broadcast to other people.
The new setting provides a simple solution without requiring third-party customization tools.
Microsoft Learn
It is a small feature, but it demonstrates an important philosophy: privacy and personalization do not always require complicated settings.
Windows Search Finally Lets You Say Goodbye to Bing
The most controversial part of Windows Search has never really been the search technology itself.
It has been the mixture of local and online results.
When someone searches their own computer, they often expect to find applications, files, folders, and settings.
Instead, Windows Search has historically mixed those results with Bing web content and Microsoft Store recommendations.
KB5120998 gives users more control.
Turn Off Web Results in Windows Search
The update introduces controls for suggested search results under:
Settings > Privacy & security > Search
Users can disable Web Searches to prevent Bing results from appearing in Windows Search.
They can also disable Microsoft Store suggestions.
With those options turned off, Search becomes much closer to what many desktop users actually want: a tool for finding things on their own computer.
Microsoft’s documentation describes Windows Search as capable of returning files, applications, settings, and web results, while the new update provides more control over how those results are presented.
Microsoft Support
+1
A Cleaner Search Experience
The change goes beyond simply hiding Bing.
Microsoft is also improving the way Search results are presented, making it easier to distinguish between different result types before opening them.
Labels can help identify whether something is an application, file, setting, web result, or Store suggestion.
That matters because search is fundamentally about reducing friction.
A good search interface should answer one question quickly:
“Did I find what I was looking for?”
The clearer the result categories are, the less time users spend guessing what each result represents.
Search Home Is Becoming Less Distracting
Microsoft is also cleaning up the Search home experience.
Instead of making the interface feel like another portal for promotional content, the redesigned experience puts more emphasis on useful search activity and recent searches.
This is an important distinction.
Windows Search should feel like an operating-system utility rather than another advertising surface.
If Microsoft continues moving in this direction, Windows 11 could become considerably less cluttered for people who simply want to use their PC.
Why You May Not See the New Features Yet
Installing KB5120998 does not guarantee that every feature will appear immediately.
This is because Microsoft uses Controlled Feature Rollout, commonly abbreviated as CFR, for many Windows features.
The basic idea is straightforward.
Microsoft can distribute the underlying code to a large number of computers while controlling which devices actually receive the feature.
This allows the company to monitor crashes, compatibility problems, performance issues, and user feedback before enabling the feature everywhere.
Microsoft’s official release notes explicitly state that KB5120998 is being delivered through gradual rollout phases, so feature availability can vary between devices.
Microsoft Learn
The Code Can Be Present but the Feature Can Still Be Disabled
This is where tools such as ViVeTool become interesting.
A Windows feature can exist inside the installed operating-system build while remaining disabled by a feature flag.
In that situation, your PC technically contains the code, but Windows is not exposing the associated setting yet.
ViVeTool can interact with these feature flags.
However, this is precisely where users should exercise caution.
Feature IDs are tied to particular Windows builds and can change as Microsoft modifies the operating system.
A command that works today can stop working after a future update.
How to Install ViVeTool Safely
ViVeTool is a command-line utility developed by the Windows customization community and hosted through the project’s GitHub repository. The current release referenced by the project is ViVeTool v0.3.4.
GitHub
Download it only from the
After downloading the ZIP archive, extract it to a simple directory such as:
C:ViVeTool
Then open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Use:
cd C:\ViVeTool
You are now working from the directory containing the executable.
Enabling the KB5120998 Features
The feature IDs circulating for the KB5120998 feature bundle can be enabled through ViVeTool.
The primary command supplied with the original article is:
vivetool /enable /id:61161244
If that does not expose all of the desired features, the additional IDs can be attempted:
vivetool /enable /id:62353331,62762248,61754985
After applying feature configurations, restart Windows.
However, these commands should be treated as build-specific configuration commands, not permanent Windows commands.
Microsoft can change feature IDs, integrate features permanently, remove experimental flags, or alter how CFR works.
How to Undo ViVeTool Changes
One of the advantages of ViVeTool is that feature flags can generally be reversed using the same identifier.
For example:
vivetool /disable /id:61161244
And for the additional identifiers:
vivetool /disable /id:62353331,62762248,61754985
Restart Windows after changing the configuration.
If a feature becomes officially available later, it is generally better to let Windows manage it normally rather than continuing to depend on an old feature flag.
Deep Analysis
Why Feature Flags Matter
Windows has increasingly become a modular operating system in which Microsoft can deliver functionality independently from traditional major releases.
That creates enormous flexibility for Microsoft.
It also creates uncertainty for advanced users.
A traditional Windows release used to mean that a feature was either present or absent.
The modern Windows development model can be more complicated.
The code may exist.
The configuration may exist.
The user interface may exist.
But the feature may still be disabled remotely or controlled through an experimental flag.
Why Microsoft Uses Controlled Rollouts
Controlled rollouts are fundamentally a risk-management mechanism.
Imagine Microsoft enables a new Taskbar implementation for 200 million computers simultaneously.
If the feature introduces a serious Explorer crash, Microsoft suddenly has an enormous problem.
A staged rollout allows Microsoft to expose the feature to smaller groups first.
If crash telemetry increases, Microsoft can pause the rollout.
If everything looks healthy, the rollout can expand.
This is safer than flipping every switch at once.
The Downside of Gradual Rollouts
The same system that protects Windows users can also frustrate them.
Two identical computers can receive the same update but expose different functionality.
That creates confusion.
One person can install KB5120998 and immediately see a movable taskbar.
Another can install the same update and see nothing.
Neither computer is necessarily broken.
They may simply be at different stages of Microsoft’s rollout.
ViVeTool Is Powerful Because Windows Already Contains the Code
ViVeTool is not magically downloading a secret Microsoft feature.
Its attraction comes from manipulating Windows feature configurations.
That distinction is important.
The underlying implementation is already associated with the Windows build.
ViVeTool simply attempts to change the state of feature flags that Microsoft has left disabled.
This is why enthusiasts use the tool to experiment with upcoming Windows functionality.
But Feature IDs Are Not APIs
Users should not think of ViVeTool identifiers as stable public APIs.
Microsoft does not promise that an ID will remain unchanged.
A feature ID may work on one build and fail on another.
It may also expose a feature that Microsoft has not finished polishing.
That is why forcing an experimental feature is fundamentally different from enabling an official Windows setting.
The Taskbar Is the Biggest Philosophical Change
The taskbar repositioning feature is technically simple.
Its significance is much larger.
Microsoft removed flexibility when Windows 11 launched.
Now it is gradually returning that flexibility.
That suggests Microsoft is listening more closely to the Windows power-user community.
The company does not need to make Windows look exactly like Windows 10.
It does, however, need to recognize that customization is one of the reasons desktop users choose Windows.
Vertical Taskbars Make Sense on Modern Displays
Modern monitors are getting wider.
Laptop screens are also increasingly adopting unusual aspect ratios.
A vertical taskbar can therefore be a practical productivity feature rather than merely a nostalgia feature.
Moving the taskbar to the left or right preserves vertical workspace.
For developers working with long source files, the additional vertical space can be useful.
For video editors, spreadsheets, browsers, and document-heavy workflows, every additional pixel can matter.
The Start Menu Changes Address a Real Usability Problem
Start menu size is another example of Microsoft responding to practical complaints.
A single fixed Start layout cannot work perfectly for every display.
A compact laptop and a large desktop monitor have different requirements.
The new Automatic, Small, and Large options acknowledge that reality.
The best interface is not necessarily the one Microsoft designed.
It is the one the user can adapt.
Search Is the Most Important Privacy-Oriented Improvement
The ability to disable web results deserves more attention than it initially receives.
Windows Search sits directly inside the operating system.
Users can reasonably expect a local search to prioritize local content.
When web results are mixed into those results, the boundary between “search my computer” and “search the internet” becomes blurred.
The new controls restore that distinction.
Removing Bing Does Not Mean Removing Windows Search
This is an important clarification.
Turning off Web Searches does not disable Windows Search itself.
It simply limits what Windows Search returns.
You can still search for:
Applications
Files
Folders
Settings
System components
Other local content
The result is a more focused desktop search experience.
Microsoft Store Suggestions Are a Different Problem
Store suggestions can also be useful to some users.
But they can be distracting when the user is searching for something unrelated.
Giving users a dedicated switch is therefore better than forcing everyone into the same search experience.
Some people want recommendations.
Others want a clean local search engine.
Windows should support both.
The Bigger Windows 11 Strategy
Taken together,
The company is not abandoning the modern interface.
Instead, it is adding back controls that power users expected from previous versions of Windows.
The result could be a better balance between simplicity and flexibility.
This Update Is Not a Revolution
It is important not to exaggerate KB5120998.
The update does not fundamentally transform Windows 11.
There is no completely new desktop architecture.
There is no revolutionary security model.
There is no dramatic performance breakthrough hidden inside these customization options.
What it does is arguably more practical.
It fixes annoyances that users encounter every day.
And sometimes eliminating small frustrations has a bigger impact on the overall experience than adding flashy new features.
How to Configure the New Taskbar
Step One: Open Taskbar Settings
Go to:
Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors
Look for the new Taskbar position option.
Step Two: Choose Your Preferred Edge
Select:
Bottom, Top, Left, or Right.
Windows should reposition the taskbar immediately after the option becomes available.
Step Three: Experiment With Taskbar Size
If you keep the taskbar at the top or bottom, look for:
Taskbar size
Choose Small if you want to reclaim additional screen space.
How to Customize the Start Menu
Step One: Open Start Settings
Navigate to:
Settings > Personalization > Start
Step Two: Change Start Menu Size
Select:
Automatic, Small, or Large.
Small is likely to appeal to users who want a compact launcher, while Large may be more comfortable on high-resolution displays.
Step Three: Control Start Sections
Use the available controls to decide whether Pinned, Recent, and All sections should appear.
You can also enable the option to hide your name and profile picture.
How to Clean Up Windows Search
Step One: Open Search Privacy Settings
Go to:
Settings > Privacy & security > Search
Step Two: Expand Suggested Search Results
Find the section dealing with suggested search results.
Step Three: Disable Web and Store Results
Turn off:
Web Searches
and, if desired:
Microsoft Store
The result should be a cleaner local-search experience.
What Happens If the Features Do Not Appear?
Do Not Assume the Update Failed
If you install KB5120998 and do not see the new controls, that does not automatically indicate an installation problem.
Microsoft is explicitly using gradual feature delivery.
The feature may simply not have been activated for your device yet.
Microsoft Learn
Check Your Windows Build
Press:
winver
You can also use:
systeminfo
to inspect broader system information.
For Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, KB5120998 corresponds to the newer 26100.9278 and 26200.9278 builds in the current Release Preview rollout.
Microsoft Learn
Check Whether the Feature Is Already Exposed
Look under:
Settings
→ Personalization
→ Taskbar
→ Taskbar behaviors
and:
Settings
→ Personalization
→ Start
For Search, check:
Settings
→ Privacy & security
→ Search
If the options appear, there is no reason to use ViVeTool.
Should You Install KB5120998?
Enthusiasts May Want It
If you have been waiting for taskbar repositioning, Start menu sizing, or cleaner Search controls, this is one of the more interesting Windows 11 preview updates of the year.
The changes are visible.
They solve real complaints.
And they move Windows 11 toward a more flexible desktop experience.
Conservative Users Can Wait
If your PC is mission-critical, there is also a perfectly reasonable argument for waiting.
Preview updates are optional.
Microsoft uses them to introduce and validate improvements before broader deployment.
There is little reason for a business-critical machine to chase every new interface feature on day one.
What Undercode Say:
Microsoft Is Finally Listening
Windows 11 has spent much of its life being criticized for taking away options.
KB5120998 reverses part of that trend.
The taskbar can finally move.
That alone will make longtime Windows users happy.
The Start menu can finally be resized.
That makes Windows 11 more practical on different screen sizes.
Search can finally be stripped of unwanted web results.
That makes the operating system feel more focused.
These are not artificial “AI-powered” gimmicks.
They are basic desktop controls.
And that is precisely why they matter.
Microsoft’s decision to bring back taskbar positioning is especially significant.
It shows that user feedback can influence Windows design.
The company does not have to abandon its modern interface.
It simply has to give users choices.
The smaller taskbar is another welcome improvement.
Laptop displays are valuable real estate.
Every unnecessary pixel consumed by the operating system reduces the space available to applications.
A compact taskbar makes sense.
The Start menu changes are equally practical.
Automatic is useful for people who do not want to think about configuration.
Small is useful for minimalists.
Large is useful for accessibility and high-resolution displays.
That is better than forcing one design on everyone.
The renamed Recent section is also a smart usability decision.
“Recommended” sounds like advertising or algorithmic content.
“Recent” tells users exactly what the section contains.
The ability to independently control Start sections is another step in the right direction.
Users should not need registry modifications just to decide what appears in their Start menu.
The Search improvements may ultimately be the most important change.
Windows Search should not feel like a miniature web portal when someone is looking for a local file.
The ability to disable Bing results gives users control over that experience.
The Microsoft Store toggle goes one step further.
It separates application discovery from local file searching.
That distinction has been missing for too long.
Microsoft’s gradual rollout strategy is understandable.
The company has hundreds of millions of Windows devices to support.
A broken Taskbar could create enormous disruption.
Controlled Feature Rollout reduces that risk.
But Microsoft should communicate these rollouts more clearly.
Users should not have to wonder why two identical computers behave differently after receiving the same update.
Feature availability should be explained directly inside Windows Update.
The use of ViVeTool also reveals something interesting.
Windows enthusiasts are willing to take control when Microsoft does not provide it.
That does not mean everyone should immediately modify feature flags.
It does mean Microsoft should recognize the demand for customization.
The best Windows experience is not identical for every user.
Power users want control.
Casual users want simplicity.
Businesses want predictability.
Accessibility users need flexibility.
Windows has to serve all of them.
KB5120998 moves slightly closer to that goal.
It does not fix every Windows 11 complaint.
It does not erase years of criticism.
It does not magically make Windows perfect.
But it demonstrates a healthier direction.
Microsoft is slowly learning that modernization does not require removing choice.
A modern interface can still be customizable.
A clean design can still expose advanced controls.
A simplified experience does not have to become a restricted experience.
That balance is what Windows 11 needed from the beginning.
And KB5120998 may finally be one of the updates that helps Microsoft get there.
✅ KB5120998 Is Associated With Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2
Microsoft’s Release Preview documentation identifies KB5120998 with Windows 11 builds 26100.9267 and 26200.9267 initially, while the August 27 rollout is associated with 26100.9278 and 26200.9278. The update is therefore correctly identified as part of the Windows 11 24H2/25H2 release path.
Microsoft Learn
✅ Taskbar Repositioning Is Real
Microsoft has officially documented the ability to position the taskbar at the bottom, top, left, or right of the display. The feature also preserves taskbar flyouts, tooltips, and animations in the appropriate orientation.
Windows Blog
+1
✅ Start Menu Resizing Is Real
Microsoft confirms that users can choose between Automatic, Small, and Large Start menu layouts, while also controlling Pinned, Recent, and All sections.
Microsoft Learn
✅ Windows Search Is Becoming More Customizable
The update introduces additional control over Windows Search, including options relating to web searches and Microsoft Store suggestions. The broader Windows Search architecture continues to support local and web results, making these controls particularly useful for users who want a local-first experience.
Microsoft Learn
+1
⚠️ ViVeTool Is Not an Official Microsoft Configuration Utility
ViVeTool is a community-developed utility, not a Microsoft-supported Windows administration tool. Its project repository confirms the existence of version 0.3.4, but feature IDs should be considered build-dependent rather than permanent commands.
GitHub
⚠️ Not Everyone Will See the Features Immediately
This is one of the most important qualifications. Installing KB5120998 does not necessarily activate every feature immediately because Microsoft is using gradual rollout mechanisms. A PC can therefore be fully updated while some new settings remain unavailable.
Microsoft Learn
❌ It Is Not Accurate to Treat Every Feature as Instantly Available to Everyone
The original wording can give the impression that installing the preview update guarantees all three features. Microsoft’s documentation contradicts that assumption by explicitly describing gradual rollout and device-dependent availability.
Microsoft Learn
❌ ViVeTool IDs Should Not Be Presented as Permanent
The commands can be useful for enthusiasts, but feature identifiers are not stable public APIs. They can change as Windows builds evolve, so the commands should be treated as experimental rather than guaranteed long-term configuration methods.
Prediction
(+1) Windows 11 Will Become More Customizable Over the Next Few Releases
Microsoft is likely to continue restoring customization options that disappeared during the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
The taskbar is the clearest example.
Once Microsoft has successfully delivered taskbar positioning and sizing, other previously restricted interface elements could receive similar treatment.
The Start menu is also moving toward greater personalization.
Search is becoming less dependent on a single Microsoft-controlled presentation.
Together, these changes suggest that Microsoft is gradually shifting from “this is how Windows should work” toward “this is how Windows can work for you.”
That is a positive direction.
The biggest question is whether Microsoft will continue this philosophy consistently.
If it does, Windows 11 could eventually become both modern and genuinely flexible — something users have been asking for since the operating system launched.
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