WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:05.759 the lengths people will go to keep using Windows is astonishing but the fact of 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:09.920 the matter is every new version including Windows 11 has some amazing 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:14.639 new features that you don't want to miss out on at the cost of a bunch of new 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:18.560 annoyances you'll have to get used to or you can get mad and take it into your 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:22.240 own hands and you don't even have to be an elite power user to do it so let me 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:26.480 show you how the average user can decrapify Windows 11 and make it the way 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:30.160 it should have been to begin with war thunder is an online military 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:34.399 vehicle combat game that's free to play and a lot of fun try it for free down 00:00:32.239 --> 00:00:38.360 below today and get some special bonus items for signing up 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:50.239 the taskbar and start menu are arguably the biggest sources of annoyance in 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:54.079 Windows 11. and there's no shortage of fixes for that by far the most 00:00:51.760 --> 00:00:57.440 comprehensive available so far is start all back it's just currently in its 00:00:55.360 --> 00:01:01.600 release candidate phase it's so comprehensive that it addresses almost 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:06.400 every major issue many will have with Windows 11's new ui full stop not only 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:10.640 can it make the start menu less whatever this is by restoring it to a 00:01:08.479 --> 00:01:13.840 more Windows 7 like state but it comes with its own search engine that doesn't 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:17.520 rely on the bingified search that microsoft's been using since Windows 10. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:21.680 the taskbar itself can be modified dramatically with this rather fetching 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:25.680 segmented look that makes the centered taskbar make a lot more sense while 00:01:23.759 --> 00:01:29.600 freeing up desktop real estate otherwise used by a solid bur i actually kind of 00:01:27.520 --> 00:01:32.880 like this look although you can just go for the classic style if that's more 00:01:30.880 --> 00:01:37.040 your jam that's not where the Windows 7 and 10 styling stops though because you 00:01:34.479 --> 00:01:40.880 can also use it for the corner icons too by default Windows 11 bundles the volume 00:01:39.119 --> 00:01:45.200 control with wi-fi and bluetooth in the new control center which can make things 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:49.360 a little trickier to do quickly but with start all back you can separate these 00:01:46.960 --> 00:01:52.560 icons into their own functions just like old times 00:01:50.479 --> 00:01:56.960 in fact you can even restore explorer to the Windows 7 or 10 layout complete with 00:01:54.479 --> 00:02:01.280 ribbon ui and it can make the old right-click menus the default instead of 00:01:59.119 --> 00:02:05.040 the new simplified ones that hide your third-party extensions oh and 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:09.360 even weirdos who like to move the taskbar around can put it anywhere they 00:02:06.880 --> 00:02:12.640 want albeit with the caveat that flyouts will still come from the bottom right 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:16.400 corner of the screen unless you're using the Windows 7 or 10 styles there's more 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:20.319 that start all back can do too but they're not the only game in town meet 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:23.920 start 11 by stardock this does a lot of the same stuff as 00:02:21.760 --> 00:02:26.800 start all back but some of the extended functionality is different particularly 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:30.959 when it comes to integration with the broader object desktop suite stardock's 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:35.519 start menu replacement has a more accurate Windows 10 style as well as an 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:39.280 original modern design that's different from anything microsoft has done to date 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:43.599 customization is also a bigger focus overall for start 11 with custom 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:48.239 textures actions and direct controls for transparency blur and color to dial it 00:02:45.440 --> 00:02:52.800 in just right unfortunately both start all back and start 11 are paid software 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:57.760 but the good news is that each only costs five bucks once 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:02.159 as of right now there aren't any officially supported free options for 00:02:59.440 --> 00:03:05.200 Windows 11. you can use open shell which is a free start menu replacement for 00:03:03.920 --> 00:03:09.040 Windows 10 but it runs behind the regular start 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:14.640 menu and only opens if you hit the Windows key which is less than ideal so 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:19.840 what can you get away with for free first you can left align your taskbar this is 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:22.560 something that microsoft has mercifully added an option for which you can find 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:26.640 in the taskbar settings under the taskbar behaviors 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:30.239 simple and free if you want classic right-click menus or to move your 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:33.519 taskbar to the top of the screen both of these can be done with a couple of 00:03:31.440 --> 00:03:36.959 simple registry tweaks without even having to install anything i'll link 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:41.120 those down below now if you really like the concept of that centered taskbar 00:03:38.799 --> 00:03:44.959 dock from start all back then good news rounded tb is free and will do the same 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:49.760 thing you'll need to use taskbar settings to choose the alignment but once you dial it in it looks pretty 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:53.440 snazzy if you ask me unlike start all back though the menu 00:03:51.760 --> 00:03:56.879 itself is still in the middle with this method it's got baked in support for 00:03:55.120 --> 00:04:00.000 another app called translucent tb that allows you to customize the visual style 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:03.599 of the bar but there are performance ramifications for doing this so it's not 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:08.159 recommended by the developers right now taskbar x can do some of the same stuff 00:04:05.920 --> 00:04:12.879 and does a bit more with behavior rather than appearance if you want a more 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:16.079 tweaky tool for the taskbar but as cool as all this is 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:20.239 there's still something missing from Windows 11 live tiles if you agree to 00:04:18.799 --> 00:04:25.120 love them since their introduction in Windows 8 then good news microsoft 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:29.280 removed them in Windows 11. wait that's not good at this at all 00:04:26.880 --> 00:04:32.800 no no the good news is an intrepid developer decided to create a free 00:04:30.880 --> 00:04:36.880 program to put live tiles wherever the heck you want on both Windows 10 and 11. 00:04:35.520 --> 00:04:41.120 put them in the start menu put them on the desktop as widgets it doesn't matter 00:04:38.960 --> 00:04:45.840 your app doesn't even have to have a live tile it can grab notifications and 00:04:43.520 --> 00:04:50.080 use those to make it live it's pretty sweet or at least it's a 00:04:47.919 --> 00:04:54.560 start what if you also happen to hate the new route of Windows well that's a 00:04:52.400 --> 00:04:58.720 little trickier with 11 disable or restore rounded corners is a creatively 00:04:56.560 --> 00:05:02.720 named app that does exactly what it says on the tin by modifying the desktop 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:06.720 window manager dll to remove the rounded corner bits entirely that's a potential 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:11.360 security risk since it requires the remissions of the file to be modified 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:14.479 plus you'll need to reapply the patch if the file ever gets an update from 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:18.800 microsoft but if you do break something there's always system restore and the 00:05:16.479 --> 00:05:24.800 upside is you need to only run the app and reboot to once again gaze upon the 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:26.639 glory of 90 degree corners 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:30.240 just like god intended speaking of intentions 00:05:28.479 --> 00:05:33.440 i'm not sure you can give microsoft much benefit of the doubt on making it way 00:05:32.080 --> 00:05:38.479 more difficult to change your default browser than it was on Windows 10. thankfully mozilla reverse engineered at 00:05:36.880 --> 00:05:43.199 edge's one-click switch method for firefox for those of you with a more 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:46.880 google-centric browser you'll still have to painstakingly make the changes 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:50.320 yourself but you'll notice that even if you get a different web browser set as 00:05:48.479 --> 00:05:55.120 the default no matter what method you use microsoft edge will still launch 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:59.600 from time to time when clicking on links or accessing Windows help enter 00:05:57.280 --> 00:06:04.000 edge deflector a simple little app that registers itself to handle a special 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:07.840 hidden microsoft edge link type passing it on to your default 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:13.280 browser after the first time setting it as a default you'll never see edge again 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:17.360 hopefully and now for the bonus round all the stuff that i think is useful 00:06:15.039 --> 00:06:20.560 that's not Windows 11 specific starting with alt drag if you've used Linux 00:06:19.039 --> 00:06:23.680 you'll know that this title refers to the ability to hold a keyboard key down 00:06:22.400 --> 00:06:27.199 and then click anywhere in a window to drag it around something that can help 00:06:25.520 --> 00:06:31.840 with productivity and is particularly useful for touch screens it's a little 00:06:29.520 --> 00:06:36.240 old now and doesn't directly support aerosnap but it's got its own snap 00:06:33.840 --> 00:06:39.919 feature built in that kind of mimics it another app called sizer can help with 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:43.440 that though it allows you to position and size Windows quickly and accurately 00:06:41.919 --> 00:06:47.039 it's a fair bit faster than dragging the window around manually even to use with 00:06:45.280 --> 00:06:50.400 snap twinkle tray is an app that people with notebooks and surface devices might 00:06:48.960 --> 00:06:55.039 appreciate it lets you change the brightness of even external displays and 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:58.400 while it doesn't smoothly step through the brightness levels like modern 00:06:56.319 --> 00:07:02.560 laptops what's really cool is you can set minimum and maximum values for each 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:05.520 monitor to normalize them so you can control all the displays at once 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:09.360 whenever you change the brightness combine this with scheduled brightness 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:13.599 changes and another app called auto dark mode and you've got a pretty great setup 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:17.280 imo complete with time-based desktop wallpaper switching twinkle tray hooks 00:07:15.599 --> 00:07:22.080 into the on-screen display control via ddcci which is supported by most 00:07:19.520 --> 00:07:25.680 displays since the late 2000s and is a whole rabbit hole all on its own 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:29.919 finally i would be remiss to talk about 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:33.440 decrapifying Windows if i didn't talk about power toys these are small apps 00:07:31.919 --> 00:07:37.599 developed by microsoft for the purpose of extending Windows for power users and 00:07:35.440 --> 00:07:42.319 some like virtual desktops have even graduated to flagship features today 00:07:39.919 --> 00:07:45.280 some of them like svg previews seem like they should probably be baked into 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:48.720 Windows without any further questions asked but then there's others like fancy 00:07:47.039 --> 00:07:52.639 zones that's an app that lets you partition your displays and set up 00:07:50.479 --> 00:07:56.599 custom layouts for apps it's something that i would actually say is super 00:07:54.240 --> 00:08:01.199 useful for ultrawide users and almost non-negotiable for super ultra wide 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:06.080 users or users of big tv displays like Linus microsoft even made a spotlight 00:08:03.599 --> 00:08:10.240 ask search tool proving that yes they can do it properly they just hide it 00:08:07.919 --> 00:08:13.680 away as a power toy get subscribed by the way because yes we are going to be 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:19.199 reviewing Windows 11 in its current state and based on what you've seen today we've definitely got some things 00:08:17.280 --> 00:08:23.199 to say there's a ton of other stuff around like alternative file managers 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:28.400 like one commander file copiers like teracopy process managers like prio or 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:34.159 process lasso that save priorities and CPU affinities and many many more tweaks 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:37.680 but for now let's turn it over to you are there any tweaks or utilities that 00:08:35.680 --> 00:08:41.279 you use that we didn't cover let us know in the comments down below and hey maybe 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:45.839 we can make a regular thing out of this kind of video just like we make regular 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:49.200 things out of sponsors to segues like this 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:52.000 war thunder is a free-to-play online military vehicle combat game that's 00:08:50.560 --> 00:08:58.000 available on Windows mac Linux playstation 4 playstation 5 xbox one and 00:08:54.640 --> 00:08:59.839 xbox series snx with cross play there 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:04.000 are more than 50 million players from all over the world and it features an 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:08.640 incredible arsenal of more than 2 000 historically accurate playable tanks 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:13.360 aircraft and ships from the 1930s to the 1990s you can participate in massive 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:17.839 combined arms battles on over 80 major battlefields from world war ii to the 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:21.200 end of the cold war and there's always active development with free major 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:26.080 updates every couple of months that add even more content that includes vehicles 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:29.680 maps and new gameplay features so head to the link below and start playing war 00:09:27.680 --> 00:09:33.760 thunder for free you'll also be able to get a free bonus premium vehicle just 00:09:31.760 --> 00:09:37.680 for signing up thanks for watching guys this is kind of a different video so 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:40.880 maybe go check out our video on Windows 10 ameliorated for another take on how 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:48.320 to fix Windows that project no longer exists so 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:48.320 think of it as a fun little time capsule