Windows 11 test update resurrects movable taskbar and adds compact mode

Microsoft has begun rolling out optional update KB5120998 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. Beyond routine fixes, it brings several user-facing changes that could affect daily workflows—but as with all preview updates, caution is advised.

Taskbar flexibility returns

The headline change is the return of a movable taskbar. Users can now position it at the bottom, top, left, or right of the screen via Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behavior → Taskbar position. This capability existed in earlier Windows versions but was absent from the initial Windows 11 release.

A new “Small” taskbar mode reduces icon size and bar height, freeing vertical space on smaller displays. This compact variant is limited to the top or bottom edges.

Start menu and Search tweaks

The Start menu's “Recommended” section has been renamed “Recently used.” Users can also hide their name and profile picture, and independently toggle the visibility of pinned apps, recommended content, and all apps. Microsoft notes that small and large Start layouts, plus automatic resizing, are planned for later.

Search is being redesigned for clarity. Future iterations will label results by source—apps, Settings, local files, the web, or Microsoft Store—and users can disable web and Store suggestions from privacy and search settings. Windows may also automatically index frequently used folders to accelerate future searches.

File Explorer and performance

File Explorer's home page now responds faster, and the recommended files section supports touch scrolling.

Security and platform groundwork

Administrator Protection, a security feature for enterprise environments, grants time-limited permissions for administrative tasks and is disabled by default.

Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) are also introduced, isolating processes like coding agents and restricting their access to files, network, and system resources via policies—preparing Windows for AI agents.

Additionally, Windows will soon support ML-KEM, a post-quantum cryptography algorithm, as an independent option for TLS key exchange.

The update also improves virtual desktop switching, display and brightness settings, Task Manager, and Windows Update-related features. Windows Setup and the “Get Started” app have been refreshed.

Deprecations and caveats

The older WMIC command-line tool will no longer be included in Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, although the underlying WMI service remains.

Patch KB5120998 is an optional preview update, meaning manual installation via Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Optional updates. Microsoft reports no known issues, but some users have reported cursor and wallpaper problems; the cause is unidentified. As with any preview update, early adoption carries risk, and feature rollout may be gradual—some improvements might take a week or more to appear after installation.