Stardock Releases Start11 v1.2

After three weeks in beta, Start11 v1.2 is now available, offering customers major improvements to the Windows 11 taskbar in particular.

“The new taskbar features are designed to deliver functionality from previous versions of Windows but make them look and feel native to Windows 11,” Stardock’s Brad Sams says. “With our new taskbar experience, we have created a foundation for bringing additional functionality to Windows 11 to further our mission to make Windows more personal and productive.”

Start 11 v1.2 adds the ability to ungroup items on their taskbar in centered or left-aligned modes, taskbar resizing, and enhanced multi-monitor support that lets users define window grouping for primary and secondary monitors.

Start11 cost $5.99 and works with both Windows 10 and 11. You can learn more from the Stardock website.

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Conversation 16 comments

  • sharps

    Premium Member
    06 April, 2022 - 7:31 pm

    <p>Having tried the 1.2 release, I’ve uninstalled start11.</p><p><br></p><p>The new mode is weird. Start button has to be on the left, you can only center the apps. Turning off this puts it back to how things were in 1.1, except somehow my taskbar is now slightly off-screen (bug I assume). Even with the new mod on the taskbar felt pretty alien to win 11.</p><p><br></p><p>Overall I don’t find start11 an improvement over the standard taskbar.</p><p><br></p>

    • navarac

      07 April, 2022 - 3:04 am

      <p>No improvement? You gotta be kidding.</p>

    • lwetzel

      Premium Member
      07 April, 2022 - 10:07 am

      <p>To each his own but…Not sure you have really looked at settings and used the app much. Huge improvement over Windows 11 stock version. </p><p><br></p><p>In My Own Opinion.</p><p><br></p>

  • Tek.Dallas

    06 April, 2022 - 9:14 pm

    <p>I recently discovered <em>Stardock</em> through a YouTuber recommendation, and really like it. All <em>Stardock</em> software comes with a 30 day trial (only requiring an e-mail signup) so really, how can you go wrong in trying? I enjoyed it so much, I purchased <em>Object Desktop, </em>which is a suit of all their desktop software. It includes some really cool tools, which some people aren’t gonna care about, but have really got me excited about using Windows right now. </p>

    • Tek.Dallas

      06 April, 2022 - 9:16 pm

      <p>I was saying <em>Stardock</em> when I meant <em>Start11</em>, <em>Stardock </em>is the developer. </p>

      • Brad Sams

        Premium Member
        07 April, 2022 - 10:36 am

        <p>Give Fences a try, Start11 gets a lot of coverage but more people use Fences than S11 surprisingly. </p>

        • Tek.Dallas

          07 April, 2022 - 11:41 am

          <p>Absolutely! I don’t know if I can pick a true favourite out of these apps, but Fences would be in the lead if I did!</p>

  • rycott

    Premium Member
    06 April, 2022 - 11:04 pm

    <p>Brad Sams… guy is a bit suss… dunno if I would trust him :P</p>

    • nsemrau

      07 April, 2022 - 3:32 am

      <p>He peddles proprietary software, so … hard no.</p>

    • Brad Sams

      Premium Member
      07 April, 2022 - 9:29 am

      <p>?</p>

  • 2ilent8cho

    07 April, 2022 - 4:39 am

    <p>It’s good things like Start11 exist, but at the same time it’s painful to still see that for over a decade now the GUI for Windows is still so broken and getting worse not better. </p><p><br></p><p>Why is Microsoft not addressing how bad their user interface is? Are they really that oblivious to how painful Windows is to use now? I so wish somebody would take ‘Settings’ round back at shoot it. When ever I get to use a Windows 2000, Server 2003, or Server 2008 R2 box now it feels so nice, the GUI is neat, clean and not wasteful. If I remote onto a Windows Server 2016 or 2019 I want to smash things up in rage, its just a painful mess. </p>

  • matsan

    Premium Member
    07 April, 2022 - 6:02 am

    <p>So so so sad it’s needed. I just ran Windows 11 to test our software and boy did they put lipstick on that pig… Moving the Start-menu to the middle of the screen is a PITA for mouse-users. I guess their Telemetry data shows a 200000% increase in touch-only users (from 100 to 5000 or so) so they decided to ruin the experience for the majority of their users.</p>

  • lwetzel

    Premium Member
    07 April, 2022 - 10:18 am

    <p>I’m pleased with Windows 11. It’s not a huge jump from Windows 10 but, for me, just enough and improving. Start11 is doing what Start8 and Start10 did was enhance and give options to the start menu for the user who wants it. All OSs have applications to change the UI for the ones that want to with the exception of maybe macOS and iOS. But sometimes reading complaints about Windows 11 makes me feel like I’m from another planet. But I think nowadays maybe we are so spoiled and have so much available that we just either remember when it wasn’t there or can’t stop asking for more.</p>

  • lwetzel

    Premium Member
    07 April, 2022 - 10:20 am

    <p>Sorry but</p><p><br></p><p> "<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">that we just either remember when it wasn’t there or can’t stop asking for more."</span></p><p><br></p><p>Should read</p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">that we just either don’t remember when it wasn’t there or can’t stop asking for more.</span></p>

  • chirowilk

    07 April, 2022 - 2:46 pm

    <p>Was hoping for more. Wishing for task bar more like Imac with scroll over enlarging the icon.</p>

  • markkhk

    07 April, 2022 - 8:05 pm

    <p>I hated having the task bar centred with W11 … thought great 1.2 allows me to have it left aligned. Used it for a while and then reverted it to the centre – it feels more natural there, particularly if using touch. Maybe MS was right!</p>

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