valinet/ExplorerPatcher on Hacker News

This fixes that: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/

comment by WithinReason · 2026-06-15 · in Windows 11 users are tired of MS account requirements creeping into everything

…you just need to roll with whatever changes. I can't imagine doing that kind of work anymore. [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases

comment by chroma_zone · 2026-03-03 · in The beauty and terror of modding Windows

…next to the keyboard, so I move the taskbar to the top on all my Windows two-in-ones. Shout out to https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher for forcing this behavior even on Windows 11.

comment by orthoxerox · 2026-01-29 · in Android’s desktop interface leaks

The only thing keeps Windows 11 usable for me are these two mods.. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher https://github.com/open-shell/open-shell-menu/ They bring back the context menu and the old task bar, as well as the old start…

comment by leptons · 2025-12-31 · in 2025 was a disaster for Windows 11

…limited vertical space. Fortunately, ExplorerPatcher exists and can restore the functionality. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/

comment by commandar · 2025-11-23 · in Gnome is better macOS than macOS

…it easy to configure in the settings menu, I'm not aware of any other projects that implement SWS: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher It's very fast and can be configured to set window thumbnail size/area

comment by sudopsuedo · 2025-11-15 · in Windhawk Windows classic theme mod for Windows 11

…https://pxc-coding.com/donotspy11/ https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases

comment by leptons · 2025-10-02 · in Windows 7 marketshare jumps to nearly 10% as Windows 10 support is about to end

…VM I run, the first thing I install is always a horrible hack to restore flexibility: [1]. [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/All-features

comment by skirmish · 2025-09-18 · in KDE is now my favorite desktop

For that, use ExplorerPatcher: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by hnuser123456 · 2025-09-10 · in Microsoft PowerToys

…MacOS launcher. But that can be easily removed using tools like Explorer Patcher and Open Shell. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu The thing that made me switch to Linux is Microsoft's…

comment by leptons · 2025-06-28 · in Microsoft extends free Windows 10 security updates into 2026

I've found https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to be useful, though test it out before relying on it as some have reported stability issues with some options (I've not noticed any problems myself, other than things a little confused…

comment by dspillett · 2025-06-17 · in Windows 10 EOL

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by majkinetor · 2025-05-20 · in The Windows Subsystem for Linux is now open source

…to return my computer usability to Windows 10 days. https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/ https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher Without these I would probably give up on computers and go live under a bridge.

comment by leptons · 2025-03-30 · in Blue95: a desktop for your childhood home's computer room

…use W11, ExplorerPatcher will let you rollback the taskbar to windows 10 and move it to the sides. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by neither_color · 2025-03-26 · in Unofficial Windows 7 Service Pack 2

…settings and weakening your PC's security, so maybe trying to live with the new normal is better? https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by runjake · 2025-03-07 · in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build

…one registry key edit and I only had to do it once. The context menus are fine, they function. [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by dangus · 2025-02-02 · in Windows 11 turns the tide against Windows 10

…who have legitimate hardware incompatibility. Thats a reasonable reason to avoid the upgrade. [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by dangus · 2025-02-02 · in Windows 11 turns the tide against Windows 10

…using the Rufus ISO tool. This tool can move your taskbar or generally make 11 look like 10: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher Like I understand frugality and anti-consumption and all that but at some point if online gaming is…

comment by dangus · 2025-02-02 · in Windows 11 turns the tide against Windows 10

…to do it using [ExplorerPatcher] I think, but it's not officially supported. [ExplorerPatcher]: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by ambigious7777 · 2025-01-29 · in The Microsoft 365 Copilot launch was a disaster

…- Ads in our face - A worse start menu - A worse taskbar Fix Explorer with Explorer Patcher: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher . It was unusable otherwise for me.

comment by skirmish · 2025-01-02 · in With 10 months of support remaining, Windows 10 still dominates

For explorer tweaks, I've been using https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki for a while. Though it hacks around a bit so has been known to break after Windows Updates until a new release goes out (which was PDQ the only time…

comment by dspillett · 2024-08-22 · in Windows 11 tweaks and usability improvements

…they're good to go. Again. [1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/res... [2] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues

comment by withinrafael · 2024-04-06 · in Microsoft blocks even more customization apps in Windows 11 version 24H2

Tip: you can use https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to make it open the clock instead. (just built a new PC and Windows 11 was quite awful w/ stock UX)

comment by theultdev · 2024-01-05 · in Copilot key will eventually be required in new PC keyboards

…leg from the table, the one labelled 'usability'. Attaching a 3rd-party leg to fill the gap helps ( https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher ), but it's not an ideal solution (Still, it's not as bad as Win8 and the big attempt to push a…

comment by bluescrn · 2024-01-05 · in Windows 11 struggling to escape the shadow of Windows 10

…with it being quite wide and not being able to move to top of screen That may be fixed with https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher which restores win10 bar, there's no builtin solution to any of the above afaik Labels, combining,…

comment by dimava · 2023-12-07 · in Microsoft Will Eventually Start Charging You for Windows 10 Security Updates

…as you choose. Honestly I couldn't tolerate Windows 11 without something like ExplorerPatcher. 1. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by jacoblambda · 2023-11-22 · in Ubuntu squeezes more performance than Windows 11 on new AMD Zen 4 Threadripper

…even possible to activate on later versions of Windows with registry edits and helper software: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/167

comment by trealira · 2023-10-13 · in Screenshots from Windows 95

…11 seems to handle my triple monitor setup better, especially when waking up from sleep. [1] - https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by AndroidKitKat · 2023-08-12 · in Rectify11 Improving upon the Windows 11 experience

…at least among powerusers/devs. Edit: I'm blind. Only after revisiting, I found "read more" link: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki

comment by jve · 2023-05-11 · in Windows 11 in Svelte

I use https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to fix start menu and taskbar. Can't imagine using Windows without it.

comment by hu3 · 2023-05-11 · in Windows 11 in Svelte

There is a "Read More" link: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki

comment by operator-name · 2023-05-03 · in Ask HN: Windows 10-based devs, are you upgrading to Windows 11?

Once you add https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to fix the start menu / task bar, 100%.

comment by thesh4d0w · 2023-05-03 · in Ask HN: Windows 10-based devs, are you upgrading to Windows 11?

…back all the old Win10 taskbar stuff. I know we should even need this, but I hope this is helpful. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by BadJo0Jo0 · 2023-04-24 · in Windows 11’s taskbar is finally getting labels and never combine app icons

…introduces "Never Combine App Icons" to Windows 11, you can use this little enhancement to do it: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki

comment by nobrains · 2023-04-24 · in Windows 11’s taskbar is finally getting labels and never combine app icons

Windows 11's UI is trash, no question. However, it can be easily fixed with ExplorerPatcher. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by Lanz · 2023-04-18 · in The Windows 11 Trash Party

This reverts Windows 11 back to taskbar sanity from Windows 7/10 era and gets rid of ads as a bonus: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by hu3 · 2023-03-28 · in Windows 11 KB5023778 update adds promotions to the Start menu

Related and open source: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by construct0 · 2023-03-27 · in Windows needs to stop showing tabloid news

…shell UI back to stock Win10, and it's been working pretty well for me without any problems. [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by extheat · 2023-02-05 · in A patch to enable Windows Subsystem for Android to run on Windows 10

…things and the "real" context menu is hidden under "show more options" You can see much more at https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/ -- and this project fixes them, too.

comment by chx · 2023-02-05 · in A patch to enable Windows Subsystem for Android to run on Windows 10

ExplorerPatcher [1] exists also [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by b1ue64 · 2023-01-02 · in How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

…I had to find something for this. And thankfully, some guy was annoyed enough to build this: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by CrimsonRain · 2023-01-02 · in How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

this works: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by kk_cz · 2023-01-02 · in How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11?

I'm on https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to make 11 bearable, but it's a bit of a rough ride every time an update hits. First time ever I went through with a "donate" link on some software, that's how bad 11 is!

comment by usrusr · 2022-12-18 · in Windows 11 update added 'Search' label to taskbar search button – how to remove?

…of task bar items, items in multiple rows, items with titles and a quick launch area i use this: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by francispauli · 2022-12-05 · in Windows 11 still not winning the OS popularity contest

…works, it is one of the first things I install on new systems. I wish it was included in Ninite: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by humanistbot · 2022-11-21 · in Microsoft is turning Windows 11's Start Menu into an ad delivery system

This open-source project fixes Windows 11 back to sane Windows 10 functionalites: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases

comment by hu3 · 2022-10-25 · in My next Mac might be the last

…that, and much, much more. Smaller task bar, grouping/ungrouping icons. So glad I found this. [1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by gzer0 · 2022-10-24 · in Available Today: Windows Dev Kit 2023 a.k.a. Project Volterra

I use ExplorerPatcher so that on W11, I can still have a button per open application: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher It also brings other Windows 10 UI paradigm's back in.

comment by jonathanlydall · 2022-10-24 · in 98.css – design system for building faithful recreations of Windows 98 UIs

Highly recommend ExplorerPatcher: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher Allows you to move taskbar to side or top of screen, as well as retoring a number of other Windows 10 features (e.g. old-style context menus):…

comment by ceravis · 2022-09-21 · in Microsoft Has No Plans to Let You Move the Windows 11 Taskbar

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

comment by noisem4ker · 2022-08-12 · in Windows10Debloater: Script to remove Windows 10 bloatware (2021)