The 6 best apps to personalize Windows 11


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Microsoft has made many handy changes to the user interface (UI) of Windows 11. When you upgrade to Windows 11, you get a whole new Start menu, a redesigned taskbar, and a modern file explorer. However, while many users have praised the redesign of Windows 11, there are many who are not fans of the new user interface.

If you are one of those users who are not convinced by Microsoft’s design strategy for Windows 11, then we have the perfect solution for you. Fortunately, there are tons of apps available that let you tweak different aspects of Windows 11; you can customize everything from clock style to start menu with any of these apps.

Read on as we break down the best apps you can use to customize the look of Windows 11.

1. ThisIsWin11



thisiswin11 customize file explorer option

ThisIsWin11 is the ultimate unofficial customization tool for Windows 11. The tool allows many different customization options and is also great for removing unnecessary bloatware. The customization tool was previously available for Windows 10, but has now been updated to be compatible with Windows 11 as well.

There are five main tools in ThisIsWin11; the Presenter and PumpedApp lets you configure Windows 11 exactly the way you want. Kick and Packages allow you to remove bloatware, preinstalled applications, and manage other Windows 11 applications. You can also use PowerUI to automate tasks in Windows 11 using PowerShell.

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You can use ThisIsWin11 to customize a lot of things, and you can even get rid of Microsoft OneDrive and Cortana for good.

Related: How to Customize Windows 11 with ThisIsWin11

If you want to try your hand at ThisIsWin11, you can download it for free through the Github repository. All in all, this is a phenomenal tool that you can use to improve the performance of your Windows 11 PC.

To download: ThisIsWin11 (Free)

2. Start11



start11 windows11
Image Credit: Stardock

Stardock’s Start11 is a personalization tool that brings people back to what they loved about Windows. The Windows 11 Start menu was without a doubt the most important upgrade, but with Start11 you can choose to replace it with the classic Start menu layouts of Windows 7, 8 and even 10. Alternatively, you can opt for a fresh and modern take on classic Start menus.

That’s not all; Start11 also makes it possible to bring everything you loved about the taskbar before to Windows 11. This includes the ability to reposition the taskbar up or down, adjust color, blur and transparency of the taskbar, and even restore the classic taskbar context menu. You can even customize the grid icon spacing to suit your unique workflow.

To download: Start11 (Paid)

3. Rounded TB



roundtb win11

RoundedTB is an amazing customization tool for Windows 11, and new updates have made it even better. The app focuses on customizing the taskbar with options to add rounded corners, margin space and split it into different segments to get a more aesthetic taskbar.

RoundedTB has been around since Windows 10, but the latest updates make it more natural in certain situations where there would be considerable space at the edges of the screen.

The best part about RoundedTB is that it is available for free from the Microsoft Store and it works without making permanent system changes or modifying system files.

To download: RoundedTB (Free)

4. Files



windows 11 files

File Explorer was redesigned on Windows 11, but it was far from ideal. Files is a UWP file manager app for Windows 11 that basically replaces the default file explorer. It’s very easy to navigate and has an intuitive, fluid design that feels more modern and compact.


Related: How to Customize Your Folders Colors in Windows 11

Files is a powerful file manager which has a tabbed interface to allow opening different folders in multiple tabs; the tabbed design is similar to that of Google Chrome or other web browsers. Moreover, you can completely customize the sidebar with your favorite directories. The files also come with appearance customization which means you can choose a custom theme that suits your aesthetic or go for a beautiful preset dark mode that makes everything look stylish.

That’s not all; Files even have a much more refined and intuitive context menu compared to the default system. You can download files for free through the Microsoft Store.

To download: Files – File Manager for Windows (free)



bewidgets custom widgets

If you are a fan of widgets, then BeWidgets is the application you need on Windows 11. BeWidgets allows you to create fully customizable personalized widgets for your desktop. Microsoft added a Widgets panel to Windows 11, but it’s not what many users were hoping for.

You can add weather, time, stock exchange, cryptocurrency and even custom app shortcuts with BeWidgets. It makes your office practical, personalized and unique. What makes it even better is that it has a very easy to use interface that anyone can benefit from.

The developers of BeWidgets plan to add a music widget that will be able to control Spotify and other media, widgets supporting browsers, RSS feeds and texts. You can get BeWidgets for free from the Microsoft Store.

To download: BeWidgets (Free)

6. Live wallpaper



animated wallpapers

Windows 11 has some pretty awesome wallpapers, but they can get pretty dull over time. If you are someone who likes to have a little more flavor on their desktop, we recommend that you get Lively Wallpaper. It is available for free from the Microsoft Store.

Lively Wallpaper is not your average wallpaper app; it is unique and allows Windows 11 users to set videos, webpages and GIFs as wallpapers. You can even add animated backgrounds to enhance the overall feel of your desktop.

Moreover, once you have selected a background that you like, you have the option of customizing it to your aesthetic. You can change brightness, speed, zoom, overlay color and more with just a few clicks.

To download: Live wallpaper (free)

Customize Windows 11 as you wish

Windows 11 is great, but there are a lot of things we wish we could change about it. The Start menu, taskbar, file explorer, and wallpapers are some of the many items you can customize on Windows 11. You can even customize the system tray clock on Windows 11 to suit your style.


clock symbolizing the time and date

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