Make Windows 11 Look Like Windows 10 With ExplorerPatcher

Home windows 11 launched many modifications to Microsoft’s line of working techniques, each by way of type and the way in which we work together with the OS. A few of these modifications have been typically fashionable, however others haven’t. Nevertheless, earlier than you roll again to the earlier model Home windows, ExplorerPatcher might provide an alternate.

ExplorerPatcher is a light-weight piece of software program that permits you to revert many Home windows 11 design and value modifications again to how they had been in Home windows 10. You’ll be able to apply all of the modifications instructed beneath for a whole Home windows 10 look, or simply decide one which makes Home windows 11 work higher for you.


Making a Restore Level Earlier than You Begin Customizing Home windows

ExplorerPatcher is protected to put in, however as it is going to be making modifications to some important elements of Home windows, setting a restore level makes good sense.

  1. To start establishing a Restore Level, press Win + X and click on on Home windows Search. Seek for “Restore level,” then choose the Create a Restore Level consequence.
  2. Click on the Create button on the backside of the System Properties pane.
    screenshot showing creating a restore point

  3. Add a short description to assist establish the restore level sooner or later, after which click on Create. The present time and date will robotically be added.

You’ll be able to learn our full information on creating and utilizing restore factors for extra info.

Putting in ExplorerLauncher on Home windows 11

You’ll find ExplorerPatcher in Valinet’s GitHub repository. If you’re not aware of GitHub it might probably appear fairly complicated, however don’t fret. Scroll down the primary ExplorerPatcher web page to the How To part. Click on the hyperlink to the setup program to start downloading it.

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You may even see a warning about checking .exe recordsdata that you just obtain, which is sweet recommendation. You may also want to inform your browser to disregard the warning and preserve the obtain. After the file has been downloaded, scan it together with your antivirus software program if you’re involved.

Double-click the ep_setup.exe file to start the set up, which ought to solely take a number of seconds.

Edit the Home windows Taskbar and System Tray

As quickly as you put in ExplorerPatcher, the Taskbar will robotically change to look extra like Home windows 10. The Motion Heart button makes its return within the System Tray, and clicking on the icons for sound and community opens their particular person element panels relatively than the only Fast Settings panel.


Clicking the date will reveal the welcome return of the clock and the occasions show, in addition to the flexibility so as to add new occasions, within the pop-out Calendar pane.

To edit the taskbar additional, right-click on it and choose Properties from the motion menu. This opens the primary settings panel for ExplorerPatcher. You’ll be able to then change issues like icon dimension and whether or not taskbar icons are proven with a textual content label or with out.


menu showing ExplorerPatcher properties

Nevertheless, not all the pieces from the Home windows 10 Taskbar is returned. The obvious distinction is the shortage of a search field inside the Taskbar. Sadly, this could’t at the moment be introduced again by this software program.

How one can Change the Taskbar Place

One of many issues some customers have highlighted as lacking in Home windows 11 is the flexibility to tug the Taskbar to a place on the sides or high of the display. ExplorerLauncher doesn’t convey the drag choice again, however it does allow you to change the place of the Taskbar simply.


  1. Open Properties > Taskbar and search for Major Taskbar location on the display setting.
  2. Click on this setting and select your most well-liked Taskbar location from left, proper, high, or backside (default).
    setting to change the taskbar position in explorerpatcher

  3. You’ll be able to click on the Restart File Explorer button on the backside of the Properties pane to see the change instantly.

The Begin Menu is one other Home windows 11 characteristic that hasn’t had the warmest reception. Various customers are saying it makes discovering apps extra difficult than earlier than.

If you’re a kind of individuals, don’t fear; you may get the Home windows 10 model of the Begin Menu again in your pc.

Open the ExplorerPatcher Properties and choose the Begin Menu part. The primary choice right here permits you to change the type again to Home windows 10. When you’ve gotten performed this, the menu will change, however nonetheless pops up on the heart of the display.



the Windows 10 start menu in Windows 11

The Place on Display choice permits you to change that setting, so the menu seems on the edge because it did in Home windows 10.

When you don’t need to go so far as switching again to the Home windows 10 Begin Menu, you possibly can enhance the Home windows 11 model as a substitute.

In Properties > Begin Menu, search for the part that claims settings solely apply to the Home windows 11 menu. You’ll be able to power the Home windows 11 Begin Menu to open on the record of All Apps as a substitute of Pinned Apps. You may as well disable the Beneficial recordsdata part.

Restore the Home windows 10 File Explorer Ribbon and Context Menu

The simplification of the ribbon in File Explorer and the right-click context menu had been two extra huge modifications in Home windows 11. Each modifications have had combined critiques, and appear to make instruments and choices more durable to search out.

To alter these menus, head into the File Explorer settings within the ExplorerPatcher Properties. You received’t see the choice to allow the Home windows 10 variations of those options, however relatively choices to disable the Home windows 11 variations.


the windows 11 file explorer window

As soon as the Home windows 11 variations are disabled, they may robotically revert to utilizing the variations from Home windows 10.

To learn to make File Explorer much more usable, learn our information on including tabs to the File Explorer with QTTabBar.

How one can Take away the Home windows 11 Rounded Corners

Rounded corners appear to be in all places in fashionable software program design. In Home windows 11, they’re one thing barely observed and unimportant to many customers. Others are usually not so eager on them and like the sharp, clear sq. corners of Home windows 10.

ExplorerPatcher permits you to swap the rounded corners for sq. ones on any software window. Open the Properties pane and choose the Different part. Click on the choice to Disable rounded corners for software home windows.

It’s possible you’ll be requested to permit the Home windows Command Processor to make modifications. That is simply Home windows checking you need to change system recordsdata. Clicking Sure shouldn’t trigger any issues.


windows 11 looking like windows 10 using explorerpatcher

Uninstalling ExplorerPatcher

You’ll be able to set nearly all the pieces again to appear to be Home windows 11 utilizing the settings in ExplorerPatcher. That is helpful in case you resolve you like the look of Home windows 11, however need to preserve one or two options from Home windows 10.

When you don’t need to preserve any of the modifications, you possibly can simply uninstall the software program. Open Settings > Apps > Apps & options, and discover ExplorerPatcher within the record of your apps. Click on the menu button after which click on Uninstall. After uninstalling the software program, all the pieces will return to regular.

Altering Home windows 11 Options to Look Like Home windows 10

Home windows 11 will look way more like Home windows 10 after making use of all of the modifications talked about on this information. Extra importantly, ExplorerPatcher lets you convey again most of the instruments, options, and functionalities you’ve gotten grown used to whereas utilizing the earlier OS.

You won’t need all the pieces from Home windows 10 again in your pc, however at the least now you can decide and select the very best components of each variations of Home windows.


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