Microsoft’s Windows story this week is less about headline-grabbing new features and more about course corrections, security hardening, and the quiet work required to keep a decades‑old platform usable for millions of workflows — from vertical monitor power users to enterprise administrators. What stood out: Microsoft is prototyping a long‑requested, pragmatic fix to Windows 11’s locked taskbar; Patch Tuesday delivered important security patches and a Secure Boot certificate refresh that has a nontrivial firmware angle; Notepad attracted a critical remote‑code‑execution patch; and the community saw a crop of practical tooling updates and third‑party alternatives that remind us how much power users still rely on the ecosystem around Windows.
Background / Overview
Windows 11’s launch reshaped many expectations: a cleaner, centered UI, deeper Copilot integrations and a shell rewrite that simplified many legacy behaviors. That simplification improved consistency and refreshed the visual language, but it also removed features veteran users relied on — notably the ability to reposition and freely resize the taskbar. Over the last several years Microsoft has peeled back a handful of those losses, but the missing taskbar mobility remained an irritant for a distinct but vocal user segment. This week’s reporting suggests Microsoft is not only listening but prototyping a system‑level restoration of taskbar positioning and sizing.
At the same time, the routine rhythm of Windows maintenance — Patch Tuesday — landed with both routine and consequential changes: security patches for multiple Windows versions, updates to Secure Boot certificates in preparation for certificate expiry in mid‑2026, and the emergency fixing of a Notepad remote‑code‑execution vulnerability. Those updates illustrate the tradeoffs Microsoft must manage: keep the platform secure and current while avoiding update-induced instability. This week’s update cycle included both fixes and early reports of problems on some devices.
What’s changing with the Windows 11 taskbar
The user story: why this matters
For many power users — developers, designers, and people who use tall or multiple displays — the taskbar is not a cosmetic element. Vertical taskbars and multi‑row configurations materially affect workflow, window management and ergonomics. Third‑party tools (Start11, ExplorerPatcher, Explorer mods) have long filled the gap, but they introduce stability, support and security trade‑offs for organizations that require predictable, supported configurations. A system‑level solution would remove those trade‑offs.
What Microsoft is reportedly prototyping
Multiple Windows‑focused outlets and insiders report Microsoft is prototyping two concrete capabilities:
- Taskbar repositioning: native support to dock the taskbar to the top, left, or right edges of the display, restoring parity with pre‑Windows 11 behavior.
- Resizable taskbar: a user‑facing control to alter the taskbar’s thickness, enabling denser rows, taller icon rows, or multi‑row layouts preferred by heavy multitaskers.
The work is described as a shell‑level capability rather than a PowerToys experiment, meaning the Start menu, flyouts and other core shell elements would be updated to support non‑bottom placements. Early public previews are aspirationally targeted for mid‑2026, but Microsoft has not formally committed to a ship date; these are prototypes under compatibility and accessibility review.
Technical complexities Microsoft must solve
Reintroducing taskbar mobility is deceptively difficult because it touches deep platform assumptions:
- Flyout anchoring and animation (Start menu, calendar, Quick Settings, notifications) assume bottom‑edge geometry and must be reanchored and reanimated for alternate placements.
- Window management math — Snap layouts, maximize/restore behaviors — expects a bottom dock and may need recalculation for vertical docks.
- Accessibility semantics and keyboard focus order must remain predictable across orientations to avoid regressions for assistive technologies.
- Mixed DPI and multi‑monitor topologies create rendering and interaction edge cases where a relocated taskbar could break app flyouts or tray behavior.
Those are the reasons Microsoft originally simplified the shell — restoring options without reintroducing fragility requires careful cross‑discipline engineering and compatibility testing. Expect an opt‑in preview approach, thorough compatibility documentation, and incremental rollouts if Microsoft ships this capability.
How users should prepare
- If you depend on vertical or customized taskbars today, treat reports as promising but not final — keep your third‑party tools as a fallback and test any updates in a controlled environment.
- Watch Insider channels for early previews and follow compatibility notes; do not deploy preview builds broadly in critical environments.
- If your organization blocks third‑party shell mods for compliance reasons, a system‑level reintroduction of taskbar mobility would be a welcome, supported solution — but rollout will likely be phased.
Security and stability: Patch Tuesday and the Notepad fix
Patch Tuesday highlights
This month’s Patch Tuesday included security and reliability updates for supported Windows versions. Notable KBs referenced by reporting include:
- KB5077181 and KB5075941 for Windows 11 branches (depending on incremental versions).
- KB5075912 for Windows 10 updates that addressed shutdown issues among other fixes.
Reporting emphasized the Secure Boot certificate update and the Notepad security patch as the most consequential items this cycle. Administrators should expect these updates to surface during the next restart/shutdown cycle and should review firmware update guidance where Secure Boot certificate updates require vendor firmware cooperation.
Secure Boot certificates: why firmware matters
Microsoft is proactively updating Secure Boot certificates because older certificates issued in 2011 are scheduled to expire in June 2026. The update strategy is to push new certificates via Windows Update to avoid a mass failure at expiry; however, certain older devices may require a firmware (UEFI) update from the OEM before the new certificates can be installed without issues. In short:
- If your device receives Windows Update normally and your OEM’s firmware is current, the transition should be seamless.
- If you run older firmware or custom‑managed fleets, validate firmware compatibility before broadly deploying these certificate updates.
This advance update reduces the risk of boot‑time failures at certificate expiry but increases the administrative surface area for organizations with mixed or legacy hardware.
Notepad: a cautionary tale
Notepad has evolved beyond a simple text editor and — as the attack surface grew — so did its security risk. This month Microsoft patched a remote‑code‑execution vulnerability that could be triggered by crafted files opened in Notepad. The severity highlights two important points:
- Modernizing long‑lived, widely distributed apps increases the attack surface; even benign‑looking utilities need rigorous security review.
- Administrators should treat Notepad vulnerabilities like any other app patch: validate, test, and deploy promptly.
If you manage fleets, ensure Notepad updates are applied quickly and consider layered defenses (file scanning, network controls) to reduce exposure to crafted files.
Reports of instability
Unfortunately, reports emerged of the February 2026 updates causing critical boot loops and other severe issues on some devices. Microsoft had not confirmed widespread status at the time of reporting, so the scope remained unclear. Administrators should proceed cautiously: follow rollback and recovery procedures, stage updates, and monitor vendor advisories for affected drivers or firmware.
Windows Insider updates and platform tooling
Insider channel snapshots
This week’s Insider releases were modest but functional:
- Canary Channel: Build 28020.1611 — included built‑in Sysmon support and tighter OneDrive integration with Windows Share UI, plus a desktop watermark fix.
- Dev Channel: Build 26300.7760 — brought Emoji 16.0 support and advanced camera controls in Settings.
- Beta Channel: Build 26220.7755 — aligned with the Dev Channel build features.
These builds are incremental but important: they show Microsoft continuing to add polish and instrument the platform for stability and manageability even as it prototypes larger UX changes.
Microsoft Store CLI and developer tooling
Microsoft is expanding the Store experience with a new command‑line interface that brings app discovery, install and update flows into terminal workflows. For power users and developers who integrate automation or prefer scriptable installs, a Store CLI is a meaningful win. It’s part of Microsoft’s broader push to provide alternative management surfaces (Store, Settings, Terminal) rather than forcing everything through GUI-only channels.
Media Creation Tool and ISO availability
A new Media Creation Tool now downloads the latest Windows 11 release with the February 2026 updates. Coincidentally, some users reported trouble downloading ISO files directly and speculated that Microsoft is nudging users toward the Media Creation Tool. The practical takeaway: if you rely on offline ISOs for imaging, verify current download channels and keep the Media Creation Tool in your toolkit as a reliable path for up‑to‑date ISOs.
Productivity and third‑party tools: Task Manager alternatives and PowerToys
AppControl: Task Manager reimagined
A standout third‑party utility this week is AppControl — a free, PowerToys‑like app that expands what people expect from Task Manager. AppControl provides:
- Detailed historical tracking of resource usage over time.
- CPU/GPU temperature monitoring and timelines.
- Custom notifications for system events.
- Contextual explanations for processes and apps.
For power users who need forensic timelines or richer telemetry without installing commercial APM tools, AppControl is a compelling free option. It’s a reminder that the Windows ecosystem continues to supply deep utility software that complements the OS.
PowerToys and other desktop utilities
PowerToys pushed an update to 0.97.2 with bug fixes and a small Cursor Wrap enhancement. The release improves stability across modules such as Advanced Paste, Command Palette and Image Resizer. The cadence of incremental PowerToys releases demonstrates Microsoft’s continued investment in power‑user tooling even as the company balances broader OS priorities.
Another small but practical tool, MaximizeToVirtualDesktop, brings macOS‑style virtual desktop conveniences to Windows: maximize an app to a virtual desktop and optionally close the desktop with the app. These little utilities matter in the real world because they address daily friction that platform updates rarely solve quickly.
App and platform lifecycle news: Office Lens, Send to Kindle, printers and apps
Office Lens sunsetting and Send to Kindle removal
Microsoft announced the Office Lens app will lose functionality on March 9, and the Word app’s built‑in “Send to Kindle” capability is being removed within weeks. Both moves close longtime feature gaps, and while modern smartphones ship comparable scanning capabilities, the removals force users to change workflows. If you depend on those features, plan migrations now — export important scans and consider alternate workflows (built‑in phone scan capabilities, web based Send to Kindle workflows).
Printer drivers and the Microsoft Store
Microsoft is changing how it accepts printer drivers: the company will no longer accept new printer driver submissions through Windows Update (existing drivers continue to be updated). Vendors are encouraged to distribute Print Support Apps (PSA) via the Microsoft Store. The change reduces one centralized submission path, but tooling alternatives exist and vendors can still reach customers via Store apps or vendor installers. Administrators who manage fleets should review driver distribution strategies and vendor guidance.
Broader ecosystem notes: antitrust, browser issues, and gaming
- Antitrust scrutiny continued as Brazil’s regulator investigated allegations that Microsoft and OEM partners were favoring Edge in preinstall setups. Regulatory attention to preinstalled software will continue to affect OEM relationships and packaging choices.
- Microsoft Edge still lists a known issue on macOS where CPU usage can spike, causing resource pressure and heat; Mac users affected should temporarily consider alternative browsers until fixes land.
- On gaming, NVIDIA expanded GeForce NOW availability and compatibility, Steam’s beta client added optional PC‑specs to reviews, and major franchise releases continued to migrate to multi‑platform launches — development and distribution across platforms remain fluid.
Critical analysis: strengths, risks and what to watch
Strengths
- Microsoft is listening: reports of a prototyped resizable, movable taskbar are a pragmatic response to persistent user feedback and demonstrate a willingness to restore functionality when user productivity is impacted. A system-level solution is preferable to third‑party hacks — it improves security and manageability.
- The platform is maturing in ways that favor power users: Store CLI, more granular Insider channels, and PowerToys improvements show Microsoft is investing in diverse management and productivity surfaces.
- Proactive Secure Boot certificate updates show planning: rolling certificates ahead of expiry reduces the risk of a mass failure event in June 2026, though the firmware compatibility caveat means administrators need to pay attention.
Risks and concerns
- Compatibility and rollout risk for taskbar changes: the engineering surface is deep. If Microsoft rushes the change, it risks regressions in accessibility, window management and app compatibility that could create more pain than the original limitation. Expect careful, opt‑in Insider previews and phased deployment; do not assume immediate, global availability.
- Update instability: the February 2026 Patch Tuesday cycle contained reports of boot loops and severe issues on some systems. While root cause analysis can be slow, the incidents serve as a reminder that even routine security and certificate updates can interact unpredictably with OEM firmware, drivers and edge cases on older hardware. Staged deployment and rollback plans remain essential for enterprise IT.
- The expanding Notepad attack surface is cautionary: as "small" apps become feature‑rich, they deserve the same security scrutiny as larger, internet‑facing software. Organizations should treat such apps like any other endpoint.
What to watch next
- Insider channels for a concrete taskbar preview (expect experimental toggles and documentation of compatibility impacts).
- OEM firmware advisories as Secure Boot certificate updates roll out; monitor device vendors for UEFI updates for legacy machines.
- Microsoft’s stability slides and KB follow‑ups for the February 2026 updates; be alert for guidance and mitigations if more users report boot or driver issues.
- Broader security guidance around Notepad and other historically "simple" apps as they become feature‑rich.
Practical recommendations for administrators and power users
- Stage and test February 2026 updates in a controlled ring before broad deployment. Validate recovery/rollback procedures and ensure firmware (UEFI) versions are current for Secure Boot certificate compatibility.
- For users who rely on vertical or custom taskbars today, maintain a tested fallback (third‑party utility or approved configuration) and sign up for Insider previews on test machines to validate Microsoft’s system‑level solution when it arrives.
- Apply Notepad and other security patches promptly across endpoints, and consider file sanitization or scanning for untrusted documents as part of defense in depth.
- Adopt and evaluate developer‑friendly tooling (Store CLI, PowerToys updates) to modernize provisioning and automation workflows where possible.
Microsoft’s updates this week are a reminder that stability, compatibility and security remain the hardest parts of managing a general‑purpose OS used across billions of configurations. The reported taskbar reversal would be a welcome, pragmatic course correction — but success depends on thorough engineering, testing and an accessible preview path for the people who depend on those capabilities. Meanwhile, administrators must balance the imperative to patch and harden systems with the practical need to stage and validate updates against the messy reality of firmware, drivers and legacy hardware. If you manage Windows fleets, the next few months will be a busy but crucial period: test, prepare, and watch Insider channels closely.
Conclude by keeping one eye on the taskbar rumors and the other on the update logs: when Microsoft fixes the little things well, the platform becomes silently, meaningfully better for everyone.
Source: Neowin
Microsoft Weekly: Windows 11's taskbar is upgrading, better Task Manager alternatives, more