Microsoft developers have finally deprived Windows 10 of the standard personalization panel that we are so accustomed to in the beloved seventh version of the OS. Despite the fact that the creators continue their course towards complete change system interface, craftsmen have already come up with a solution for this situation and have almost completely returned the standard personalization panel to users.
In order to bring the system to a more familiar form, we will have to use additional software, namely a small free utility called Personalization Panel for Windows 10 v 1.1.0.1, download link - (244 KB)
The program does not require installation and allows you to safely modify the OS in a few clicks. After the first launch, we will see this window, not entirely presentable:
First of all, change the interface language to Russian by opening Options and selecting the appropriate settings item. Please note that all changes take effect only after restarting the program.
Then you can freely use the new or old panel depending on your needs, for example, you can quickly install other themes, change the desktop wallpaper, mouse cursors, and there is also a nice opportunity to change the color of the window title bar. To do this, click on the link at the bottom of the window " Make window headers colored»:
Windows now have a more accentuated appearance with prominently labeled titles:
It is also worth noting that the program can integrate directly into the system itself, and when you click the personalization item in context menu desktop, the classic view panel will immediately open, to do this, enter “ Options" and press the button " Integrate with Desktop context menu»:
In order to cancel the changes, there is a second button - “Disable integration”.
Where can I find the panel?
As you know, Windows XP had a convenient Panel quick access or Quick Launch. From the newer ones Windows versions it was removed for some unknown reason and some users may feel nostalgic for this tool.
For those who miss the Quick Access Toolbar, I will show you how to get it back in Windows 10. For Win7, this instruction is also suitable. So let's get started!
Click on the Taskbar right click mouse, select Panels and then Create Toolbar...
But before that, copy the address to the clipboard, you will need it later:
You can, of course, manually follow the route:
\Users\[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch,
but it's long and unsporting. In addition, the display must be turned on hidden folders and files.
Now you have to select a folder for Quick Launch. This is why we copied the address in the first step, so that we can now paste it into the field Folder below and press the button Folder selection.
When we clicked on Select Folder, the window will close and the Quick Access Toolbar will appear at the bottom right.
To make the Quick Access Toolbar more compact, you can remove headings and captions. Right-click on the Quick Launch panel and uncheck the items in the menu Show signatures And Show title.
The panel now has a familiar look. Now you can stretch it by holding the two vertical sticks to the left of the panel with your mouse. If they are not there, then check that the taskbar is not pinned (Right click on the taskbar -> Properties -> Pin taskbar). To drag Quick Launch closer to the Start button, hold down the mouse and drag it all the way to the left (see figure)
If you still remember the Sidebar from the days Windows Vista and want to return it, then we have good news - you can download the sidebar for Windows 10, and in the end you will get exactly the same sidebar as in earlier versions of the OS.
Peculiarities
Windows 10 doesn't include the ability to create a sidebar. However, you can add such functionality. Just download Sidebar for Windows 10, and you will get a convenient and function panel. With it you will receive 45 different gadgets, including:- Calendar;
- Currency informer;
If you want to turn your copy of Windows 10 visually in Windows 8, you can download it separately, and also so that the OS takes on the appearance of an earlier version. All this, like the sidebar, is available not only for computers, but also for laptops and tablets. All applications are absolutely free. They do not make changes to the operation of the OS, and are only decorations that affect the design of the system. The installer is packaged in an archive, so download
Panel Windows tasks changed from version to version, but its purpose remained unchanged: launching programs and switching between them. This panel is used all the time, so it would be a good idea to customize it to suit your needs.
Choosing a location for the taskbar
Since the first versions of Windows, it has been the custom that the taskbar in the system is located at the bottom. Apparently, back then they could not predict the appearance of wide-format monitors. Nowadays, on huge screens, a wide taskbar takes up extra space. Therefore, it is better to place it vertically.
If your taskbar is undocked, you can drag it to the desired corner of the screen. Or simply specify the position of the taskbar by right-clicking on it and selecting Options.
Place icons in the center
By placing icons in the center, you will give the taskbar a Dock-like appearance. This is useful if you are used to working with a Mac. Besides, it's just beautiful.
To move icons to the center:
- Unpin the taskbar. To do this, right-click on it and uncheck “Pin the taskbar”. Then click on the taskbar again and select “Links” from the “Panels” menu item. Drag the icons to the center.
- Right-click on the "Links" menu and uncheck the boxes next to "Show captions" and "Show title."
To return the icons to their usual position, simply remove “Links” from the taskbar.
Disable the taskbar on additional monitors
Good afternoon, friends. We all want our computer desktop to look more beautiful. Users often use additional gadgets for this. This could be various clocks, temperature indicators, electronic voices, etc.
All these gadgets can be called additional visual effects. I already wrote that the extra ones slow down the system. But now most users have quite powerful computers with a decent processor, so most likely your system's performance will be affected by these visual effects will not be reflected.
So, I want to introduce you to an additional panel for the RocketDock software. This panel is much more beautiful than the regular Windows panel. In my opinion, it resembles a panel. Many users find this panel more convenient.
It contains animation. When you select a specific program, it enlarges and moves. Nearby labels also enlarge and move slightly. It looks quite impressive. Many people use RocketDock for antlers, it’s nice to show off such a panel to your friends!
This quick launch tool is free. We need to go to the official website and download RocketDock https://rocketdock.com/download. The program takes up only 6.20 MB. Which is quite small. Works from Windows 2000 to Windows 10. Please note that RAM only 10 MB required. The processor for it is suitable from 500 MHz. In other words, any modern PC. So, let's install the program. During installation, select Russian language.
We launch the program from a shortcut on the desktop. We now have the panel itself.
Let's look through it. If you don’t like any of the shortcuts offered by the program, select it, right-click on it and click “Delete icon”.
For example, an icon with a black T-shirt takes us to a site with a non-existent page. Let's delete it. We insert into it those programs that you often use, and delete the rest. For example, on my at the moment the panel took on the form.
As you can see, I have updated most of the programs.
RocketDock panel settings
First of all, please note that the panel is located at the very top of the screen by default. This creates additional inconvenience. For example, if you have multiple tabs open in your browser, the panel overlaps them. These tabs become difficult to reach.
Therefore, I moved the panel down.
To do this, click on the TV panel with the right mouse button and select: Position on the screen - below. Now our panel is at the bottom. Looks much better. But, in my Windows 10, the regular panel overlaps ours. It doesn't look good.
What to do in this case? You need to raise it a little. Or make the regular Windows panel colorless. I'll lift it up a little. To do this, right-click on the empty RocketDock field and select “Panel Settings” from the context menu.
If you forgot to set the Russian language when installing the program, you can do this in the top “General” tab. Select Language and look for “Russian” in the list provided. Next, if you want the panel to start along with the system (this may slow down the system startup), check the “Launch at startup” checkbox and OK.
If you need the settings to be saved in the Settings.ini file (the registry will be less overloaded), check the appropriate box. You can disable animation. Do you intend to remove any more shortcuts from the panel or add new ones? Set "Pin icons".
If you have large monitor, like mine, will look better when we increase the size of the icon. To do this, go to “Icons” and use the slider to select the desired size. For example, I slightly enlarged the shortcuts in the panel.
Browse through all the other settings and choose the ones you like best. Also, I advise you to first set “Launch with the system” and see how quickly the system starts. If it is noticeably slower, it is better to uncheck this box and run the program yourself. To make it easier to understand the settings, I suggest watching a video where everything will be explained to you in detail about the capabilities of the program.
RocketDock setup video
I hope you this program will be useful. Good luck!