The KB5120998 update for Windows 11 introduces enhanced customization options for the Taskbar and Start menu, marking a significant step towards greater user control ahead of a broader rollout.
Microsoft’s KB5120998 update for Windows 11 is shaping up as a significant preview package, chiefly because it unlocks a broader set of Taskbar and Start menu controls. According to 4sysops, the build adds Small, Large and Automatic sizing options, while also touching Windows Search, File Explorer, Windows Share, Task Manager, networking and other system components. Some of the changes may still be constrained by device, region or the stage of Microsoft’s rollout.
The update fits into a wider Windows 11 push that Microsoft has been testing through the Insider programme. Windows Central reported that the company is preparing to ship major Start menu and Taskbar changes after feedback from users who wanted more of the flexibility associated with Windows 10. Those changes include the ability to move and resize the Taskbar, plus more control over the Start menu layout, with a phased release expected to limit instability.
For testers who want the features early, 4sysops says the route is through Settings, Windows Update and the Windows Insider Programme, with the Release Preview channel selected and the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” option enabled. After KB5120998 is installed, ViVeTool can be used to switch on feature flags from an elevated Command Prompt. That said, administrators should treat those flags as provisional, because Microsoft may alter or disable them in later builds.
The broader pattern is one of incremental refinement rather than a single dramatic redesign. Windows Central has described recent Insider builds as a mix of usability and accessibility work, including Start menu resizing, search improvements, File Explorer tweaks, better Braille support and Voice Access changes. In July 2026, Microsoft also pushed Taskbar repositioning and icon-size controls through Insider channels, suggesting that KB5120998 is part of a longer-term effort to make Windows 11 more configurable without upsetting its default layout.
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