3 hacks I found to quiet Windows 11’s most overstimulating elements

• Declutter the taskbar
• Disable ads
• Delete desktop items

When Microsoft introduced the world to its next-generation PC operating system, Windows 11, one of the major tenants it hyped up was to do with the platform’s newfound focus on calm, user-centric design language elements.

“…we redefined our design principles for Windows 11. With a focus on simplicity, coherence, and craft, the new principles brought a sense of familiarity, calm, and immediate usability,” says Microsoft in an official design principles blog. “Windows should be clear, calm, and reinforce customers goals without noise,” the company adds.

In some respects, Microsoft has been successful in cultivating a cleaner, more inviting user interface with Windows 11 — at least when compared with its direct predecessor. System sounds are softer, corner radii are rounder, and playful new animations add a touch of delight to otherwise mundane micro-interactions.

Thankfully, it’s easy enough to clear through much of Windows 11’s default clutter.

That being said, not everything is perfect in the world of Windows 11 computing. There are a number of questionable out-of-box configurations that have been consciously programmed into the platform by Microsoft, which needlessly create friction and visual clutter on fresh installations of the OS.

Thankfully, it’s easy enough to clear through much of Windows 11’s clutter-filled status quo — you just need to know where to look. Here are some of the basic steps I personally take to transform my PC from an overstimulating nightmare system into a minimalist’s dream machine.

Declutter the taskbar

Windows 11’s taskbar is pretty stuffy out of the box

Windows 11 gets a lot of flack for lacking some of its predecessor’s taskbar customization options. Indeed, PC staples like the ability to resize and reposition the taskbar are sorely missing from the OS to this very day, but, to Microsoft’s credit, the UI is still fairly configurable on the whole. For example, it’s easy to adjust icon alignment, to add or remove app labels, to swap the look of the date and time in the system tray, and much more.

Out of the box, the Windows 11 taskbar is pretty crowded, with various interface elements competing for your attention. For a truly clean and distraction-free setup, I always configure my taskbar by hiding or turning off the following buttons in their entirety:

• Search
• Task View
• Widgets Board
• Emoji and more
• Pen Menu
• Touch keyboard
• Virtual Touchpad
• Language bar
• Hidden icon menu

Generally, I also go ahead and turn off app labels, remove the date and time from the bottom left-hand corner, and switch on the auto-hide the taskbar function for a truly clean and no-nonsense PC environment.

Disable ads

Advertisements are pesky at best, and invasive at worst

Putting aside aggressive telemetry, pushy updates, and known performance issues, one of Windows 11’s most controversial elements is its subtle system-wide use of advertisements and other ‘value added’ tips and tricks. Considering that the operating system is a paid product as opposed to a free service, it’s disappointing to see the platform being injected with distracting (and sometimes resource-hogging) UI elements to the degree that it is.

For a detailed breakdown on how to remove ads from various corners of the Windows 11 interface, check out our in-depth guide here on Pocket-lint.

A clean installation of Windows 11 is something of a misnomer, as it isn’t clean in the slightest. In fact, it takes a bit of elbow grease to fully disable ads from the OS, though at least the majority of them can be removed without needing to resort to third-party programs or workarounds. In no particular order, here are some simple ways to get rid of tips, tricks, ads, and more from across Windows 11:

• Remove Start Menu ads by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Start > and toggling off Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more
• Remove lock screen ads by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and toggling off Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen
• Remove notification ads by navigating to Settings > System > Notifications and toggling off Get tips and suggestions when using Windows

Delete desktop items

Purge your desktop of unnecessary files, folders, and shortcuts

In its default state, Windows 11 is configured to display items directly on the desktop, with Recycle Bin and Microsoft Edge shortcuts pinned to the right-hand side of the screen and with the Windows Spotlight icon pinned to the left-hand side.

Now, as a digital packrat, I often find myself dealing with a ton of file clutter, which impacts my ability to get work done efficiently. To make matters worse, many app installation wizards place program shortcuts on the desktop by default, further mucking up what would otherwise be a clean desktop canvas.

…the ability to switch to a clean desktop state without messing up the order of your items is a handy tool.

With this in mind, I tend to hide my desktop items wholesale, only sometimes displaying them when working with a ton of files that need to be dragged and dropped across locations. For quick access to my Recycle Bin, I simply pin the location to the sidebar section of File Explorer, which can be achieved via a simple drag and drop gesture.

To hide all your desktop items in one fell swoop, simply right-click or long-press on any free area on the screen, and then tap or click on View > Show desktop icons to toggle between having them visible and hidden. If you’re someone who uses your PC for ongoing work or creative projects, then the ability to switch to a clean desktop state without messing up the order of your items is a handy tool. Alternatively, you can simply delete or relocate all files, folders, and shortcuts to other areas of File Explorer for a clean look.