How to Make Windows 10 Look Like Windows 11

You can make Windows 10 look a lot like Windows 11 with built-in settings: hide the search box and Task View button, switch to dark mode, pick a soft accent color, unpin the Start menu tiles, and use a Windows 11-style wallpaper. To center the taskbar icons and get a Windows 11-style Start menu, you need a toolbar workaround or a third-party app.

Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 10, 2026.

Windows 10 no longer gets free security updates. If your PC meets the requirements, upgrading to Windows 11 gets you the real look and continued updates. See how to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11.

What you can and can’t copy

• Built in: dark mode, accent colors, transparency, a cleaner taskbar, a simpler Start menu, and a new wallpaper.
• With a workaround or app: centered taskbar icons and a Windows 11-style Start menu.
• Not possible: Windows 11’s rounded window corners, Snap layouts, and the new Settings design.

Step 1: Clean up the taskbar

1. Right-click the taskbar.
2. Under Search, choose Show search icon.
3. Uncheck Show Task View button.
4. Under News and interests, choose Turn off.
5. If Show Cortana button is listed, uncheck it too.

Step 2: Center the taskbar icons

Windows 10 doesn’t have a center option, but a toolbar trick pushes your icons to the middle:

1. Right-click the taskbar and uncheck Lock the taskbar.
2. Right-click again and select Toolbars > Links.
3. Drag the divider next to the new Links toolbar to the far left, so your pinned icons sit to its right.
4. Drag the divider beside your icons to move them to the center, then lock the taskbar again.

For screenshots of each step, see how to center taskbar icons in Windows 10. The free TranslucentTB app from the Microsoft Store can also make the taskbar see-through, which looks closer to Windows 11.

Step 3: Switch to dark mode and soft colors

1. Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors.
2. Set Choose your color to Dark (or Light if you prefer Windows 11’s light look).
3. Turn on Transparency effects.
4. Pick a blue accent color, and leave Start, taskbar, and action center unchecked for a neutral taskbar like Windows 11’s.

See how to turn on dark mode in Windows 10.

Step 4: Simplify the Start menu

1. Open Start, right-click each tile, and select Unpin from Start.
2. Drag the right edge of the Start menu to make it narrower.
3. In Settings > Personalization > Start, turn off Show app list in Start menu if you want a cleaner look, and turn on Show recently added apps.

This won’t give you the Windows 11 layout, but it removes the live tiles that make Windows 10 look dated.

Step 5: Change the wallpaper

Windows 11’s default wallpapers aren’t included in Windows 10. Pick a soft abstract image you like and set it in Settings > Personalization > Background. See how to change the wallpaper in Windows 10. Avoid downloading “Windows 11 theme packs” from unknown sites, which sometimes bundle unwanted software.

Step 6: Get a Windows 11-style Start menu (optional)

For a Start menu with pinned apps and recommendations like Windows 11, you need a third-party app:

• Start11 from Stardock: a paid app with a free trial that offers a Windows 11-style Start menu on Windows 10.
• Open-Shell: free and open source. It focuses on classic menus, but supports custom skins and Start buttons.

Download these only from the developer’s official website, create a restore point first, and expect that a Windows update may occasionally break them.

Windows 11-style features already in Windows 10

Some things people like about Windows 11 are already in Windows 10, just less obvious:

• Snapping windows: Press Windows + Left or Right to snap a window to half the screen, then Windows + Up or Down to make it a quarter.
• Virtual desktops: Press Windows + Ctrl + D for a new desktop and Windows + Ctrl + Left or Right to switch.
• Clipboard history: Press Windows + V and turn it on to paste things you copied earlier.
• Emoji panel: Press Windows + . (period) to insert emoji and symbols.

Can your PC run the real thing?

Windows 11 needs a supported processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. Microsoft’s free PC Health Check app tells you whether your PC qualifies. To check the parts yourself, see how to check and enable TPM in Windows 10 and how to turn on Secure Boot in Windows 10.

If something goes wrong

• The taskbar icons jumped back to the left: The taskbar was unlocked and something moved. Repeat the toolbar steps, then lock it.
• Transparency effects don’t work: Check that Battery saver is off, because it turns transparency off.
• Personalization settings are greyed out: Windows needs to be activated.
• A Start menu app causes problems: Uninstall it in Settings > Apps and restart the PC.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get rounded corners in Windows 10?

Not with Windows’ own settings. Rounded corners are part of Windows 11’s design.

Will these changes slow down my PC?

The built-in settings won’t. Transparency uses a little graphics power, which can matter on very old PCs.

How do I undo everything?

In Settings > Personalization > Themes, choose the Windows theme, then turn the taskbar buttons back on. For more ideas, see how to customize Windows 10.