| | Accent Color Option | Resulting Taskbar Color | |----------------|------------------------|-----------------------------| | Dark | "Show accent color on Start and taskbar" OFF | Dark gray (#202020) | | Dark | "Show accent color on Start and taskbar" ON | Dark gray + accent color as a subtle tint or border | | Light | "Show accent color on Start and taskbar" OFF | Light gray (#F3F3F3) | | Light | "Show accent color on Start and taskbar" ON | Light gray + accent color as a subtle tint or border | | Custom (Windows mode: Dark, App mode: Light) | Any | Taskbar follows Windows mode (Dark) |
| | Capabilities | Cost | Safety Note | |---------------|------------------|----------|------------------| | ExplorerPatcher | Restores Windows 10 taskbar with full color control | Free | Open source, generally safe | | StartAllBack | Full taskbar color, transparency, and texture | Paid (trial) | Widely trusted | | Start11 (by Stardock) | Taskbar color picker, transparency, blur | Paid | Commercial, very safe | | Windhawk (with "Taskbar Colorizer" mod) | Change taskbar color, opacity, gradients | Free | Open source, modular | windows 11 task bar color
1. Overview Unlike previous versions of Windows (such as Windows 10 and 7), Windows 11 removed the direct "Taskbar color" picker from the Settings app. You can no longer change the taskbar color independently without also changing the Start menu, Action Center, and window borders. | | Accent Color Option | Resulting Taskbar