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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The September Windows update finally lets you move the taskbar to any side.
- It also enhances the Start menu and Search window.
- Plus, the update patches a record 995 security flaws.
With the September Patch Tuesday rollout, Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users a few reasons to update their systems. First up are improvements to the Windows taskbar, Start menu, and other key features. Second are the 995 security bugs squashed, a new record.
Let’s look at the new and improved features first.
Those of you who have long desired to place the Windows 11 taskbar at the top or sides of the screen now finally have your wish. With the latest update, you can move the taskbar from the bottom to the top, left, or right side of the screen. Yep, just as you’ve always been able to do in Windows 10.
To check this out, first install this month’s update. Head to Settings, select Windows Update, and click the button to check for updates. Allow the latest updates to download and install and then restart your PC.
Designated as KB5124012 for Windows 11 26H1, KB5124008 for Windows 11 25H2/24H2, and KB5122880 for Windows 11 23H2, the security update listed is the official version of the preview update rolled out on August 27. But it resolves a few bugs, including one that broke the mouse cursor settings on certain systems.
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Log back in to Windows, right-click any empty spot on the taskbar, and select Taskbar settings from the menu. Scroll to the section for Taskbar behaviors and you’ll now see a new option for Taskbar position with thumbnails for Bottom, Top, Left, and Right. Select your preferred position, and the taskbar will jump to that spot.
After you reposition the taskbar, you can then decide whether or not you want it centered. If the taskbar is on the bottom or top, you’re able to switch the alignment between center and left just as always. But if you move it to the left or right side, you can switch between top and left. For instance, if I were to position it on either side, I would change the alignment to top as it would normally appear in Windows 10.
You can also now reduce the height of the taskbar and shrink the size of its icons. Just click the drop-down box next to Taskbar size and change it to Small.
There is one downside with the new settings. You can opt to automatically hide the taskbar as usual and display it only when you move your mouse to its location. But auto-hide works only if the taskbar is at the bottom of the screen, not at any of the other three sides. I’m not sure why Microsoft set up this restriction, as you can auto-hide the taskbar in any position in Windows 10.
The latest update also lets you tweak the size and other attributes of the Start menu. Go to Settings, select Personalization, and choose Start. Click the drop-down box next to Start menu size to switch between Small and Large. Otherwise, leave it set to Automatic, which resizes the menu based on your monitor and resolution.
The Recommended section is now known as Recent. You can turn off this section entirely or selectively hide recently added apps, recommended files, and tips. Plus, you’re able to independently show or hide the Pinned, Recommended, and All sections to give you more granular control over what you see. Further, you can hide your name and profile picture in the Start menu if you don’t want it to appear in screenshots or video calls.
The September update delivers one more key enhancement, namely to the Search window. In the past, the Search window was cluttered with unnecessary and unhelpful content, such as top apps, AI tools, and even promotions. Now, the window is more sparse and focused, showing only suggested or recent searches to help you more quickly run the type of search you might need.
Since its debut almost five years ago, Windows 11 has been criticized for its lack of certain features and settings, especially those available in Windows 10. In more recent times, the company has been dinged for pushing AI into every nook and cranny of Windows 11.
In response, Microsoft has been on a kick to improve Windows 11 in such areas as reliability, performance, stability, and usability. Beyond reducing some of the AI integration, the company has added more control over the annoying Widgets app, boosted the speed and responsiveness of key menus and settings, improved the Windows Hello sign-in process, and reduced the disruptions from Windows updates.
A new record for security patches
That brings us to the security patches. With the help of AI, Microsoft has been breaking records at fixing a whopping number of vulnerabilities each month. The September update serves up yet another new record.
“Microsoft’s September 2026 Patch Tuesday is the largest on record, with 995 patches, a volume unlike anything we’ve seen before and just shy of the 1,000 mark,” patch management provider Action1 said in a post on the latest update. “The release includes 121 critical vulnerabilities and two zero-days, both elevation-of-privilege flaws: CVE-2026-81963 in the Windows Update Stack and CVE-2026-85880 in Windows Advanced Local Procedure Call (ALPC).”
If exploited, the Update Stack flaw could allow an attacker to gain system-level privileges and potentially take control of the compromised PC. They could then disable security controls, install malware, steal sensitive information, and modify or delete data. The ALPC vulnerability could also allow an attacker to gain System-level privileges. In this case, though, the flaw has already been actively exploited.
With the new and enhanced Windows features and the record number of patched security holes, this is one update you’ll want to install.
