To center taskbar icons and the Start menu on Windows 10, download and install ExplorerPatcher from GitHub. Once installed, right-click your taskbar, select Properties, change the Start button style to Windows 11, set primary taskbar alignment to “Centered with start button,” and adjust the Start menu position to center.
Quick Steps:
- Search for “ExplorerPatcher” on Google and open the GitHub page
- Click the Releases tab and download the latest executable file
- Run the downloaded file and accept any prompts
- Right-click an empty space on your taskbar and select Properties
- Change Start button style to “Windows 11”
- Set primary taskbar alignment to “Centered with start button”
- Click the Start Menu tab and change position to “Center”
- Click “Restart File Explorer” to apply changes
Why Center Your Windows 10 Taskbar?
I’ve been customizing Windows setups for years, and one thing I noticed is that some people just prefer the centered taskbar icons. Windows 11 introduced this design choice, and honestly, it makes sense from a visual perspective, although I don’t personally use it.
When your taskbar icons are centered, everything could feel more “balanced” on your screen. I started researching this more back when I was setting up client computers at the repair shop, and a lot of people really liked the modern look. ExplorerPatcher brings this Windows 11 taskbar style to Windows 10, giving you the best of both worlds.
Plus, if you’ve got multiple monitors, centered icons are easier to access regardless of where you’re looking on the screen. It’s one of those small changes that could actually improve your daily workflow.
Personally, I move the taskbar to the top of the screen on Windows 11 and align in to the left with StartAllBack, but you can also keep the taskbar icons centered too. For Windows 10, users can use StartIsBack instead of StartAllBack.
Detailed Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Download ExplorerPatcher from GitHub
Open your browser and search for “ExplorerPatcher” on Google. The top result should be the official GitHub page. Click on it, then navigate to the Releases tab on the right side of the page.
Find the latest release and download the executable file. It’ll be named something like “ep_setup.exe.” The file is small and downloads quickly.
Step 2: Install ExplorerPatcher
Once the download finishes, click on the file to run it. You might get a User Account Control prompt asking for permission—just click “Yes” to continue.
The installation happens automatically. Your taskbar and desktop icons will disappear for a few seconds while ExplorerPatcher installs itself. When everything reappears, the installation is complete.
Step 3: Access ExplorerPatcher Properties
Right-click on an empty space on your taskbar. You should now see a new “Properties” option in the context menu. If you don’t see it, ExplorerPatcher didn’t install correctly—try restarting your computer and running the installer again.
Click on Properties to open the ExplorerPatcher settings window. This is where all the customization happens.
Step 4: Configure Taskbar Alignment
In the Properties window, you’ll see several tabs. Make sure you’re on the Taskbar tab. Look for “Start button style” and change it to “Windows 11.”
Next, find “Primary taskbar alignment” and select “Centered with start button.” This centers all your taskbar icons including the Start button.
Step 5: Center the Start Menu
Click on the “Start Menu” tab at the top of the Properties window. Find the option labeled “Position on screen” and change it to “Center.”
When you’re done, click the “Restart File Explorer” button at the bottom of the window. This applies all your changes instantly without requiring a full system restart.
Step 6: Fix Search Box Issues (If Needed)
Sometimes the search box on the taskbar can look weird after making these changes. I’ve seen it happen a few times. If this happens to you, go back to the Taskbar tab in Properties.
Find the “Search” option and change it to “Show search icon” instead of the search box. Alternatively, you can completely hide the search icon if you prefer opening search by pressing the Windows key and just typing.
How to Customize the Start Menu Appearance
One thing I really like about ExplorerPatcher is that it doesn’t just center your icons—it gives you extra customization options too. You can make your Windows 10 Start menu look even more modern.
Go back to the Start Menu tab in the Properties window. Look for “Corner preference setting” and change it to “Rounded corners with a floating menu.” Click “Restart File Explorer” again to apply the change.
Now your Start menu will have rounded corners like Windows 11, but you’ll still have the Windows 10 layout with all your pinned apps and live tiles. If you want even more control over your Windows interface, check out Winhance, the Windows enhancement utility I created for customizing everything from bloatware removal to taskbar alignment across both Windows 10 and 11.
Common Issues & Solutions
Problem: Properties option doesn’t appear when right-clicking the taskbar
Solution: ExplorerPatcher didn’t install properly. Restart your computer and try running the installer again. Make sure you’re accepting all User Account Control prompts.
Problem: Taskbar icons are partially centered but the Start button is still on the left
Solution: You need to change the Start button style to “Windows 11” in the Taskbar tab. The centered alignment only works properly with the Windows 11 Start button style.
Problem: Search box looks stretched or misaligned
Solution: Go to the Taskbar tab and change the Search option to either “Show search icon” or “Hide search.” The full search box doesn’t always display correctly with centered icons.
Problem: Changes don’t apply after clicking Restart File Explorer
Solution: Try manually restarting Windows Explorer through Task Manager. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, find “Windows Explorer” in the process list, right-click it, and select “Restart.”
How to Uninstall ExplorerPatcher
If you want to reverse all these changes and go back to the default Windows 10 taskbar, it’s really easy. Open the ExplorerPatcher Properties window by right-clicking your taskbar.
Click on the “Settings and uninstall” tab. You’ll see an “Uninstall ExplorerPatcher” button. Click it, and everything will go back to how it was before you installed the tool.
FAQ
Is ExplorerPatcher safe to use on Windows 10?
Yes, ExplorerPatcher is completely safe. It’s an open-source tool hosted on GitHub, which means anyone can review the code. I’ve used it on dozens of computers without any issues. Some antivirus programs might flag it because it modifies Windows Explorer, but that’s normal for customization tools.
Will Windows updates break ExplorerPatcher?
Sometimes major Windows updates can affect ExplorerPatcher. If this happens, your taskbar will just revert to the default Windows 10 layout. Usually, downloading and installing the latest version of ExplorerPatcher fixes the issue.
Can I use ExplorerPatcher on Windows 11?
Absolutely. ExplorerPatcher actually works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. On Windows 11, people mainly use it to restore the Windows 10 right-click context menu and other classic features that Microsoft removed.
Does this affect system performance?
No, ExplorerPatcher has minimal impact on performance. It uses very little RAM and CPU. I’ve run it on older computers without noticing any slowdown.
Can I still pin and unpin apps from the taskbar?
Yes, everything works exactly like it did before. You can still pin apps, rearrange icons, and use all the normal taskbar features. ExplorerPatcher only changes how things look and where they’re positioned.
