What does HackerNews think of ExplorerPatcher?

This project aims to enhance the working environment on Windows

Language: C

Rectify11 Improving upon the Windows 11 experience | Aug 2023
Not going to install something that seems so vague, but I do use ExplorerPatcher [1] on my Windows 11 machines to basically re-create Windows 10 UI and fix all of the annoyances I have with Windows 11. I've got the old right click menu, the old task bar, the old alt-tab interface, pretty much the whole thing. Only reason I use Windows 11 over Windows 10 is because Windows 11 seems to handle my triple monitor setup better, especially when waking up from sleep.

[1] - https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

The Windows 11 Trash Party | Apr 2023
Windows 11's UI is trash, no question. However, it can be easily fixed with ExplorerPatcher. https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Windows 11 KB5023778 update adds promotions to the Start menu | Mar 2023
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This reverts Windows 11 back to taskbar sanity from Windows 7/10 era and gets rid of ads as a bonus:

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Windows needs to stop showing tabloid news | Mar 2023
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Related and open source: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
A patch to enable Windows Subsystem for Android to run on Windows 10 | Feb 2023
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I agree, the shell changes are a big step backwards for the sake of some eye candy. Personally I use ExplorerPatcher [1] to restore most of the shell UI back to stock Win10, and it's been working pretty well for me without any problems.

[1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
A patch to enable Windows Subsystem for Android to run on Windows 10 | Feb 2023
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Well, there are features missing.

Given how every monitor in existence is wide , it's super odd you can't drag the taskbar to the side, it's bottom only. https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-explains-why-you-ca...

The Win 11 context menu is just irritating, it displays a lot of unnecessary things and the "real" context menu is hidden under "show more options"

You can see much more at https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/ -- and this project fixes them, too.
How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11? | Jan 2023
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ExplorerPatcher [1] exists also

[1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11? | Jan 2023
Absolutely. I had to find something for this. And thankfully, some guy was annoyed enough to build this: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11? | Jan 2023
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this works: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Windows 11 update added 'Search' label to taskbar search button – how to remove? | Dec 2022
I'm on https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to make 11 bearable, but it's a bit of a rough ride every time an update hits. First time ever I went through with a "donate" link on some software, that's how bad 11 is!
Windows 11 still not winning the OS popularity contest | Dec 2022
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These changes are a pain but i have mostly achieved a copy of my Windows 10 setup which is much needed to stay productive!

Getting the old right-click menu back is done through a registry setting.

Reverting the taskbar back to Win10/2000 style for things like ungrouping of task bar items, items in multiple rows, items with titles and a quick launch area i use this: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Microsoft is turning Windows 11's Start Menu into an ad delivery system | Nov 2022
At least ExplorerPatcher still works, it is one of the first things I install on new systems. I wish it was included in Ninite:

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

Available Today: Windows Dev Kit 2023 a.k.a. Project Volterra | Oct 2022
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This tool [1] can solve all of your Windows 11 problems. I simply refuse to use windows 11 without the full right click context menu. This open source program does that, and much, much more. Smaller task bar, grouping/ungrouping icons. So glad I found this.

[1] https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
98.css – design system for building faithful recreations of Windows 98 UIs | Oct 2022
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I use ExplorerPatcher so that on W11, I can still have a button per open application:

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

It also brings other Windows 10 UI paradigm's back in.
Microsoft Has No Plans to Let You Move the Windows 11 Taskbar | Sep 2022
Highly recommend ExplorerPatcher: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

Allows you to move taskbar to side or top of screen, as well as retoring a number of other Windows 10 features (e.g. old-style context menus):

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/All-features

Windows10Debloater: Script to remove Windows 10 bloatware | Aug 2022
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https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
A Windows 95-like shell for Windows 3.1x | Jul 2022
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Another alternative (to get a usable taskbar back without grouping of icons etc.) is https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher.
Ask HN: Good things about Windows 11 | May 2022
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Start menu classic for the start menu replacement, probably not that important, but I like how it works.

For getting the start bar back to a windows 10ish state (essential): https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

Then there was just a key via regedit to restore the old right click menu: https://pureinfotech.com/bring-back-classic-context-menu-win...
Microsoft explains why you can't move Windows 11 Taskbar | Apr 2022
i have a hunch, if we started putting the taskbar/menu buttons to the side, in mobile devices and apps, we would see late adoption by microsoft.

the menu buttons on the bottom is what mobile has been doing for more than a decade i think

what doesnt quite add up is:

"When it comes to something like actually being able to move the taskbar to different locations on the screen, there's a number of challenges with that," said Roth (via Neowin). "When you think about having the taskbar on the right or the left, all of a sudden the reflow and the work that all of the apps have to do to be able to understand the environment is just huge."

This didnt seem to be too much of an issue, previously, but something fundamental has changed, to make this a challenge

>> i took a look around and found this:

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

not sure if it still work or for how long but it claims to patch in a win10 taskbar

Windows 11 may not be as popular as Microsoft had hoped | Apr 2022
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Some Windows 11 GUI customization tools:

Start All Back https://www.startallback.com

Explorer Patcher https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

Open Shell https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
The Windows 11 taskbar is an annoying step backward | Jan 2022
Until this boneheaded mistake is fixed, we have ExplorerPatcher: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
The Windows 11 taskbar is an annoying step backward | Jan 2022
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I had this same issue, but the only way I have found is to use something like Explorer Patcher [0], but it "solves" the problem by just replace the Win11 bar with the one from Win10

[0]: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround | Dec 2021
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It's still Windows, we can tweak everything exactly how we want it.

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

https://ramensoftware.com/7-taskbar-tweaker-on-windows-11-wi...

I've been using 7taskbar for years, it's rock solid. ExplorerPatcher is a new requirement, works great and adds tons of features.
Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround | Dec 2021
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I updated to 11 on my laptop but kept 10 on my main machine. I see zero reason to update my main computer to 11. I was willing to give centered start button a try but the fact that you can't turn off grouping of applications in the taskbar is a deal breaker. If I have two firefox windows open I want to know it and to be able to pick which one I want without having to hover my mouse over the icon for a second while the picture of the windows pops up.

So I installed Explorer patcher to get the old taskbar back https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher

Other than that the only feature of 11 that I have used is the snap zones. And I guess if I want that I can install the power toy it is based on.