Start11 2.5 Release Feedback Thread

With the Start11 2.5 release, we are creating this thread so that users can report any observed issues.  

Obtaining the product

Object Desktop members can get the release from within Object Desktop Manager 

Individual purchases (as well as Object Desktop Members) can also be obtained from your account page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products

For guest check-out purchase (no account), from this link: http://www.stardock.com/support/productkeyretrieval

Reporting an issue

Please include the following for anything found:

  • Exact Windows version \ build (winver.exe)

  • Detailed steps to recreate the issue seen

  • Screenshots and videos are very helpful.  Videos can be uploaded to a cloud drive service (GoogleDrive, DropBox, OneDrive, YouTube), with a shared link included in your post.  Images can be copied and pasted directly into a post.

  • If there are specific apps that the app does not work (well) with, please note what apps and their exact versions.  If any app is not common, a link to a trial version would be appreciated.

Thank you for your interest and any time you put into making Star11 v2 a better product.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

183,624 views 118 replies
Reply #1 Top

Start11 v2.5 Changelog (Released 01/15/2025)

01/15/2025

Version

  • UI: 2.5

  • Start11Config.exe: 2.5.0.0

Platforms

  • Stardock and Steam

Changes

  • NEW Adds experimental vertical taskbar support Windows 11 (23H2+ only)

  • NEW Centred taskbar buttons mode in Win11 now works on > 2 monitor setups

  • Fixed issue with dragging taskbar buttons to the left of the taskbar when centered

  • Fix for DisplayFusion issue

  • Tweaks for changing the size of taskbar icons etc

  • Fixed an issue with Microsoft Loop and a resource leak

  • Fix for position of jumplist on mixed vertical and nonvertical setups

  • Fix for config having a nonfunctional indicator on the left causing an odd blank box

  • Fixed 1 en-us localization issue

  • Detection of 23H2 as we were detecting beta channel only

  • Added UI options for icon size, button width, and height to advanced taskbar settings.  Only properly apply when not using OS autohide

  • Fixed issue with Win+X menu going away when you mouseover a vertical taskbar

  • Resolved issue with touch long press to get a right click not working on vertical taskbars for items

  • Resolved flicker on custom start button when mouseover on a vertical taskbar

  • Removed excess slider on advanced taskbar settings

  • Fixed issue with Win+X menu appearing in the wrong location when taskbar is on the right depending on the screen scaling factor

  • Resolved issue with on-top secondary taskbars causing a hang issue.

  • Fixes for Directory Opus taskbar docked bars

  • Added a registry key to make S11 on Win10 using center mode delay before updating : S11_DelayCentreUpdateWin10
    value in ms

    Registry location for values:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\Start8\Start8.ini\Start8

  • Removed excess All apps item on Win10 all apps list

  • Tweaked color of the taskbar when using color on the taskbar and also resolved accent color choice being wrong sometimes on the taskbar.

  • Fixed Win10 style on vertical taskbars not correctly painting buttons for > 1 window open when in combine mode.

  • Fixes issue with top aligned taskbar getting misaligned horizontally

  • Fixes issue with combined mode taskbar buttons not performing correct action on click when having a monitor in negative coordinates and also not working for vertical taskbars on the left

  • Fix for having a monitor with negative coordinates stopping combine mode window switch popup always showing when clicking on the taskbar.  Note that newer insider versions of Windows no longer support this and will switch between windows on click rather than show the popup.  This may be a bug in insiders and fix itself in the future

  • Fix for juddering jumplist when on top and using a rounded taskbar.

  • Fix for win+X menu when using on top and autohide having the submenu misaligned when not reserving one pixel for the taskbar.

  • Fixed overflow taskbar system tray icons not showing correctly when not using enhanced taskbar but with a top of screen taskbar.

  • Fix for top taskbar thumbs on insider

  • Rounded taskbar settings no longer impact taskbar items on vertical taskbars

  • Fix for thumbs on Windows Insider with autohide left aligned taskbar

  • Fix for blank taskbar after rebooting or log off \ on

  • Further login tweaks for vertical taskbars

  • Fix for >2 monitor taskbar center mode

  • Clock text on the vertical taskbars is made less small when wider

  • Fixes some secondary monitor issues with autohide, vertical and screen workspace

  • Fixes a case of no settings showing in search

  • Removes - File explorer from taskbar buttons

  • Resolved issue with clicking on pinned taskbar items in combined mode causing a new instance of the app to launch sometimes

  • Resolved an issue found when fixing that to do with clicking doing nothing on newer OS builds sometimes if the thumbs window was open.

  • Resolved thumbs placement issue with beta channel update

  • Resolved jumplist not showing when taskbar is on top on secondary displays and now with enhanced taskbar off on primary too

  • Removed hyphen from ‘Task Manager’ in the supported languages.

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Reply #2 Top

Known issues

While we appreciate all feedback, please remember that we offer no official support for beta \ preview \ developer channel versions of Windows. If you report issues while in any of those early release channels, you should not expect them to be addressed unless it still exists in a retail version of Windows.

  • tbd
Reply #3 Top

***Reserved***

Reply #4 Top

Taskbar Thumbnail Issue

Enhanced taskbar ON
Taskbar on the BOTTOM
Taskbar configuration CENTER ALIGNED
Hide the start button on primary display ON
Taskbar thumbnails don't appear on hover over the app in the first position on the taskbar
(Once two windows are open, clicking on the app displays the thumbnails)
On all other app positions, thumbnails display properly.

In this same configuration, if the Taskbar config is set to Left aligned or Left start button and centered aligned taskbar buttons, the taskbar thumbnails display as expected.

Not sure if this is new with this version.

Windows 11 Pro - 22635.4660; Start11v2 - 2.5.0.0

Reply #5 Top

The custom start button flicker has been resolved, but if you don't have an app open or pinned to the taskbar, the default Windows 11 start button is used.

If you hide the start button on Primary monitor, if you don't have an app open or pinned to the taskbar, the default Windows start button is displayed, but does not work. If an app is open or pinned to the taskbar, the start button is hidden.

There seems to be an issue related to whether an app is open or pinned to the taskbar and how the Start button is displayed.

Taskbar on the left.

Windows 11 Pro - 22635.4660; Start11v2 - 2.5.0.0

Reply #6 Top

Hi. With taskbar set to centered, I only get the start menu icon on one of my external monitors (it doesn't matter if the monitor is vertical or horizontal, it's the same issue). Windows 11 24H2. Thanks.

Reply #7 Top

There is a placeholder where the All Apps text was removed from the Windows 10 style menu, that highlights and when clicked opens the "rolodex" listing.

Windows 11 Pro - 22635.4660; Start11v2 - 2.5.0.0

Reply #8 Top

"Taskbar size" in "advanced taskbar tweaks" simply no longer works at all

Reply #9 Top

Quoting PhoenixRising1, reply 8

"Taskbar size" in "advanced taskbar tweaks" simply no longer works at all

If I set the Icon size, Button width, and Button height all back to the defaults, the Taskbar size settings works for me on 22635.4660.

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Reply #10 Top

Quoting pelaird, reply 9

If I set the Icon size, Button width, and Button height all back to the defaults, the Taskbar size settings works for me on 22635.4660.

You are correct. That does work for me. They all have to be set to "default" for it to work

Reply #11 Top

Quoting PhoenixRising1, reply 10

Quoting pelaird,

If I set the Icon size, Button width, and Button height all back to the defaults, the Taskbar size settings works for me on 22635.4660.

You are correct. That does work for me. They all have to be set to "default" for it to work

You can still drag the taskbar to increase the size, and it doesn't affect the icon sizes, but it does allow multiple rows of icons.

Reply #12 Top

Evening all.  Have just installed StarDock Start 11 v2.5 and tried the experimental vertical taskbar, aligned left.

no luck.  After Explorer restart, taskbar reappears at default position at bottom of screen.

Enhanced taskbar is ON.  Align Top works, but align left or align right leaves the taskbar in default position at bottom of screen

Windows 11 Home 23H2 (Build 22631.4602)

Are there other switches / settings I need to configure?

Reply #13 Top

Quoting DarioMartin, reply 12

Evening all.  Have just installed StarDock Start 11 v2.5 and tried the experimental vertical taskbar, aligned left.

no luck.  After Explorer restart, taskbar reappears at default position at bottom of screen.

Enhanced taskbar is ON.  Align Top works, but align left or align right leaves the taskbar in default position at bottom of screen

Windows 11 23H2 (Build 22631.4602)

Are there other switches / settings I need to configure?

After changing the setting to Align left and restarting Explorer, the taskbar will appear at the bottom for a few seconds and then should move to the left.

Reply #14 Top

Quoting pelaird, reply 11

You can still drag the taskbar to increase the size, and it doesn't affect the icon sizes, but it does allow multiple rows of icons.

I think my favorite method of controlling taskbar size (by far) is using the new button width and height options. It allows a more exact sizing of the taskbar. Of course, the width option increases the size of taskbar on the left or right.

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Reply #15 Top

Quoting DarioMartin, reply 12

Evening all.  Have just installed StarDock Start 11 v2.5 and tried the experimental vertical taskbar, aligned left.

no luck.  After Explorer restart, taskbar reappears at default position at bottom of screen.

Enhanced taskbar is ON.  Align Top works, but align left or align right leaves the taskbar in default position at bottom of screen

Windows 11 Home 23H2 (Build 22631.4602)

Are there other switches / settings I need to configure?

Uninstall, reboot and then reinstall 2.5 as it sounds like some older files got left behind.

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Reply #16 Top

Quoting pelaird, reply 9


Quoting PhoenixRising1,

"Taskbar size" in "advanced taskbar tweaks" simply no longer works at all



If I set the Icon size, Button width, and Button height all back to the defaults, the Taskbar size settings works for me on 22635.4660.

This is expected as those override the taskbar size.

Reply #18 Top

Microsoft Windows
Version 23H2 (0S Build 22631.4602)

Incompatibility with GadgetPack v38 https://gadgetpack.net/

After upgrade from last Start11 v2 release version GadgetPack's sidebar only half-appears and its "stay on top" function stopped working.

After uninstalling Start11 and rebooting the sidebar worked normally.

After installing Start11 again the sidebar worked normally (with Start11 functioning as well) until the computer was rebooted whereupon the sidebar stopped working properly as before.

 

Reply #19 Top

Just installed this version - all appears to work, apart from the fact that with a vertical taskbar on either left or right side, my desktop icons don't stay put!  If I disable Start11's management of the taskbar and use the latest explorer patcher instead everything works as expected and my icons stay where I put them. Windows is fully updated too.

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Reply #20 Top

Howdy all! 🤠

Here is a video of an issue I had after updating to 2.5 this afternoon. I rolled back to 2.074 which was the last installer I had and the issue went away. I thought I could work thru it as is, but it was filling up my taskbar way too quick and it was killing my productivity for work. I was on 2.11, but I can't seem to find anywhere to download that from a safe location. Is there a way to get the previous version from Stardock's website / our account page? Thanks!

Reply #21 Top

I was on 2.11, but I can't seem to find anywhere to download that from a safe location. Is there a way to get the previous version from Stardock's website / our account page? Thanks!

I'm curious about this as well, 2.5 is only displaying the start menu when I press the windows key on the keyboard. All 3 monitors otherwise show the stock windows start menu. I need a rollback.

Reply #22 Top

Quoting transamken, reply 21


I was on 2.11, but I can't seem to find anywhere to download that from a safe location. Is there a way to get the previous version from Stardock's website / our account page? Thanks!


I'm curious about this as well, 2.5 is only displaying the start menu when I press the windows key on the keyboard. All 3 monitors otherwise show the stock windows start menu. I need a rollback.

Uninstall then reboot and reinstall.

Reply #23 Top

Quoting StickyFrog, reply 20

Howdy all! 🤠

Here is a video of an issue I had after updating to 2.5 this afternoon. I rolled back to 2.074 which was the last installer I had and the issue went away. I thought I could work thru it as is, but it was filling up my taskbar way too quick and it was killing my productivity for work. I was on 2.11, but I can't seem to find anywhere to download that from a safe location. Is there a way to get the previous version from Stardock's website / our account page? Thanks!


Are you able to save your config file (using the Start11 backup options) and send a link to it to me via private message.

My gut is saying the use of explorer patcher is probably triggering the problem here.  Tricking things into thinking they are not Windows 11 is liable to cause confusion.

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Reply #25 Top

Quoting johnkay1402, reply 19

I disable Start11's management of the taskbar and use the latest explorer patcher instead everything works as expected and my icons stay where I put them. Windows is fully updated too.

Try uninstalling ExplorerPatcher, rebooting, installing Start11v2.5 and rebooting. I think/bet it'll work fine. I think EP is interfering with Start11v2.5.

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