Tested on OS builds 22000.2416, 22621.2361, 22621.2506, and 23585.1001.
#### Details
##### 1
* Taskbar10: Partially fixed Windows 11 Start menu and Search positioning on builds 23545+ (Dev). (ac268b1)
* Changing the taskbar alignment requires restarting `explorer.exe` in order to take effect.
* File Explorer: Added option to disable the modern navigation bar of Moment 4. (2dc1340)
* File Explorer: Restored "Apply Mica" functionality on OS builds 22621+. (f62c532)
* Localization: Officially added Japanese translations. (Thanks @creeper-0910, @reindex-ot, and @Rukoto!)
* GUI: Decoupled the Properties window into `ep_gui.dll` from the main DLL in order to reduce the main DLL size and to allow scalable localization. (f6f6d89, 639d7aa)
*`rundll32 C:\Windows\dxgi.dll,ZZGUI` will continue to work as before.
#### ⚠️ Important notice for translators ⚠️
In this update, most if not all user-facing parts of ExplorerPatcher have been made localizable.
* The English texts have been put together into [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/tree/master/ep_gui/resources/lang) and [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/tree/master/ep_setup/resources/lang).
* Non-English texts have been designed to be put into [this separate repository](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher-L10N). Feel free to make a PR there if you want to contribute to translations.
* Some texts have been updated to be more concise and accurate, so for existing translation fork maintainers, please double check the translations before making a PR to the said repository.
* Also for translation fork maintainers, a large number of conflicts will happen if you decide to continue merging changes from the main repository.
* Please let us know through Issues if there are still user-facing parts of ExplorerPatcher that are not localizable.
We apologize for the additional work that this change might cause. We hope that this one-time change will make it easier for translators to localize ExplorerPatcher and also easier for both translators and users to keep ExplorerPatcher up to date.
Tested on OS builds 22000.2416, 22621.1, 22621.2134, 22621.2361, 22631.2338, and 23545.1000.
#### Details
##### 1
* Taskbar10: Fixed Windows 10 taskbar not showing up on Windows 11 builds with "Never combine" on the new taskbar. (bc3bbc7)
* Taskbar10: Fixed pen menu crashing `explorer.exe` on 22621.2134+. (1977d78)
* Taskbar11: Fixed a bug that crashed `explorer.exe` when right clicking the new taskbar on Windows 11 builds with "Never combine" on the new taskbar. (6023718)
* File Explorer: EP now tries to avoid crashes related to the new Windows App SDK views. (b426d2c)
* On OS builds 22621+, fixed a bug that crashed `explorer.exe` when required functions in `twinui.pcshell.dll` (for Win+X and Windows 10 Alt+Tab) could not be found using the fallback method. (6023718)
* Taskbar11: Restored the fix for the bug that reset the "never combine" setting on OS builds 22621.2361+, which was removed in 22621.2361.58.3 by accident. (9f04110)
* Start: "Start menu style" now requires restart so that Pin to Start/Unpin from Start on Explorer works properly. (bdd71ef)
* Taskbar10: Disabled the patch for proper acrylic background on Canary builds (25000+) for now. (4ee742f)
Tested on OS build 22621.2283. Installer requires Internet connectivity.
#### Details
##### 1
* Taskbar10: Fixed Action Center, Control Center, and notification toasts placements on OS builds 22621.2134+ (thanks @Amrsatrio).
* Taskbar10: Fixed a bug that prevented Task View and/or the window switcher (`Alt`+`Tab`) from working on OS builds 22621.2134+ (thanks @Amrsatrio).
* Taskbar10: Fixed a bug that prevented the volume and brightness flyouts from displaying (thanks @Amrsatrio).
* Taskbar10: Fixed a bug that prevented the `Win`+`A` (Action Center), `Win`+`N` (Control Center), and `Win`+`B` (Focus on tray overflow button) shortcuts from working on OS builds 22621.2134+ (thanks @Amrsatrio).
* Taskbar10: Fixed the context menu of the new IME button OS builds 22621.2134+ (thanks @Amrsatrio).
* Taskbar11: Fixed a bug that crashed `explorer.exe` when right clicking the taskbar on OS builds 22621.2134+.
* Quality of life improvements regarding symbol data (thanks @Amrsatrio).
Learn about known issues and track the progress regarding this update [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/pull/2097). Special thanks to @Amrsatrio for providing support towards fixing ExplorerPatcher on newer OS builds.
Tested on OS build 22621.1992. Installer requires Internet connectivity.
#### Details
##### 1
* Windows 10 Start menu: Fixed a bug that prevented the menu from working on OS builds 22621.1413 and newer (46c5041). Please read these important notes regarding the fix [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/1679).
* Support for individual list and grouping for UWP apps (implemented grouping and naming enhancements based on using information associated with `AppUserModelID`s)
* Ability to switch between global and local window lists when the switcher is shown.
* Maintain position in the list when certain events occur, like closing windows or switching between the global and local window lists.
*`Del` key closes the currently selected window(s).
* Fixed a bug that prevented newly spawned windows while the switcher is open from going to the back of the list.
* Fixed a bug that prevented window lists from building properly when windows were slow to close.
* Fixed a bug that prevented proper activation of pop-up windows under certain conditions. For example, the switcher is now able to correctly switch to the "Error Checking" window in This PC - right click C: - Properties - Tools - Error checking - Check.
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
* Windows 10 taskbar: Fixed a bug that made the following functionalities have issues or stop working: Task View button, `Win-Tab`, `Alt-Tab` after pressing `Win-Tab`, flyouts alignment, notification center alignment, `Win` key shortcuts on OS build 22621.1413+ (thanks @CthRio for the heads up). (0ad140c)
* Setup: Fixed a bug that prevented File Explorer from starting automatically after servicing the application if the installer run using different credentials than the logged on user (thanks @Abestanis). (1738b45)
* Weather: Fixed widget icons when using Microsoft icon pack. (2a1aad2)
* Implemented a mechanism to stop repeated crashes. (d7e5b7d)
* Windows 11 Start menu: Fixed a bug that prevented the menu from working when the setting "Disable Recommended section" is used and the display scaling is 125%. (5649a83)
Tested on OS builds 22621.1344, 22000.1574, and 19044.1466.
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Windows 10 taskbar: Fixed a bug that crashed `explorer` on OS build 22621.1344. (f9d702e)
* Weather: Fixed a bug that displayed the widget area using a different background color. (cc0af46)
* Weather: Fixed a bug that might throw a script error when certain elements are not ready. (c083327)
* Weather: Fixed a bug that could prevent the widget from properly loading. (a8c7fba)
* ep_extra: Implemented a loadable module for Windows 7's Alt-Tab. (ca8ce13)
* ep_extra: Implemented an `ep_extra`-based loader. (1f4b586)
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Windows 11 Start menu: Implemented centering on screen when taskbar is not at the bottom. (4212e35)
* Windows 11 taskbar: Option to use the stock taskbar context menu. (451db3c)
* Fixed a bug that could display the Start menu on a wrong monitor or outside the screen when the taskbar was moved to the top of the screen and the previous setting was at the right edge of the screen. (53fad19)
* Windows 11 Start menu: Fixed a bug that prevented the disable "Recommended" section feature from working when the scaling level of the screen the Start menu is displayed on is set to 125% (120 DPI). (9f9d43e)
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Fixed a bug that could prevent the Windows 10 network or battery flyouts from showing on OS build 22000.
* Fixed the Windows 10 network and battery flyouts on OS build 22621.
* Weather: Fixed a bug that displayed the widget contents with incorrect left padding.
* sws: Support for changing selection in window list using the mouse wheel (suggestion by andrewz).
* Fix broken "Cascade windows", "Show windows stacked", "Show windows side by side", and "Undo ..." options in taskbar context menu (reported by iamk9008).
* sws: Option to have the scroll wheel change the selection when using the switcher:
* "Never" (default), the same behavior as two versions ago, which means that, when the switcher is active, it does not react to the scroll wheel being used.
* "When cursor is over the switcher" has the switcher react to the scroll whell and advance/reverse the selection only when the cursor is above the switcher
* "Always" has the switcher react to the scroll whell and advance/reverse the selection regardless of where the cursor is placed. In this mode, background applications won't receive scroll wheel updates until the switcher is closed, regardless of the "Scroll inactive windows when hovering over them" setting from Windows.
* sws: Fixed a bug that had the scroll wheel move selections in the opposite direction compared to Windows 7 Alt-Tab's behavior. When enabled, the scrolling up selects the previous window in the list, while scrolling down selects the next window in the list. To obtain the previous behavior, which is to scroll up to select the next window, and to scroll down to select the previous window, set `ScrollWheelInvert` to `1` in `HKCU\Software\ExplorerPatcher\sws` (5cef3b1).
* sws: Fixed a bug that could unexpectedly move the switcher to another monitor when your cursor was placed on the other monitor, the option to have the switcher display on the monitor the cursor is placed on is enabled and the switcher finished refreshing its data in the background (https://github.com/valinet/sws/commit/8b68539201102801367ef8f3716b9f1260e2dbe5).
* sws: Fixed a bug that could prevent hotkey associations from being properly cleaned up when you disabled the setting to have a per-application window list (https://github.com/valinet/sws/commit/c5776e5a6a0c5495892a15e16a1def31b225fc51).
* sws: Fixed a bug that could prevent correct reload of settings when entries were directly deleted from the registry (cbc5f19).
* Windows 11 taskbar: Fixed a bug that could crash `explorer.exe` when right clicking certain system tray icons on 22621-based builds. Thanks for the reports about this issue. (a6a88b1)
* Windows 11 Start menu: Fixed a bug that prevented the menu from taking into account the "Layout" setting from Windows Settings - Personalization - Taskbar on 22621-based builds. (2572a80)
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Support for OS builds 22621+. Read more [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/1082#issuecomment-1206690333).
* Added an option to shrink address bar height in File Explorer windows (thanks @krlvm).
* Support for disabling the modern search bar in 32-bit applications as well (thanks @krlvm).
* Fixed a bug that could prevent deleting registry keys when the application was supposed to (for example, when uninstalling or toggling certain settings).
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Weather: Fixed a bug that could hang the widget and lead to an infinite loop with the program using an entire CPU core when the computer resumed from sleep or hibernation.
* Weather: Fixed a bug that had the widget display the error page when the computer lost network connectivity; instead, now the widget continues to display the cached data from the previous refresh (if any).
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Built-in support for OS build 22000.778.
* Fixed a bug that had the Start button context menu / Win-X menu / power user menu fail to display and potentially lock the shell on OS builds 22000.778+ and 22621+
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* Built-in support for OS build 22000.708.
* Added configuration options for the new Windows Spotlight desktop background feature, including:
* Hide the "Learn about this picture" icon
* Choose which items from the Windows spotlight icon context menu to have replicated in the desktop context menu (legacy context menu only)
* Set a schedule for "Switch to next picture"
* Manipulate the feature from the Properties UI, bypassing the desktop icon
* The Properties UI hides sections that are not applicable to your current settings; for example, the "Weather" tab is not displayed if you've selected the Windows 11 taskbar, as none of the options in there apply when in this mode.
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
#### Details
##### 1
* sws: Fixed a bug that displayed a wrong window to switch to when a background application was denied the request to have the foreground window by the OS (#1084)
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
Please make sure you are connected to the Internet while installing, the application might need to perform one-time downloads for several resources in order to enable full functionality.
* Implemented Weather widget for the classic taskbar, similar to what is available in the more recent updates to Windows 10. Read more about it [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Weather).
* Support for the Windows 10 Start menu in Windows 11. Read more about this [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/920).
* Option to center Windows 10 Start menu and Windows 10 taskbar.
* Support for Windows 10. Read more about this [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/898).
#### Details
##### 1
* The weather widget recomputes its area automatically, by default, in order to fit its contents, instead of remaining at a fixed size; there is also an option to choose between the two behavior
* Possibility to disable the icon in the weather widget
* Fixed a bug that prevented the weather widget flyout from displaying correctly when the taskbar was using small icons (#741)
* Fixed inconsistencies when displaying the weather widget and the system themes are disabled (aka the classic theme is used)
* Screen readers now read the weather data when requested for the weather widget
* Changing the Start button style or weather widget layout does not toggle taskbar auto-hide now; instead, the settings take effect immediately
##### 2
* The weather widget defaults to showing in the preferred language set in Windows, instead of English (#734)
* Fixed a bug that could corrupt registry entries of type REG_SZ set via the Properties UI (#734)
* Fixed a bug that reset the setting when pressing "Cancel" in an input box in the Properties UI (#734)
##### 3
* The weather widget shows an error screen when an error happens (like, using an incorrect location, or the network not working etc)
* The weather widget adjusts its size vertically to accommodate the entire contents (#734)
##### 4
* The weather widget supports dark mode (thanks @krlvm) (#755)
##### 5
* Fixed a bug that prevented correct registration of the weather flyout on certain systems (26b6646)
* Fixed a bug that made the weather flyout open with noticeable delay under certain circumstances
* Fixed a bug that prevented correct operation on builds without built-in symbols (#783)
##### 6
* Fixed several race conditions that could lead to incorrect operation of the weather widget (for example, `explorer.exe` crashing when disabling or enabling the widget)
##### 7
* Implemented 2 features that help in replacing the functionality of the quick launch toolbar with pinned taskbar items. Read more about it [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/819)
##### 8
* Implemented option to have the Start menu open on a specific monitor (#821)
* Installer sets a Start menu shortcut for the "Properties" window
##### 14
* The weather widget positions and sizes itself with respect to the text size accessibility setting as well ([#734](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/734#discussioncomment-2190218))
##### 15
* Support for high contrast themes in the "Properties" window and in the weather widget (#885)
* Fixed a bug that could lead to a crash when `explorer.exe` starts (#879)
* Fixed a bug that could prevent the weather widget from launching under certain conditions
##### 16
* Initial support for Windows 10
* Enabling the weather widget will automatically download and install the Microsoft WebView2 Runtime on computers where it is not installed
##### 17
* Fixed a bug in the Weather widget that could display an erroneous Google search pop-up (thanks @plofhaan) ([#734](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/734#discussioncomment-2216475))
##### 18
* Fixed a bug that resulted in an access violation on log off when EP runs alongside 7+TT (#894)
##### 19
* Option to enable dev tools for weather widget debugging (#934)
* Fixed a bug that prevented the "Skin menus" setting from working in the `Win`+`X` menu on Windows 10
##### 20
* Fixed a bug that would display an information banner that obscured the weather widget in some occasions when displaying the widget in German (#934) (thanks @frederic2de)
##### 21
* Fixed program windows in older 22000-based OS builds
##### 22
* Added option to enable rounded corners on the Windows 10 Start menu (#937)
* Added option to disable the "Recommended" section on the Windows 11 Start menu
* Fixed a bug that prevented correct displaying of the weather widget contents when using a right-to-left language (#954)
##### 23
* Support for full screen Windows 10 Start menu
##### 24
* Support for "Show more tiles" option in the Windows 10 Start menu (#933)
* Fixed a bug that prevented extraction of all files when running `ep_setup.exe /extract`
##### 25
* Implemented floating/docked rounded corners in the Windows 10 Start menu
##### 26
* Implemented centered Windows 10 taskbar
* Option to hide the app list in the Windows 10 Start menu
* Fixed a bug that presented the weather widget with a wrong height when using the taskbar vertically
##### 27
* Implemented centered Windows 10 Start menu
* Fixed a bug that prevented the taskbar from displaying UWP icons when using the Windows 10 Start menu on newer Windows builds (#973)
##### 28
* Fixed a bug in the Windows 10 Start menu that prevented the menu from displaying when not using rounded corners
* Fixed a bug in the Windows 10 Start menu that prevented the menu from updating its position when the settings changed
* Fixed a bug in the Start menu that prevented the app from receiving settings change notifications when some registry keys were not available on the system
* Fixed a crash at startup in `explorer.exe` (in module `sndvolsso.dll`) on OS build 22567+
##### 29
* Fixed a bug that prevented the weather widget from working on OS server SKUs
* Enabled centered Start menu and taskbar in Windows 10
* Prompt before updating when running on the built-in Administrator account and the `FilterAdministratorToken` policy ("User Account Control: Use Admin Approval Mode for the built-in Administrator account") is disabled or not configured
* The Microsoft icon pack for the weather widget applies to the widget contents as well, in addition to the taskbar icon
* Fixed a bug that slightly moved the taskbar buttons to the right when dragging to rearrange one of them over the first or last item when using the centered Windows 10 taskbar (#1009)
* Fixed a bug that crashed the "Properties" window when accessing the "System tray" section in Windows 10 (#1013)
* Fixed a bug that prevented the Mica effect from working on File Explorer windows when the "Launch folder windows in a separate process" setting was used (#1021)
* Fixed a bug that made certain systems, under certain circumstances, to become stuck in "tablet mode"; symptoms included more spacing between taskbar icons, compact view permanently disabled in File Explorer, and/or item checkboxes permanently enabled in File Explorer (#1022). After installing this update, if you are still stuck with the tablet UI, open the Registry Editor, go to `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TabletTip\ConvertibleSlateModeChanged` and delete the `ConvertibleSlateModeChanged` value which most likely is stuck to `1`.
##### .32
* Built-in support for 22000.556
* Weather widget can now show on the left/top side of the taskbar
* Weather widget can display condition on 2 lines
* Reliability improvements for the centered Windows 10 taskbar which now also works along with other taskbar toolbars
* Fixed a bug that had the Windows 10 Start menu default to being left-aligned on Windows 10
* Fixed a bug that prevented the "Centered, with Start button" modes of the Windows 10 taskbar from working correctly when the taskbar was vertically aligned
* Weather: Fixed a bug that had the widget display, at startup, a day/night icon relating to time at the last hour change, instead of the actual current time
* Weather: Fixed a bug that made the widget display a line at the top for some places
* Fixed a bug that could make the centered taskbar not layout correctly when showing/hiding either of the search, Cortana or task view buttons the first time after the application started
* Fixed a bug that prevented the centered taskbar from working when animations are turned off system-wide (for example, in usual remote sessions)
* Fixed a bug that prevented the taskbar from displaying correctly when the weather widget is set to display at left/top (#1041)
* Option to allow version downgrades when updating the application after switching the servicing channels (#1051)
* ExplorerPatcher no longer sets the `MinWidth` registry entry automatically - this was used to mitigate an issue with `explorer.exe` where taskbar button labels were becoming too large. If you are affected by having this registry entry set, open the Registry Editor, go to `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics` and remove the `MinWidth` entry (which is probably set to `38`). The same procedure can be used in order to have this option set up in the registry. For more information, see #664.
* Setup will disable the `UndockingDisabled` registry entry at `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages` when servicing the application. Using `UndockingDisabled` with ExplorerPatcher is not necessary and can actually cause issues (for example, see #704).
* The language switcher list displays only the options that work (previously, it showed some cryptic internal implementations, like "LOGONUI", "UAC", "SETTINGPAGE" and "OOBE"). Thus, the list of language switchers offers the following choices:
* Windows 11 (default)
* Windows 10 (with link to "Language Preferences")
* Reliability improvements for the option that maps the `Win`+`C` shortcut to open the clock flyout instead of Microsoft Teams (eliminated dependency on symbol data) (.10)
* When an update is available, the notification displays the version of the update (.12)
* The updater correctly detects when the current version is a pre-release but the user has switched the update channel to stable and does not suggest the older stable version as an update anymore (multiple reports, #540, #710) (.12)
* Mitigated an `explorer.exe` bug where Windows 10 taskbar buttons were becoming too large under certain circumstances when the setting to show labels/never combine is used and the screen resolution/DPI changes (#664) (.6)
* Hotfix: Windows 10 taskbar "always combine"/"show labels" setting is properly preserved when upgrading from an older release (multiple reports, #612, #614) (.21)
* Primary taskbar remembers position when moved to a secondary monitor (multiple issues, like #504)
* Ability to set Control Center as network icon action (merged #492)
* Added possibility to use the original Windows 10 (Alt-Tab) window switcher; thus, the available options are now:
* Windows 11 switcher - full screeen, slow, tiny selection outline, slow opening times
* Windows 10 switcher - pretty good but lacks customization options
* Windows NT switcher - the classic simple icon-based interface hosted by `csrss`
* Simple Window Switcher - my own take on implementing this kind of functionality
* Registry access in the "Properties" GUI is now virtualized; that means, the same lightweight infrastructure is maintained but more complex behaviors can be offered via the improved backend; as such, this version introduces the following new configuration options:
* Primary and secondary taskbar placement
* Automatically hide the taskbar
* Proper activation of the "Properties" window when another instance is running and minimized
* Symbols parsing success notification displays for longer
* Debug builds are clearly indicated in the "About" page of "Properties"
* Fixed solution to properly produce a debug setup program
* Reliability improvements for File Explorer restarts (#529) (.7)
* When changing the main taskbar position and restarting File Explorer, the new position is now correctly saved and applied when File Explorer restarts (#523) (.7)
* Fixed a bug that prevented the Windows 10 window switcher from displaying when it was enabled, instead falling back to the Windows NT window switcher (#548) (.8)
* Settings are now stored in `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ExplorerPatcher` so that Windows does not reset them anymore across major OS updates (#576) (.16)
* Improved Properties UI layout by reducing wasted space and eliminating redundant elements (#590) (.17)
* Support for the `Win`+`Alt`+`D` shortcut to activate the clock flyout, as in Windows 10 (#591) (.17)
* Fixes for Windows 11 taskbar:
* As shipped by Microsoft, a taskbar displayed on a secondary monitor does not react when the mouse is over it and auto hide is on; fixed this (#589) (.17)
* As shipped by Microsoft, under certain circumstances, the main taskbar does not show its system tray when `explorer` starts up and auto hide is on; fixed this (.17)
* As shipped by Microsoft, a taskbar displayed on a secondary monitor might display a wrong contextual menu when auto hide is on; fixed this (.17)
* The clock flyouts now display correctly when using this taskbar
* Fixed a bug that displayed wrong window previews when the combine taskbar buttons option was set to never combine (#564) (.17)
* Possibility to set position on screen (top/bottom) from the Properties UI
* Restoring default settings only asks for elevation if required (for the moment, only if you have registered the application as shell extension) (.18)
* Dramatically improved performance, refactored application; switched to building the window lists faster, on demand, so that the proper windows are always displayed (as far as I remember, the latest `IsAltTabWindow` is based on a function called `IsTaskedWindow` ripped straight from AltTab.dll from Windows 7 6.1.7600.16385)
* Proper history of window activations is maintained internally
* Implemented support for layered windows, thus making transparency possible when using the default theme (Acrylic and Mica brushes are still available, but those have the disadvantage that the system can disable them in certain scenarios, like saving energy when working on battery power)
* Improved reliability of startup delay and window dismiss when quickly Alt-Tabbing
* Window icons are retrieved async now
* Better icon drawing using GDI+ flat API
* Added some more debug messages
* Fixed some rendering problems when themes are disabled
* Implemented a mitigation for #516: gestures for switching apps on Windows Precision Touchpad devices trigger the Windows 10 switcher instead of the Windows 11 switcher, which is much closer to how Simple Window Switcher looks and behaves; ideally, a full solution for this should be provided in the future, in the form of support for activation and navigation using Windows Precision Touchpad gestures in the Simple Window Switcher (.5)
* Implemented option to toggle taskbar auto-hide when double clicking the main taskbar (#389)
* Running `ep_setup.exe` again while EP is already installed will now update the program to the latest version. To uninstall, as the previous behavior did, run `ep_setup.exe /uninstall`
* Implemented absolute height and width parameters for the Windows 10 switcher. These are especially useful for ultra wide monitors, in a scenario similar to the one described in [this post](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/110#discussioncomment-1673007) - to configure, set `MaxWidthAbs` and/or `MaxHeightAbs` DWORD values in `HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ExplorerPatcher\sws` (#110)
* Provides a simple mechanism for chainloading a custom library when the shell interface is created, from which you can execute your custom code (subject to change, see [this](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/408#discussioncomment-1674348) for more details) (#408)
#### Feature enhancements
* Option to receive pre-release versions, if available, when checking for updates
* Improved behavior regarding symbol data information; please refer to https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Symbols for more information (.1)
* Fixed mismatches between defaults from EP and Windows' defaults
* Application starts with limited functionality on builds lacking hardcoded symbol information; symbol downloading is disabled for now, by default, but can be enabled in the "Advanced" settings section of "Properties"
* Improvements to how hung windows are treated by the Windows 10 window switcher; fixed an issue that severely delayed the time it took the window switcher to display when a window hung on the screen (#449)
* Taskbar toolbar layouts are preserved when switching between Windows 10 and Windows 11 taskbars and in general (these will be reset when installing this update but should be subsequently remembered) (#395) (.2)
* Running `ep_setup.exe` again while EP is already installed will now update the program to the latest version. To uninstall, as the previous behavior did, run `ep_setup.exe /uninstall` (.4)
* Implemented absolute height and width parameters for the Windows 10 switcher. These are especially useful for ultra wide monitors, in a scenario similar to the one described in [this post](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/110#discussioncomment-1673007) - to configure, set `MaxWidthAbs` and/or `MaxHeightAbs` DWORD values in `HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ExplorerPatcher\sws` (#110) (.5)
* Provides a simple mechanism for chainloading a custom library when the shell interface is created, from which you can execute your custom code (subject to change, see [this](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/408#discussioncomment-1674348) for more details) (#408) (.6)
* Improved reliability when invoking Control Center (`Win`+`A`) when the taskbar icon is disabled (the icon should now not reappear anymore sometimes) (#242)
* Small reorganization of some options in "Properties"
* Application starts with limited functionality on builds lacking hardcoded symbol information; symbol downloading is disabled for now, by default, but can be enabled in the "Advanced" settings section of "Properties" (.7)
* Improvements to how hung windows are treated by the Windows 10 window switcher; fixed an issue that severely delayed the time it took the window switcher to display when a window hung on the screen (#449) (.8)
Tested on build 22000.318 and 22000.346 (currently in Windows Insider beta and release preview channels).
#### New features
* The configuration interface is now accessed by right clicking on the taskbar and choosing "Properties" (previously, it was available in the `Win`+`X` menu). This behavior works when either the Windows 10 or Windows 11 taskbar is enabled. As well, you can launch the "Properties" window directly by pressing `Win`+`R` and typing `rundll32 C:\Windows\dxgi.dll,ZZGUI`, followed by `Enter`.
* Implemented a setup program:
* To install, simply run `ep_setup.exe`. File Explorer will restart and the program will be enabled right away.
* To uninstall, there are 2 options:
* Run `ep_setup.exe` again.
* Via "Programs and Features" in Control Panel, or "Apps and features" in the Settings app.
* Learn more about the setup program [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Installer-How-To)
* Implemented automatic updates; there are 3 settings to choose from when File Explorer starts:
* Notify about available updates (default) - the program will check for updates and display a notification if a new build is available; you can go to "Properties" and install the update from there
* Prompt to install available updates - the program will check for updates, download them if any, and prompt you to install them automatically
* Do not check for updates - the program never checks for updates in the background
* Of course, you can manually check for updates at any point using "Properties" - "Updates" - "Check for updates". To install the update you were notified about, go to "Properties" - "Updates" - "Install latest version".
* When installing an update, you will be prompted using UAC to allow elevation - always check that the update originates from matches what you expect; official updates are currently served via https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher.
* Learn more about how to configure updates on your system, including how to set a custom endpoint [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Configure-updates)
* Implemented a proper right click menu for the Windows 11 taskbar - it displays the most common options, similar to previous Windows releases and the Windows 10 taskbar, including frequently accessed items like "Taskbar settings", "Task Manager" and "Show the desktop"
* System tray icons are now left intact when switching between the Windows 10 and Windows 11 taskbars, or when switching builds, reinstalling the application etc. Basically, now, once you set a certain layout for the system tray with the Windows 10 taskbar, it will always be remembered, instead of the annoying behavior where Windows was discarding your choices in order to accommodate the Windows 11 taskbar
#### Feature enhancements
* Hardcoded symbols are now based on file hashes, not build numbers
* Better organization for the settings in "Properties"
* Update toast notifications are displayed only as long as they are required. Subsequent notifications no longer have to wait for the previous ones to timeout, but rather they replace the previous ones (#346) (.2)
* Mitigated an issue that prevented the Windows 11 taskbar from displaying properly under certain circumstances
* Fixed an issue that would crash the Windows 11 taskbar when it was enabled after positioning the Windows 10 taskbar on either side of the screen (left/right)
* Fixed a bug in "Windows 10 Window switcher" that may have lead to `explorer.exe` crashing when more than 20 windows are opened on the screen (probably the cause for a lot of crashes)
* Fixed numerous issues when injecting processes, including as shell extension; reliability improvements
* Adjusted the padding of the system tray hidden icons indicator so that it is now properly centered vertically when using the classic theme mitigations
* Fixed typos and spelling in error message (#346) (.2)
* Fixed bug that prevented "Properties" from working when invoked from Quick Launch or other toolbars (#349) (.2)
* As you may have noticed, releases do not contain unpacked files anymore. Thus, for people looking for a quick way to get the unpacked files, the release notes now include a link to the artifacts generated during during the build process. The artifacts include the usual DLLs (including `dxgi.dll`), plus symbol files and all the helper executables generated during the build. (#351) (.2)
* Setup program version is synchronized with the version of the application (.2)
* Fixed a mismatch between the default value for the setting "Add shortcut to program settings in Win+X menu" displayed in the UI and actually used in the software (#352) (.2)
* Ability to choose language switcher flyout style (option available in the "Properties" - "System tray" section)
#### Fixes
* The key above the `Tab` key is now correctly identified for all keyboard layouts, so the per-application Windows 10 window switcher mode works correctly (#283)
* All windows should now be properly detected and included in the Windows 10 window switcher
* Performance enhancements for Windows 10 window switcher: layouts are now precomputed when a window change occurs, so it should be very fast to open and consistent, no matter the current load; also, fast switching does not trigger the window, as it should
* "Show Cortana button" taskbar menu entry now works again (#252) (.2)
* Fixes a bug that prevented correct opening of some applications (like `powershell`) when EP was registered as shell extension (#256) (.4) - PLEASE NOTE THAT RUNNING AS SHELL EXTENSION IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL, UNSUPPORTED, AND ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR SPECIFIC USE CASES THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ALREADY; otherwise, just dropping the DLL in `C:\Windows` is enough
* Windows 10 window switcher switcher now correctly displays UWP apps immediately after launch (#266) (.5)
* Selection and highlight rectangle are now correctly drawn when using light theme on Windows 10 window switcher (.5)
* Ability to choose what happens when clicking the Network icon in the system tray
* Possibility to use the legacy clock flyout
* Possibility to use the legacy volume flyout
* Fixes to fully support the classic theme, with a functional taskbar, system tray, Explorer windows, working context menus; read more about this feature [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/101)
* The "Adjust date/time" and "Customize notification icons" links in the clock context menu now open the more versatile Control Panel applets (.4)
* The console can now be disabled and then dismissed without causing the Explorer process to restart (.4)
* Implemented a new exported function which restarts File Explorer cleanly, reloading your folder windows: `rundll32 C:\Windows\dxgi.dll,ZZRestartExplorer` (.4)
* Fixed an issue where the Windows 10 window switcher failed to display some windows (#161)
* Fixed an issue that prevented Start from opening again until Explorer was restarted after opening File Explorer via the Start menu Explorer icon (#145)
* Fixed patching in libvalinet
* Fixed GUI launch path; GUI now launches in an external process, survives Explorer restarts
* Addresses an issue that prevented correct operation under certain circumstances and that could lead to a rare bug where Explorer would crash after a Control Panel window was opened (also related to Control Panel windows not always respecting preferences like "disable navigation bar") (.3)
* Fixed a bug that caused the cursor to move when invoking `Win`+`X` (.4)
* Fixed a bug that caused incorrect positioning of `Win`+`X` when the main taskbar was present on a monitor different than the primary one (.4)
* The Start menu now automatically reloads in the background only when its settings change, instead of when any settings change (.4)
* Improved the reliability of the "Restart File Explorer" link in the Properties GUI (.4)
* Improved the detection of scenarios when the patcher should inject and apply the full set of patches to File Explorer (.4)
**PLEASE NOTE THAT RUNNING AS SHELL EXTENSION IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL, UNSUPPORTED, AND ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR SPECIFIC USE CASES THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ALREADY. IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR OBTAINING ANY OF THE CORE FUNCTIONALITY, IT IS AVAILABLE ONLY FOR SOME ADVANCED USE CASES AND IS STILL A BIGGER WORK-IN-PROGRESS THAN THE MAIN PROJECT.**
The application can now be registered as a shell extension. This will enable the Explorer related functionality to work in Open/Save file dialogs as well. This is especially useful for users wanting proper support of the classic theme in Windows 11.
Please note that this is experimental. For the moment, the preferred installation method remains dropping the DLL in `C:\Windows`. For interested users, I invite you to test this functionality and report your findings in the discussions board.
To enable this, put the 2 DLLs (`ExplorerPatcher.amd64.dll` and `ExplorerPatcher.IA-32.dll`) in a secure folder (for example, `C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher`). Then, in that folder, run this command: `regsvr32 ExplorerPatcher.amd64.dll`. After elevation, a message will display informing you of the operation outcome, and if it went well, Explorer will restart displaying the old taskbar.
To uninstall, run `regsvr32 /u ExplorerPatcher.amd64.dll` in the same folder and preferably reboot the computer to unload the DLLs from all applications. Then, the files can be deleted just fine.
* Start menu is hooked from File Explorer; please remove the DLL from `C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy` when using this new version
* Fixed a bug that showed`Win`+`X` on the wrong monitor in certain scenarios
*`Win`+`X` shows in Windows 11 fashion (centered, above the Start button) if using a centered taskbar with centered Start button as well (using a program like [TaskbarX](https://github.com/valinet/TaskbarX))
* Fixed the bug that prevented the application from loading in`StartMenuExperienceHost.exe` (thanks to @BraINstinct0 for the report)
* Fixed padding and element sizes in GUI so it better fits on smaller screens (thanks to @Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester for the report)
* GUI shows application title when run outside of File Explorer
* GUI stays on screen and just reloads the settings when restoring defaults (instead of closing)
* Keyboard (tab) support for GUI: `Esc` to close the window, `Tab` to select the next option, `Shift`+`Tab` to select the previous option, `Space` to toggle (or activate) the option
* Possibility of running the GUI standalone; run this command: `rundll32.exe C:\Windows\dxgi.dll,ZZGUI`; this has the advantage that it stays on the screen after restarting File Explorer
* When the taskbar is located at the bottom of the screen, opening the power user menu (`Win`+`X`) now automatically highlights the "Desktop" entry in the list. Also, the menu items can be activated either with left click, either with right click. Thus, this enables a behavior where you can double click the Start button with the right mouse button in order to quickly show the desktop (thanks to @Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester for the suggestion)
* Implemented configuration GUI; to access it, right click the Start button (or press `Win`+`X`) and choose "Properties" (thanks to @BraINstinct0 for the suggestion)
* Updated README with better description of the software and how to use it
* Drastically reduced the number of symbols required (around 40MB to download, instead of over 400MB previously)
* Improved Start menu and search positioning, now it is not necessary to have the DLL in `C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy`, please remove it from there.
* Skin "Bluetooth" pop-up menu
* Option to hide the search bar in File Explorer completely
* Option to disable the control center button in the taskbar
* Removed the option to disable the modern search box in File Explorer. Instead, you now run a command which disables it globally on your user account (works in "Open" dialogs as well); read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#disable-the-modern-search-box-in-File-Explorer)
* Removed the option to disable the immersive (new) context menu in File Explorer. Instead, you now run a command which disables it globally on your user account; read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#disable-the-immersive-context-menu)
* Ability to disable command bar is described [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#disable-the-command-bar-in-File-Explorer)
* Option to apply Mica effect on File Explorer windows (requires `StartIsBack64.dll`), read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#configuration)
* Option to skin system tray icons to match Windows 11 style (requires `StartisBack64.dll`), read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#configuration)
Tested on the following builds: 22449.1000, 22000.176, 22000.1.
New in this version:
* Ability to disable the "modern search box" in File Explorer and uses the classic functional search from early Windows 10 versions or Windows 7/8. To disable this and still use the new search, set `General\AllowModernSearchBox = 1` in `settings.ini`
Fixes:
* Much improved algorithm for enabling the classic taskbar after symbols have downloaded on newer builds
* Restored compatibility with RTM build of Windows 11 (22000.1)
* Start menu and search now respect the taskbar alignment setting
* Ability to customize the number of "Most used" apps in the Start menu apps list
* Symbols are automatically downloaded for Start menu and search; to have the application work with those two, place the DLL in the following additional 2 locations:
* Support for showing the app list by default in the Windows 11 Start menu; to enable this feature, copy the DLL to `C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy` and restart Explorer (works only on 22000.168 for the moment, will be generally available after more testing is performed).
The application now comes in the form of a single DLL file (`dxgi.dll`) which you have to place in `%windir%` (usually `C:\Windows`). Restart Explorer and that's it.
Please make sure to uninstall the old version before using this new one.
Implements [#6](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/6) (option to revert to classic context menu). To disable this feature, add this to the settings.ini file:
The popup menu for "Safe to Remove Hardware" is now skinned in the same style as the Win+X menu and the taskbar context menus, in order to improve UI consistency.
Fixes [#5](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/5) (removes the delay at logon on newer builds like 22000.168; the bug is similar to the effect introduced by `UndockingDisabled` on these newer builds).
## 22000.1.0.5
Offsets are now determined at runtime
The application was tested on builds 22000.1 and 22000.168.
- Library downloads and parses symbols in order to determine function hooking offsets at runtime and saves the data in a "settings.ini" file located in the application folder for future use; the file is invalidated when a new OS build is detected
- The main executable attempts to determine the location where a jump has to be patched out so that Explorer remains on the 'show old taskbar' code path; it will systematically patch each jz/jnz instruction and will check whether Explorer still runs fine, and, if it does so and does not crash, whether the old taskbar got actually shown; once the offset is determined, it is saved in the "settings.ini" file for future use
- Please have an unmetered active working Internet connection when running for the first time
- Messages from the patcher (i.e. install/uninstall successful message, symbol downloading message) will now display in a toast (Windows 10 notification) if possible; when Explorer is not running, it falls back to using standard MessageBox'es
- Disabled the pre/post build command that restarted sihost.exe in Debug builds
- Win+X combination is now handled and opens the power user menu
Of note from previous releases:
- Start menu is now displayed on monitor containing the cursor when invoked with the Windows key if the appropriate configuration is made into the registry (enables a functionality which was previously available in Windows 8.1). To activate this, follow this tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5943-start-menu-open-main-last-display-windows-10-a.html
- The power user menu (Win+X) is now skinned using the system theme, as it was in Windows 10
## 22000.1.0.3
Start menu is now displayed on monitor containing the cursor when invoked with the Windows key if the appropriate configuration is made into the registry (enables a functionality which was previously available in Windows 8.1).
To activate this, follow this tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5943-start-menu-open-main-last-display-windows-10-a.html
## 22000.1.0.2
Fixes [#1](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/1) (the menu is now skinned using the system theme, as it was in Windows 10).
## 22000.1.0.1
Added functionality to bring back the power user menu (Win+X).
