Windows 11 issues and broken features in 2025
A list of long standing windows 11 issues including broken taskbar missing icons wifi password problems forced online accounts and more
By. Jacob
Edited: 2025-03-28 19:47
Here is a list of outstanding issues I am having as of March 2025:
- Still no vertical taskbar: We still can't move the taskbar in Windows 11. When people talk about moving the taskbar, we mean actually moving it to the left or right side of the screen to free precious vertical space. Broken at least since launch in 2021, and at some point, I remember the workarounds actually broke Windows, so I stopped using things like ExplorerPatcher and StartIsAllBack.
- Broken Wi-Fi password dialog: The Wi-Fi password dialog automatically closes when out of focus, and the password you were typing disappears, forcing you to start over. It works horribly when managing Wi-Fi credentials with a password manager like KeePassXC. Broken for years.
- Blank task icons on taskbar: Icons disappear on the taskbar if using multiple desktops. Each open window on the taskbar will appear as a blank space with a little dot under it. Typically, clicking on the window to maximize it and minimize it fixes it, but you have to do it for every app. Broken for more than a year.
- Taskbar not focusing Windows: Sometimes when you click running Program Windows in the Taskbar to switch between them, nothing happens, and the Window does not gain focus.
- No fullscreen for games: sometimes when starting a game in Fullscreen, the Taskbar will still be visible.
- Local account creation: We can't easily create local accounts when installing Windows, although there are workarounds for this.
- Broken drag and drop from Windows to WSL: If we move files from the Explorer file manager by drag and drop to our WSL file system, each file will result in the creation of Zone.Identifier files, which is just a huge headache in general, perhaps especially for Git repositories. The solution is to not save zone information about files, but it makes Windows slightly less secure, so it is not recommended.
- Copilot is adware: Microsoft included Copilot by default, but it constantly nags you to log in and might refuse to respond to basic queries after a while. The UI is also poorly implemented compared to web-based AI chatbots, so you should probably just uninstall it.
- Other adware: I understand the temptation to preinstall things that require internet, but it doesn't justify it. I do not want to see notifications (ads) to install or switch to Edge when I am using Firefox.
- Windows refuses to switch to the next background image: When right-clicking on the desktop and choosing "next background image", you have to perform the action twice before Windows switches the background.
Windows is an old operating system
I think we keep forgetting that Windows 11 is a very old operating system by now—it was released in 2021—so if something is broken for you and you are experiencing issues even after more than a year, then it could remain that way for the remainder of Windows 11's lifespan.
In my experience, Microsoft has done almost nothing to fix any of the issues I have been having, and that is quite frustrating. The one thing I have been waiting for since the launch of Windows 11 never arrived, and now it has evolved into somewhat of an eyesore in my desktop environment. It is hard for me to focus on the many things Windows 11 does well when I have this blasphemous misdeed in front of my eyes at all times.
And... it is not like I really need to use Windows. There is nothing in Windows I cannot do in GNU/Linux as a web developer—and often more easily and without the friction of WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Microsoft is running the risk of losing support among users.
Half-baked and unpolished
It was hard for me to decide whether to write separate articles for these issues, or just one big article that discusses all them. I ended up deciding to write one big article in the hope that it might reach more people. I'll also try to tag a few KB* updates in the hope to catch the attention of Microsoft.
The thing that inspired me to write this article was Windows 11's broken taskbar implementation. The new taskbar has been notorious since launch in 2021, and while many issues have been fixed, it is still mind-bogglingly insane that we are still having issues in 2025. This time, I experienced a problem with disappearing application icons, which actually appears to be a new issue. A thread on reddit.com indicates that this has been a problem for more than a year, and here is another. microsoft.com also has a thread about the issue. Unfortunately, it seems Microsoft has so far been unable or unwilling to fix it.
In some ways, Windows 11 has felt half-baked and unpolished from the very beginning, and many intrusive elements, such as adware and unwanted notifications, have quietly found their way into Windows 11—features I wouldn't expect from an operating system that should prioritize privacy and freedom.
Others are saying
The taskbar in Windows 11 has been a focal point of criticism due to certain design changes and removed functionalities. Tom Warren of The Verge highlighted several limitations, including the inability to move the taskbar to different sides of the screen, lack of support for small icons, and the removal of features like ungrouping icons. These changes have led to frustration among users accustomed to the customization options available in previous versions of Windows. — theverge.com: I hate the new Windows 11 taskbar
Hans-Christian Dirscherl Wrote an article discussing recent updates to Windows 11 breaking the taskbar. For instance, the KB5039302 update rendered the taskbar unusable for some users. — pcworld.com: Microsoft revives broken Windows update, but now breaks taskbars
Microsoft has been testing the display of recommended apps and websites in the "Recommended" section of the Windows 11 Start menu. This initiative aims to help users discover apps from the Microsoft Store but has been met with criticism from those who view it as an intrusion into the user experience. — windowscentral.com: Microsoft wants to run ads in your Start menu on Windows 11
KB5053656
Despite the recent release of KB5053656 (update preview), Windows 11 continues to grapple with persistent issues that have plagued users for years. The inability to reposition the taskbar vertically remains unaddressed, frustrating those who rely on this feature for efficient screen space utilization. Additionally, the Wi-Fi password dialog still closes prematurely when out of focus, disrupting workflows, especially for users employing password managers. The problem of blank taskbar icons when using multiple desktops persists, requiring manual intervention to restore visibility. Furthermore, the taskbar's failure to focus active windows upon clicking, games not launching in fullscreen due to taskbar interference, and the cumbersome process of creating local accounts during installation continue to sabotage the user experience.
The ongoing presence of these unresolved issues underscores a concerning lack of responsiveness to longstanding user feedback.
The KB5053656 update feels disappointingly sparse, especially given the sheer volume of unresolved issues plaguing Windows 11. Users were hoping for meaningful progress, but this so-called "preview" barely scratches the surface. Microsoft’s lackluster commitment to addressing critical usability problems becomes painfully obvious when you consider how few actual fixes made it into this release.
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