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PowerToys has more than 30 useful tools in its arsenal, including a revamped version of the Run launcher, now called the Command Palette. I've been using Command Palette as a start menu replacement for quite some time, and it works better than you might think. I can launch apps, run commands, search files, and manage PowerToys tools from the Command Palette.
While it's already a befitting Windows launcher, PowerToys recently added one more improvement to the tool. There's a new dock bundled with the Command Palette that's honestly what I want the native Taskbar to be. The dock was in beta phase for quite a while, but is now available in the stable version. Let's discuss its benefits and why you shouldn't ignore it.
Microsoft plans to fix the taskbar
Bringing back the original experience
Windows 11’s Taskbar is not as great as previous versions. Microsoft made the new OS better-looking but sacrificed core functionality to achieve the final design. The result was a design that couldn't move from its position, and that was a poor decision. I've used the top-aligned mode since Windows 7, and removing the option didn't make sense at all. Even after five years, Microsoft has slowly restored some features and has recently promised to restore a few more, such as alignment support, in upcoming Windows updates.
There’s already an option to display smaller taskbar icons if you prefer them that way, along with upcoming support for more alignment settings. But if you don’t want to wait for these upgrades, Command Palette has a fully functional dock that can double up as your Taskbar. While it acts as a shortcut to access your favorite Command Palette commands and extensions, it's also an equally capable Taskbar alternative.
Command Palette’s dock is useful
Windows should take some notes
I don’t need to reiterate that Windows’ native solution is a mess. It doesn’t have a central control page, and I need to open deeply nested settings to add or remove some elements. The Command Palette dock is quite the opposite, and it tries to give you granular control. It's easy to decide which items stay on the dock, and it works nicely with a multi-monitor setup. Also, you can align it to any corner you like.
The main function of the taskbar is to pin icons and make frequently used apps and other settings accessible with a single click. Command Palette’s dock does the same for all the built-in commands and extensions. For example, if I want to pin the File Search command to the dock, I can do so by right-clicking the option in the Command Palette and selecting Pin to dock. It adds the icon to the dock like you pin an app on the taskbar. So, I can jump to the relevant tool directly instead of first opening the Command Palette window and then navigating to the feature.
PowerToys divides the dock into three zones: left, center, and right. While pinning a command or extension to the dock, I can choose the zone where the icon should appear. If you have a small monitor or laptop, it’s best to turn off the Show labels option. The feature is similar to the “Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels” option in Windows settings. Similarly, I can pin Control Panel features, Windows tools, installed software, and even power settings.
One small feature I need is the ability to sign out to apply the changes. Earlier, I had to create a shortcut and pin it to sign out of my PC quickly, but with the dock, I can pin the appropriate Windows command in the Command Palette and then sign out without opening the Start menu. The dock is slightly different from the native implementation and can even display system resource usage at the top. I can pin the CPU, GPU, and a few more stats and align them next to the date and time and battery icon.
However, to achieve this near-perfect look, I must hide the Windows Taskbar. There isn’t an option to disable it completely, and it’ll reappear if I launch the Start menu. The best you can do is pin the most-used apps on the dock and then launch them from there. After that, you can use Alt + Tab to switch between app windows or use Snap layouts without ever seeing the taskbar.
Command Palette dock supports rich customization
But some shortcomings exist
The Command Palette itself supports granular customization, and the dock inherits most of its elements. You can pick the color, size, and theme, add a background, and even cycle through material options. The native one doesn’t support customization beyond the accent color and system theme, and I don’t even expect Microsoft to go out of its way and add support for it.
You can display it on all the connected monitors or choose to keep it on the main one. It’s possible to pick different alignments for each monitor, but that doesn’t suit my workflow. I prefer identical alignments across all screens, which makes the dock appear seamless. Despite being in Beta, I didn’t encounter any major feature issues with the dock. It doesn’t conflict with the native tool and needs a one-time effort to set up.
Despite all these perks, there are a few shortcomings. The dock cannot replicate the behavior of the system tray. It’s essential to control many open apps, including PowerToys, and you have to use the Taskbar to do so. It’s possible to open the Action Center without displaying the taskbar, but that doesn’t apply to the system tray. The dock also doesn’t support thumbnail previews and cannot display window management options like close or end task. Since Command Palette approaches everything from a power user standpoint, you only see options to run app shortcuts or commands with admin privileges, open source location, and a few more options.
Command Palette dock is superior
I never thought Microsoft would add such a feature to its launcher tool. It’s more functional than you think, offers better customization, and can pin a wider variety of items than just apps and shortcuts. You can change the dock’s appearance and alignment, which are both half-baked in the native Taskbar. Command Palette’s dock needs a bit more refinement, but you can still use it as an alternative to Explorer Patcher and other tools.
