RoundedTB was the one-click way to give the Windows 10 or 11 taskbar rounded corners, margins on the sides, and split segments that turn a single taskbar into a set of floating pills. Small binary, no admin rights, no system file edits, and available on the Microsoft Store. Then in September 2023 the repository was archived. It still installs and runs on Windows 11 24H2, but Feature Updates keep breaking Dynamic Mode, and there is no active maintainer left to patch it.
That is what sends people searching for RoundedTB alternatives. The good news: taskbar customisation on Windows is a busier scene now than it was when RoundedTB launched. Some of the alternatives below handle the specific rounded-corners problem RoundedTB solved, others take the taskbar somewhere different (centered icons, full transparency, Windows 10 layout back on 11, or a completely custom start menu). All seven still ship active updates.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| TranslucentTB | Transparency and dynamic accents | Free, open source | Per-window transparency rules |
| TaskbarX | Centered icons with animation | Free (paid on MS Store) | Six easing curves for icon animation |
| Windhawk | Modular tweaks from a community catalog | Free, open source | One mod for rounded corners, another for anything else |
| ExplorerPatcher | Windows 10 taskbar behaviours on 11 | Free, open source | Restores never-combine, ungrouped taskbar |
| StartAllBack | Full taskbar and start menu redesign | Paid, one-time | Complete Windows 7/10-style theme kit |
| 7+ Taskbar Tweaker | Deep behavioural tweaks | Free | Middle-click, drag, and grouping overhauls |
| Start11 | Stardock start menu with taskbar tweaks | Paid, one-time | Menu styles from Windows 7 to modern |
Why RoundedTB users start looking elsewhere
The GitHub repo was archived in September 2023 and the maintainer confirmed the project would not accept further pull requests. Since then, two Windows 11 Feature Updates have shipped changes to the taskbar rendering pipeline that break RoundedTB’s Dynamic Mode until users manually reset the profile. The app still runs, but every big Windows update becomes a coin flip.
The other reason is scope. RoundedTB does exactly one thing well (reshape the existing taskbar) and stops there. Users who want transparency, centered icons that stay centered when apps launch, Windows 10 grouping behaviours, or a full start-menu replacement have to run RoundedTB alongside two or three other utilities. Windhawk and StartAllBack both cover that scope in one install.
Finally, there is the split of what “taskbar customisation” means in 2026. On Windows 11, some users want the taskbar to look like macOS. Others want it to look like Windows 7. Others want it to disappear entirely. RoundedTB was a Windows-11-only reshaper; the seven alternatives below cover the wider landscape.
TranslucentTB
TranslucentTB is the transparency-first taskbar tool, and it is the closest cousin to RoundedTB in philosophy: one small utility, one job, done well, available on the Microsoft Store. Where RoundedTB reshaped the taskbar, TranslucentTB controls its opacity, colour, and blur, with per-window rules for maximised, start-open, or Cortana-visible states.
Where it falls short: Does not round corners, does not add margins, does not split segments. If the goal is the specific look RoundedTB created, TranslucentTB alone will not get us there.
Pricing: Free, open source. Optional paid tip on the Microsoft Store.
RoundedTB vs TranslucentTB: Different problems. Many users ran both together. If we can only run one, TranslucentTB is the more actively developed today.
Download: github.com/TranslucentTB/TranslucentTB · Microsoft Store
Bottom line: The right pick when transparency and dynamic colour matter more than reshaping the taskbar itself.
TaskbarX
TaskbarX centers Windows taskbar icons and animates them into position with six easing curves. On Windows 11 the default centered layout drifts every time a new app pins, and TaskbarX fixes the alignment for good while adding transparency, blur, and custom width. Works on Windows 10 and 11.
Where it falls short: Free on GitHub, but the Microsoft Store version is paid. Some Windows 11 24H2 builds throw a taskbar flash on cold boot until the tray icon initialises.
Pricing: Free from GitHub, paid on the Microsoft Store as a way to support the developer.
RoundedTB vs TaskbarX: RoundedTB rounds and splits the taskbar. TaskbarX centers and animates the icons inside it. Different aims, and users often ran both.
Download: chrisandriessen.nl/taskbarx · github.com/ChrisAnd1998/TaskbarX
Bottom line: Best pick for anyone who wants icons that stay centered and animate cleanly, especially on Windows 10.
Windhawk
Windhawk is the modular option and, in 2026, the best single answer to “RoundedTB stopped being maintained.” It is an open-source mod loader for Windows that pulls small community mods from a catalog. There is a “Rounded corners for Windows 11 taskbar” mod, a “Taskbar height and icon size” mod, a “TranslucentTB replacement” mod, and dozens more. Each mod is a small script the loader injects safely.
Where it falls short: Users are trusting third-party mods, so pick well-rated ones with visible source. Mods that touch the shell can break with Windows Feature Updates until the mod author ships a fix.
Pricing: Free, open source.
RoundedTB vs Windhawk: RoundedTB was a single utility. Windhawk is a platform that hosts a rounded-corners mod plus everything else we might want the taskbar to do.
Download: windhawk.net
Bottom line: The most future-proof pick. Install once, add the mods we want, swap them out as Windows changes.
ExplorerPatcher
ExplorerPatcher restores Windows 10 taskbar behaviours on Windows 11: labels on the taskbar, ungrouped icons, never-combine, right-click context menus with “Task Manager”, and the old system tray fly-outs. It also exposes deep tweaks to the Start menu, File Explorer, and the alt-tab switcher. The go-to install for users who never wanted the Windows 11 taskbar in the first place.
Where it falls short: Feature Updates occasionally require reinstalling to match the new build. Some antivirus tools flag it because of how it patches the Explorer process. False positive, but worth knowing.
Pricing: Free, open source.
RoundedTB vs ExplorerPatcher: RoundedTB reshaped the Windows 11 taskbar. ExplorerPatcher replaces the Windows 11 taskbar’s behaviour with the Windows 10 one entirely.
Download: github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Bottom line: Right pick for users who want the Windows 10 taskbar back on Windows 11 without the workaround gymnastics.
StartAllBack
StartAllBack is a paid, actively developed full taskbar and start-menu redesign for Windows 11. Choose between Proper 11, Kinda 10, or Remastered 7 profiles, then fine-tune everything: taskbar height, corner shape, transparency, labels, grouping, and the start menu layout. The most complete “make Windows 11 feel like the version I liked” package on the market.
Where it falls short: Paid, roughly one small licence for up to two PCs. Some purists prefer open-source ExplorerPatcher on principle.
Pricing: Paid one-time licence, 30-day free trial.
RoundedTB vs StartAllBack: RoundedTB was a small free reshaper for one Windows 11 detail. StartAllBack is a paid replacement for the whole taskbar-and-start experience.
Download: startallback.com
Bottom line: Right pick for users who want a polished, supported redesign and are willing to pay for it.
7+ Taskbar Tweaker
7+ Taskbar Tweaker is the veteran of this list. It has been shipping since Windows 7 and still runs on Windows 10 and, through Windows Hawk and community forks, on parts of Windows 11. Middle-click to close a window, drag to reorder groups, disable icon combining per program, and dozens of other small behaviour tweaks that live one layer below the visual reshapers here.
Where it falls short: Native Windows 11 support is partial: the built-in taskbar changed enough that some tweaks require Windows Hawk to bridge. Best on Windows 10 for now.
Pricing: Free, donation supported.
RoundedTB vs 7+ Taskbar Tweaker: RoundedTB changed how the taskbar looks. 7+ Taskbar Tweaker changes how it behaves.
Download: ramensoftware.com/7-taskbar-tweaker
Bottom line: Best pick for behavioural tweaks like middle-click-to-close, especially on Windows 10.
Start11
Start11 is Stardock’s paid Start menu utility with a taskbar section that covers most of what RoundedTB, TranslucentTB, and TaskbarX did between them. Multiple menu styles from Windows 7 through modern, taskbar transparency, per-icon spacing, and rounded corners in a supported package. Stardock has been shipping Start menu tools since Windows 8, so the support track record is long.
Where it falls short: Paid, and licensed per machine. Overlaps with StartAllBack; pick one, not both. Some tweaks (deep taskbar rework, Windows 10 grouping) sit better in ExplorerPatcher.
Pricing: Paid one-time licence, free trial.
RoundedTB vs Start11: RoundedTB was a free single-purpose reshaper. Start11 is a paid, supported package that covers reshaping plus start menu.
Download: stardock.com/products/start11
Bottom line: Right pick for users already inside the Stardock ecosystem or looking for a supported paid alternative to StartAllBack.
How to choose
Pick Windhawk if the goal is “RoundedTB, but maintained.” Install the rounded corners mod and add more mods as needs grow. It is the closest philosophical replacement.
Pick TranslucentTB if transparency and dynamic accents matter more than the corner shape.
Pick TaskbarX if centered icons and clean animation matter more than the taskbar frame.
Pick ExplorerPatcher if the real goal is the Windows 10 taskbar back on Windows 11.
Pick StartAllBack or Start11 if paying for a polished, supported all-in-one is worth it.
Pick 7+ Taskbar Tweaker if behavioural changes (click, drag, grouping) matter more than visual reshaping.
Stay on RoundedTB if the current install works on the current Windows build and nothing above adds a feature we would use.
FAQ
Is RoundedTB still safe to use?
Yes for now. The final release still installs and runs on Windows 11 24H2 as of mid-2026. The risk is future Windows Feature Updates: the maintainer stopped accepting patches in September 2023, so any breakage introduced by a Windows update will not be fixed upstream.
What is the best free alternative to RoundedTB?
Windhawk with the “Rounded corners for Windows 11 taskbar” mod is the most direct replacement. TranslucentTB and TaskbarX cover the adjacent problems (transparency and centered icons) and are also free.
Can I make the Windows 11 taskbar look like macOS?
Combine TaskbarX (centered icons) with TranslucentTB (transparency) or a Windhawk theme profile. For a proper dock, see the Winstep Nexus alternatives article.
Will ExplorerPatcher survive Windows updates?
Usually, with a delay. When Microsoft ships a Feature Update, ExplorerPatcher often needs a reinstall or a version bump to match the new build. The maintainer typically ships an update within a week or two of a major Windows release.
Is Windhawk safe?
The core loader is open source and audited. The risk is the individual mods, which are community-contributed. Prefer mods with visible source, positive ratings, and a recent update date. Windhawk itself sandboxes mods and can disable them individually if one causes trouble.
Can I use multiple taskbar tools together?
Sometimes. TranslucentTB and TaskbarX coexist cleanly. StartAllBack and Start11 conflict; pick one. ExplorerPatcher replaces enough of the taskbar that many visual tools do not work alongside it. Read each project’s compatibility notes before stacking.
