Taskbar customizations don't work anymore

[Svenneovik]

Describe the bug

With latest update of 22H2 (1 March 2023) removed the ability of taskbar field transparent.
No error but taskbar field is black colored.

Area of issue

Taskbar

To reproduce

1. Go to settings.
2. Select Taskbar field tab.
3. Select Taskbar field appearance.
4. Select Transparent.
5. Restart.
6. Taskbar field should now be transparent, but it is not.

Expected behavior

Selecting taskbar field transparent in settings would make the taskbar field transparent.

Open-Shell version

4.4.189

Windows version

Windows 11 22H2

Additional context

No response

[ge0rdi]

Could you clarify what Activity field do you mean?
I don't see anything like that in Open-Shell settings.

[Svenneovik]

Sorry, In English it is "Taskbar"

• Customize Taskbar
• Taskbar Look
• Transparent.

[ge0rdi]

Thank you.

I can confirm this.
With latest Windows 11 updates taskbar customizations don't work anymore.

It seems MS did some changes to taskbar rendering (similar to what they did in Insider builds) and our customizations don't work anymore.

[TheRealDarkbreeze]

Can verify as well. Have tried resetting customizations. No effect. Have tried completely removing open shell and reinstalling. No effect. Customizations to taskbar and start menu are failing to be implemented including zero effect of any changes to transparency, glass, etc.

[MichaelIsGreat123]

Following installation of the Windows 11 updated called:
2023-02 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5022913)

the taskbar is now fully black and the settings that I had used with Open-Shell settings (I have version 4.4.189) were:
---Taskbar tab.
Customize taskbar: transparent
Taskbar opacity: 70
Taskbarcolor (RRGGBB): 31A4E1 (a kind of blue)
Taskbar text color (RRGGBB):FFFFFF

all these taskbar settings recorded in Open-Shell settings do not work at all anymore and the taskbar is now fully black!!!

This new update seems to have messed up Open-Shell in such a way that the Open-Shell settings are not applied anymore for the taskbar!!

I did try to change to other values, nothing worked and the taskbar stays this fully black and no transparency of any kind exists either.

So far, it seems to be the only thing that does not work. I have not done a thorough check on other things but I still have my Open-Shell at the left working perfectly fine.

Oh Microsoft, what a bunch of idiots they are!!

So, it is just a cosmetic issue so far for the taskbar following this update. So not a big deal for me.

I take this opportunity to thank a lot the developers of Open-Shell to have made it work with Windows 11. I am really very grateful. This issue will be solved I assume at a later stage but it is only a cosmetic issue.

I will report further if I find other issues.

Kind Regards
Michael

[MichaelIsGreat123]

New update to my previous post:
I find only a way to change my taskbar from dark to light but I do not think that it is a solution that solves the issue with the taskbar settings on Open-Shell settings not being able to work properly following this new update.

I went to Settings (for Windows 11), Personalization, Colors, Choose your mode and I selected Custom.
And then for choose your default Windows mode: it was set at dark but I changed it to light.
By the way the option transparency effect is on with my computer.
And for the Windows colors, I have one blue color ticked so I end up with a very light blue taskbar but it is not transparent. And the blue I have, I am pretty sure it is not the one I had recorded on Open-Shell settings. So I assume that it is from Windows 11.

I will keep you updated if I find other things.

Kind Regards
Michael

[MichaelIsGreat123]

New update to my posts above.

Another option that also does not work in Open-Shell setting.
---Menu Look tab.
It indicates:
Menu glass color (RRGGBB): 0065BF (it is a beautiful sky blue color that is amazing)
Glass opacity: 50

If you try to change the glass opacity to a 10 or 80, nothing seems to happen.

Kind Regards
Michael

[TheRealDarkbreeze]

Correct. As I said earlier, those customizations are not working on the task bar OR in the start menu.

[CursedDemonWolf]

I can also confirm this to not be working as well. with the latest open-shell pre-release and Win11 22H2. Have tried multiple settings within windows and open shell, nothing seems to fix the issue.

[Svenneovik]

I have 2 machines wth Win 11 Home and 22H2.
One working fine and the other one has the fault.
The ok working one:
Win ver. 22621.1265
Experience Pack 1000.22638.1000.0
Classic Shell ver 4.4.170
The error one:
Win ver 22621.1344
Experience pack 1000.22639.1000.0
Classic Shell ver 4.4.189

[TSBII]

@Svenneovik @ge0rdi
I have been checking often for any update as I prepare to make an updated image of this machine etc. and stumbled on Start11 from Stardock.
I don't really like it for a couple of reasons:

1. I don't want to modify the W11 Start Menu so the only thing I am using Start11 for is to regain taskbar transparency (their transparency is working post Windows update KB5022913, but see below).
2. Start11 breaks RoundedTB functionality.

On the other hand, I thought I would share this:
With Stardock's Start11 software installed, Open-Shell taskbar transparency works and has focus for settings regardless of the settings made in Start11 for taskbar transparency.
Of course as I mentioned, RoundedTB functionality breaks with Start11 installed currently and I would rather have RoundedTB working alongside Open-Shell than to use Start11.

It appears they have hit the new switch in the registry either way.
I wish I had time to dig in and try to fix this in the code.

Update:
Long live (Classic) Open-Shell (and the super cool custom alternate start menu it provides)!!
As mentioned above, I would rather live with the taskbar transparency issue than use Start11.
I did however find a solution to use for now that works alongside RoundedTB as long as 'TranslucentTB compatibility' is ticked within its settings:
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/vivetool-fix-for-translucenttb-and-for-taskbar-size.13016/