Independent guide, not affiliated with the ExplorerPatcher developers. Downloads link only to the official GitHub release.

Independent guide · checked against ExplorerPatcher 71.1 · Nov 6, 2026

ExplorerPatcher, tested and explained

ExplorerPatcher restores the Windows 10 taskbar, Start menu, Alt+Tab, File Explorer ribbon and right-click menu on Windows 11. We installed it on GitHub-hosted Windows machines (Windows 11 25H2 on Arm64, Windows Server 2025 and Windows Server 2022), photographed the Properties window section by section and measured what it does.

ExplorerPatcher (many people search for it as "Explorer Patcher") is a free, open-source program by valinet. The current version is 26100.9711.71.1 (Oct 29, 2026). It works on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 and on Windows 10. Download it only from GitHub.

Download from GitHub Which file? Verify it Open the Configurator
Windows 11 as shipped: Taskbar style "Windows 11", four apps openWith ExplorerPatcherWindows 11 as shipped

Taskbar: Taskbar style "Windows 11", four apps open → Taskbar style "Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher)", four apps open. Windows Server 2025 (24H2 shell) 26100.33674, ExplorerPatcher 71.1. Real screenshots from our test runs.
Latest version
71.1
Released
Oct 29, 2026
Settings
117
CPUs
x64 and Arm64
Licence
GPL-2.0, free
GitHub stars
34,245

What ExplorerPatcher changes

Taskbar style "Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher)", four apps open TaskbarThe Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11, with labels, small icons and any screen edge. Windows 10 Start menu with the Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher) taskbar Start menuThe Windows 10 Start menu with tiles, rebuilt for the newest Windows 11 builds. Alt+Tab style: Windows 10 Alt+TabWindows 10 Alt+Tab or the Simple Window Switcher, both tested. The Windows NT style shows nothing on 24H2 and 25H2. File Explorer Control Interface: Windows 10 Ribbon File ExplorerThe Windows 10 ribbon or the Windows 7 command bar. The search box and drive group switches showed no visible change in our run. File Explorer context menu with "Disable the Windows 11 context menu" on Context menuThe full right-click menu straight away, without "Show more options". Clock flyout style Windows 10 System trayThe Windows 10 clock, network and battery flyouts, and a Windows 10 style tray.

What it does not change

It does not replace the Settings app, Windows Update, window title bars or the Windows 11 look of other apps, and it does not patch Windows files on disk: it loads into three running Windows processes (Explorer, the Start menu host and the shell host). The how it works page shows exactly which files it adds.

Will it work on your PC?

Windows updates are what break ExplorerPatcher. Type your Windows build to see the support level, whether it was tested, and what users reported. Full compatibility table

Not sure? Press Win+R, type winver, press Enter, and copy the line that says "OS Build".

Type a build to see which taskbar ExplorerPatcher uses on it, whether it was tested, and what users reported.

Get started in four steps

  1. Check your build and read the warnings.Windows 10 1809 or newer, or Windows 11 22H2 or newer. Turn off Smart App Control first and do not use it on a work PC. Before you install
  2. Download from GitHub.Choose ep_setup.exe for Intel and AMD or ep_setup_arm64.exe for Snapdragon, then verify the file.
  3. Run it.Setup took 5 to 9 seconds on our machines. Explorer restarts and you see the Windows 10 taskbar. Install guide with screenshots
  4. Right-click the taskbar, choose Properties.Pick styles in up to 12 sections, or build a settings file in the Configurator. How to use it

Is it safe?

It is open source and the releases are built on GitHub, but the setup is not code-signed and ExplorerPatcher patches Explorer's memory, so a Windows update can break it. In our runs Defender found nothing, the install left no services or scheduled tasks, and Explorer's memory use stayed within normal range. Lookalike sites exist, and one of them serves its own setup file. Read the full answer · Antivirus warnings · If your screen goes black

Free tools in your browser

ConfiguratorShell ConfiguratorA copy of the Properties window with live previews. Exports a settings file you can import. Build CheckerDoes it work on my build?Type a Windows build or KB number. VerifierIs this file genuine?Hash your download against the official release. RescueBlack screen rescueKeyboard-only recovery steps. DecoderMessage decoderWhat a warning or crash message means, in 20 languages. CleanupCleanup script builderRemove what the uninstaller leaves behind.

Browse every guide

Install and use

Features

Settings

Compatibility

Fix problems

Safety and how it works

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Tools and about

Common questions

What is ExplorerPatcher?

A free, open-source program by Valentin-Gabriel Radu (valinet) that patches Windows Explorer so Windows 11 can look and behave like Windows 10: taskbar, Start menu, Alt+Tab, File Explorer ribbon, context menu and tray flyouts. It has 117 settings on Windows 11.

Is ExplorerPatcher safe?

It is open source and built on GitHub, but it injects code into Explorer and its setup is not code-signed, so it can break after a Windows update. In our runs Microsoft Defender found nothing in the setup or the installed files. Use it on personal PCs only, download it from GitHub only, and learn the recovery keys first.

Does it work on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2?

Yes. We installed 71.1 on Windows Server 2025 (24H2 shell, build 26100.33674) and Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200.9725, Arm64) and the Windows 10 taskbar, Start menu and Alt+Tab (Windows 10 and Simple Window Switcher styles) worked on both. The File Explorer ribbon worked on Server 2025; our Arm64 captures of that step are unusable. The Windows NT Alt+Tab style shows no switcher on 24H2 and 25H2. The taskbar option must be "Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher)".

Where do I download it?

Only from github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases/latest. Several lookalike sites exist and one hosts its own setup file under a version number that never existed. Our download page can check your file against the official hashes in your browser.

How do I uninstall it?

Settings, Apps, ExplorerPatcher, Uninstall (or ep_setup.exe /uninstall). It takes about 15 to 22 seconds and brings the Windows 11 taskbar back, but it keeps your settings in the registry on purpose.

What if my screen goes black?

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, choose Run new task, type explorer.exe and press Enter while holding Ctrl+Alt+Shift. That starts Explorer without ExplorerPatcher. You will see a crash message; that is expected.

More questions and answers

About this guide

explorerpatcher.dev is independent. We are not the ExplorerPatcher developers and we never host their files. We test on GitHub-hosted Windows machines (Windows 11 25H2 Arm64, Windows Server 2025 and Windows Server 2022), publish the raw results and credit the people who make the software. About · How we test · Corrections