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RetroBar and its alternatives
RetroBar is the only one of these tools that puts the real-looking Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP or Vista taskbar on Windows 11. The others restore Windows 7 or 10, restyle the Windows 11 taskbar, or change the Start menu and windows. Several work well together with RetroBar. Facts about the other tools are from their official sites and release pages, checked on 30 October 2026.
On this page 9 sections
Short answer
What is the best alternative to RetroBar?
It depends on the look you want. For Windows 7 or 10, StartAllBack (paid) or ExplorerPatcher (free) change Windows' own taskbar and Start menu. For XP or Vista styling of the Windows 11 taskbar, Windhawk's Taskbar Styler mod has WinXP and WinVista themes. For Windows 95 to 2000, and for a separate taskbar that leaves Windows untouched, RetroBar is the tool. For a classic Start menu with any of them, add Open-Shell.
At a glance
| Tool | Price | What it changes | Classic looks | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RetroBar | Free, open source (Apache 2.0) | Taskbar only | Windows 95/98, Me, 2000, eight XP styles, Vista, Longhorn; custom themes | A separate program that draws its own taskbar and hides Windows'; quitting brings Windows' taskbar back |
| StartAllBack | $4.99 per PC (trial available) | Taskbar, Start menu, File Explorer, context menus | Windows 7 and 8 styles; an option to turn off grouping “a la XP” | Changes Windows' own taskbar and Explorer |
| ExplorerPatcher | Free, open source (GPL-2.0) | Taskbar, Start menu, Alt+Tab | The Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11 | Installs into File Explorer (Windows' shell) |
| Windhawk + Taskbar Styler | Free, open source (GPL-3.0) | Restyles the Windows 11 taskbar (and much more through other mods) | Themes named WinXP, WinXP (Zune), WinVista and Windows7 | Injects mods into Explorer and other programs |
| Open-Shell | Free, open source (MIT) | Start menu (plus optional Explorer toolbars) | Classic, two-column and Windows 7 menu styles with skins | Adds its own menu; works with RetroBar (our presets) |
| Start11 | Paid (Stardock) | Start menu and taskbar options | Windows 7-style Start menu | Stardock app |
| WindowBlinds | Paid (Stardock) | Window frames, buttons, taskbar; Start menu with Start11 | XP-style desktops “when paired with Start11”, per Stardock | Stardock app |
Prices as shown on the vendors' sites on 30 October 2026; Stardock loads its prices in the store, so we do not quote them. We have tested RetroBar and Open-Shell ourselves; the other rows are from official documentation, not our tests.
StartAllBack
StartAllBack restores a Windows 7-like (or 8-like) taskbar and Start menu by changing Windows' own, and also brings back the ribbon or command bar in File Explorer and classic context menus. It is paid: $4.99 for one PC on its official store, with a trial (its own pages mention both 30 and 100 days). Version 3.9.28 is from October 2026, and its changelog lists support for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2.
Compared with RetroBar: StartAllBack is the more complete “make Windows 11 feel like 7” tool, and it changes Explorer too. It has no Windows 95, 2000 or XP looks. RetroBar is free, adds a separate taskbar instead of changing Windows', and covers 95 to Vista. Do not run them together: two programs changing the same taskbar get in each other's way (why two taskbar tools clash).
We installed it on one of our test machines and photographed its three styles: see RetroBar vs StartAllBack.
ExplorerPatcher
ExplorerPatcher, a free open-source project, brings the Windows 10 taskbar, Start menu and Alt+Tab back to Windows 11. It installs into File Explorer, Windows' shell. Its releases are numbered after the Windows build they target; the release marked “Latest” on GitHub is 26100.8457.70.3 (June 2026), tested by its author on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 builds.
Compared with RetroBar: choose ExplorerPatcher for Windows 10's taskbar on Windows 11. It has no 9x, XP or Vista looks. As with StartAllBack, turn off its taskbar changes if you use RetroBar.
We installed it on our test machines: with its default settings it gave the Windows 10 taskbar but kept Windows 11's Start menu; its Windows 10 Start menu worked once turned on. See RetroBar vs ExplorerPatcher.
Windhawk and the Taskbar Styler mod
Windhawk is a free platform for small “mods” that change how Windows and programs behave. Its Windows 11 Taskbar Styler mod restyles Windows' own taskbar, and its built-in themes include WinXP, WinXP (Zune), WinVista and Windows7, from a community gallery of about forty styles. There are no Windows 95, 98 or 2000 themes in that gallery. The XP theme's own description calls it a showcase and recommends further mods for taskbar height and labels.
Compared with RetroBar: Taskbar Styler keeps the Windows 11 taskbar and paints it; RetroBar replaces the taskbar with a separate program whose layout (Start button, Quick Launch, text task buttons, tray, rows) works like the old one. Windhawk mods inject code into Explorer; RetroBar does not. In Google Trends, search interest in Windhawk has grown faster than in any other tool on this page since 2024.
We ran both on the same machines: see RetroBar vs Windhawk for the XP, Vista and 7 looks side by side.
Open-Shell
Not an alternative but a partner: Open-Shell gives you the classic Start menu that RetroBar does not have. The current stable version is 4.4.198. Our Start menu guide has three tested presets that match RetroBar's themes.
Start11 and WindowBlinds
Stardock's paid tools cover what RetroBar does not: Start11 changes the Start menu (including a Windows 7 style) and taskbar options, and WindowBlinds skins window frames and buttons. Stardock says the two together can make the whole desktop look like Windows XP. They are the usual route for changing window title bars, which RetroBar never touches.
Others you may come across
- Cairo Desktop: a complete alternative desktop (menu bar, dock), built on the same ManagedShell library as RetroBar and maintained by the same developer. Not a classic look.
- TaskbarX: centred, animated taskbar icons. Its project was archived in June 2025, and its README says it does not work on Windows 11 builds after early 2023.
What to combine with RetroBar
| Part of the desktop | With RetroBar |
|---|---|
| Taskbar | RetroBar |
| Start menu | Open-Shell (free) or Start11 (paid) |
| Window frames and title bars | WindowBlinds (paid), or community classic-theme tools |
| File Explorer ribbon and menus | Not RetroBar's job; StartAllBack changes these, but it also changes the taskbar, which conflicts with RetroBar |
| Other tweaks | Windhawk mods that do not change the taskbar |
Questions
Is RetroBar better than StartAllBack?
They do different things. StartAllBack is a polished, paid way to get Windows 7 or 10 behaviour from Windows 11's own taskbar, Start menu and Explorer. RetroBar is free and gives you the much older Windows 95 to Vista taskbars as a separate program. If you want XP or 98, RetroBar; if you want 7 with its Start menu and Explorer, StartAllBack.
Can I use RetroBar and Windhawk together?
Yes, for mods that do not touch the taskbar. There is no point in also running the Taskbar Styler or other taskbar mods: RetroBar hides Windows' taskbar, so you would be restyling a taskbar you cannot see.
Which one is free?
RetroBar, ExplorerPatcher, Windhawk and Open-Shell are free and open source. StartAllBack, Start11 and WindowBlinds are paid, with trials.
Keep going
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us at hello@retrobar.dev and we will fix it.