One thing that really ticks me off about Windows 11 is that it's a few steps backward from Windows 10 in some areas. Windows 10 contains some handy features and tools that didn't make it over to the newer version, and even years after Windows 11 was released, there's still no sign of some pretty basic customization options that Windows 10 had.

Well, I kinda gave up on the whole Windows 11 thing and decided to go with Linux instead. I started on Linux Mint, but then hopped around a little and ended up making a home on Fedora KDE. KDE is a desktop environment (it's in the name: KDE is short for K Desktop Environment) that changes how things look and feel, and honestly, it does some things I really love that you can't find on Windows 11 by default.

4 Putting the taskbar (or bars) on any side of the screen you want

In fact, you can kind of go nuts with it

If you talk to me about Windows 11 for any length of time, you'll quickly learn that I'm really passionate about where Windows 11 lets you place the taskbar. Or, rather, where it doesn't, because your options without third-party tools are quite limited.

Not with KDE. With KDE, you can place taskbars on any edge you like, on any monitor you like. While you probably won't create the monstrosity I made in the screenshot above, the key is that you can if you want to. That's the critical part.

What's even better is that each taskbar is its own independent thing. They all look the same on my screenshot because I cloned the bottom one, but if you wanted, say, a top taskbar with only the time and date, you can totally set that up with ease. Even cloned taskbars can have their settings changed and tweaked without modifying the original, which gives a ton of freedom with tweaking what each bar does. You could, for instance, make the bottom bar on each monitor different if you wanted.

3 Splitting your file explorer into two views

Or two windows if you feel like it

As you'd expect, KDE has its own GUI file explorer. This one is called "Dolphin," and it does some stuff that I really wish Windows 11's File Explorer could do. One of my favorites is the split feature, where you can split a window down the middle and create two separate instances of it. It's a little different than tabs, as you see both sides at the same time, and it's really good if you want to modify, copy, or delete files from both a folder and its root.

However, if you feel like the split thing isn't working, you can choose to pop them out into separate windows. This is really good for when a task gets a little more complex and you need the full range of options on both windows.

2 A handy little app launcher

It's cute, but powerful

I also adore the Krunner search bar that comes with KDE. You can see it in the above screenshot, albeit it's a little hidden away; it's the little guy that's peeking in from the top of the screen.

The bar isn't there by default, but whenever I want to launch an app, I can press Alt + Space and it'll pop down. From there, I can type the name of whatever I want to open, hit Enter, and it'll open for me. I find it faster and more convenient than using Windows 11's Start search.

Krunner also has a really handy option that I really like using. On Windows 11, if you click on the desktop and press a letter key, it'll highlight a shortcut, folder, or file that starts with that letter. I've never really gotten any use out of it, but I'm sure someone likes it. Meanwhile, on KDE, typing a letter while you're on the desktop automatically opens Krunner and begins putting what you type into the search box. It feels great to be on the desktop, type in the app you want, hit Enter, and have KDE do all the work for you.

1 A Start menu you can actually tweak

KDE wins by a landslide

Finally, it's time to compare the Windows 11 Start menu with KDE's version, called the "Application Launcher." Unfortunately, the comparison shows just how dire Windows 11 has it, as KDE wins purely on the basis that you can actually resize the menu. Like, grabbing the sides of the menu while it's open and dragging it to change how it looks. It seems like a really, really basic feature, but the next time you're on Windows 11, try resizing the Start menu. You can't, for some reason.

Past resizing, KDE also lets you tweak how the apps appear, change the icon on the taskbar, give it a name that appears beside it, and even delete it entirely if you want. And, of course, you can shunt it around the taskbars wherever you want it.

KDE does what Windows 11 doesn't

Honestly, I could probably write a book on the stuff KDE lets you do that Microsoft's newest OS doesn't. Windows 11 did introduce some new features into the Microsoft ecosystem, but it also removed some. Fortunately, if you're sick and tired of features getting removed, something like KDE is a great way to get them back, plus some additional quality-of-life tools you'll love just as much as I do.