Question Win11 wifi UI question

[mikeymikec]

On Win11 I'm used to seeing what I regard as the 'new' UI:

However, I just fired up an Asus laptop with Win11 preinstalled and when I click on the network icon, it shows the Win10 style wifi network picker UI (example picked off the internet):

One other thing I noticed is that in the first screenshot, clicking on the network icon also highlights sound and battery whereas on the Win11 laptop here, clicking on the network icon only highlights that icon and no others. IMO the second way is far better as the first method encourages users to click on the wifi icon in the second step which disables the wifi, when they ought to click on the right-arrow next to the wifi icon to display available networks.

Does anyone know how to configure Win11 to not show the combined UI (first screenshot)? In the meantime I'll have a browse around and see if I can find my own solution.

- edit - the settings: personalise taskbar UI is different on the Asus laptop too. Both versions of Win11 (between my old laptop and this Asus one) are nearly matching (21H2), but my laptop has an ending number of .978 as opposed to Asus just being .9.

 

[Tech Junky]

I don't have an answer but w11 is more like apple. Updates increment the version number but, screenshot one is how it's always been for me since is installing 11. I just put a bunch of shortcuts on the taskbar to bypass the nonsense and go directly to what I'm looking for. There's probably a regex hack to change the appearance but, I haven't looked for it. I did a few to change the behavior of a few things. Like restoring the right click menu, moving the task bar to the top though the right would be preferred but poses even more issues, and a few other things.

Why one is different from the other is probably based on the OEM tweaks they made in what's shipped to keep it simple for users.

 

[mikeymikec]

I had a trawl through the registry's 'policies' keys but didn't spot anything obvious. One other big difference between the two laptops I'm working on (one with a clean install of Win11, the other being the Asus laptop still on the factory install), is that the Asus laptop's Settings app looks near-identical to Win10's, whereas the other laptop has the normal Win11 style.

 

[Tech Junky]

(one with a clean install of Win11, the other being the Asus laptop still on the factory install)

You could always clone the Asus and put it in the other machine.

Normally the first thing I do after making sure a new system powers on is to wipe the os and do a fresh install. It takes so little time to do before customization with NVMEs these days.

This current laptop I got as a barebones system with no os or ram in it to avoid the MSFT tax you pay for the os allowing me to do more meaningful upgrades. I dropped 32gb into it and swapped the screen to 4k120. I'm also running dual NVME drives for capacity. I recently upgraded the WiFi to ax411 and get another 300mbps out of it for under $20.

 

[mikeymikec]

I tried grabbing all the policies keys from the asus and transferring them to the other laptop, but I guess none of the settings I'm interested in are in those key structures. Like you I also clean install every laptop I set up for myself/customers, and I was trying to think of a way of preserving those OS modifications, but a system clone isn't going to help figure out what the modifications are.

 

[Tech Junky]

Reverse engineering things is a PITA but, if the functions are worthwhile it might be worth it. Cloning though at least gives you a backup to play with w/o messing things up too much.

GitHub - valinet/ExplorerPatcher: This project aims to enhance the working environment on Windows

This project aims to enhance the working environment on Windows - valinet/ExplorerPatcher

github.com

Just found this and moved my taskbar to the right side like before w/ W10 but, it's a bit wonky as if it's running an underlying process to make it happen.



But, it opens the network options and for me allows moving to the right side and expand enough to show the date w/ day of the week like I had it setup before. Having the bar at the top though let me get complacent with the amount of things pinned to the taskbar to the point where now it's back on the side I have to scroll to get to some of the not so necessary icons. Time to do some housekeeping.

Some of the other pages when googling mention using 3rd party taskbar launchers though which isn't something I had considered or thought of since playing with Android phones for customizing things on them. I suppose it's possible on Windows as well but had not thought of it.