A mod to change the Start button icon on the taskbar

[1nsomniaxs]

Yes I know it's possible but I don't want to read the documentation just to change the windows logo on the taskbar.
I miss the days of simple apps that could change your windows icon. I know it shouldnt be too hard to implement since some themes already change the icon, it would mean so much to me if you added a simple drop down for your .ini abd .jpg files and id be thankful.

[PushoDev]

Hi everyone! I found a way to change the Start Button icon without third-party apps like Start11, using only the Windows 11 Taskbar Styler mod in Windhawk.
Here are the steps:

• Open Windows 11 Taskbar Styler and choose your preferred theme (e.g., SimplyTransparent).
• Go to the Advanced tab.
• In the JSON configuration, you need to add two specific control styles: one to hide the original animated icon and another to set your custom image as the background.

Important: Make sure to change the ImageSource path to your actual image location (e.g., C:\path\to\your\icon.png).
Here is the complete JSON structure (using "SimplyTransparent" as an example):

{
  "theme": "SimplyTransparent",
  "controlStyles[0].target": "Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Border#BackgroundElement",
  "controlStyles[0].styles[0]": "Background:=<ImageBrush Stretch=\"Uniform\" ImageSource=\"C:\\tools\\arch_inicio.png\"/>",
  "controlStyles[1].target": "Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.AnimatedVisualPlayer#Icon",
  "controlStyles[1].styles[0]": "Visibility=Collapsed",
  "styleConstants[0]": "",
  "resourceVariables[0].variableKey": "",
  "resourceVariables[0].value": "",
  "themeResourceVariables[0]": "",
  "xamlDiagnosticsHandling": "alert"
}

Why this works:

• controlStyles[0] targets the background of the Start button and replaces it with an ImageBrush.
• controlStyles[1] targets the default animated icon (AnimatedVisualPlayer) and sets it to Collapsed so it doesn't overlap with your new icon.

If this solution helps you, please mark it as the answer to help others! 🚀

[nicholastortis-source]

Tried adding my own image to this code but it keeps saying 'Invalid JSON data"

[SillyVaso]

Tried adding my own image to this code but it keeps saying 'Invalid JSON data"

Could you share what you added exactly? Mine works fine

[Alexxxxanderson]

Here you have it if ou need it in visual mode! HELP! I'm trying to animate it: with a hover png, a click.png and a pressed.png. Buti'm a noobish coder and it didn'tworked! by the wayy, i'm trying to use the Invi Orb from doom as a Start menu icon.MUAHAHAHAHA

[czksvg]

Hi everyone! I found a way to change the Start Button icon without third-party apps like Start11, using only the Windows 11 Taskbar Styler mod in Windhawk. Here are the steps:

• Open Windows 11 Taskbar Styler and choose your preferred theme (e.g., SimplyTransparent).
• Go to the Advanced tab.
• In the JSON configuration, you need to add two specific control styles: one to hide the original animated icon and another to set your custom image as the background.

Important: Make sure to change the ImageSource path to your actual image location (e.g., C:\path\to\your\icon.png). Here is the complete JSON structure (using "SimplyTransparent" as an example):

{
  "theme": "SimplyTransparent",
  "controlStyles[0].target": "Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Border#BackgroundElement",
  "controlStyles[0].styles[0]": "Background:=<ImageBrush Stretch=\"Uniform\" ImageSource=\"C:\\tools\\arch_inicio.png\"/>",
  "controlStyles[1].target": "Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.AnimatedVisualPlayer#Icon",
  "controlStyles[1].styles[0]": "Visibility=Collapsed",
  "styleConstants[0]": "",
  "resourceVariables[0].variableKey": "",
  "resourceVariables[0].value": "",
  "themeResourceVariables[0]": "",
  "xamlDiagnosticsHandling": "alert"
}

Why this works:

• controlStyles[0] targets the background of the Start button and replaces it with an ImageBrush.
• controlStyles[1] targets the default animated icon (AnimatedVisualPlayer) and sets it to Collapsed so it doesn't overlap with your new icon.

If this solution helps you, please mark it as the answer to help others! 🚀

Thanks i managed to edit the size to my liking as well.

[Alexxxxanderson]

Before czksvg coment, there was mine from months ago suggesting this exact solution corrected by m417

i want to know why that message was deleted and replaced by this last one.

It looks nasty shady with his github page on the coment and extravagantly rude, and much more so since I am not a programmer, just an enthusiast, who dedicated effort, passion and time to this solution
I took the trouble to share it with the sole objective of helping with the solution that I am proud to have found by myself.

Please, someone can't tell me what happened here?

[czksvg]

Before czksvg coment, there was mine from months ago suggesting this exact solution corrected by m417

i want to know why that message was deleted and replaced by this last one.

It looks nasty shady with his github page on the coment and extravagantly rude, and much more so since I am not a programmer, just an enthusiast, who dedicated effort, passion and time to this solution I took the trouble to share it with the sole objective of helping with the solution that I am proud to have found by myself.

Please, someone can't tell me what happened here?

im not sure honestly i was wondering if it was possible to change the start menu icon on windhawk i did a quick research and found this page, his solution was the first and i was in a hurry, i just copied his json solution asked ai to edit it to my liking and it worked across different themes ( thanks for your contribution as well )

[Duplicity85]

Hello All.

Here is the updated start button icon targets/styles for 26h2 builds and builds using microsoft's native taskbar positions(top,bottom,left,right).
Start button Icon must be set to centered via settings application. Here is start button Icon pack as well for those who want different color start button icons. https://mega.nz/file/B6Al0A5Y#lJFLUy5KuMnbe-DmWXht0AmkjANtmW7Q7aq1LJfkpiY

Target

Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel#ExperienceToggleButtonRootPanel > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid > Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.AnimatedVisualPlayer#Icon

Style

Visibility=Collapsed

Target

Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel#ExperienceToggleButtonRootPanel@CommonStates

Styles

Background@InactiveNormal:=<ImageBrush ImageSource="IMAGE PATH" Stretch="Uniform"/>
Background@InactivePointerOver:=<ImageBrush ImageSource="IMAGE PATH" Stretch="Uniform"/>
Background@InactivePressed:=<ImageBrush ImageSource="IMAGE PATH" Stretch="Uniform"/>
Background@ActiveNormal:=<ImageBrush ImageSource="IMAGE PATH" Stretch="Uniform"/>
Background@ActivePointerOver:=<ImageBrush ImageSource="IMAGE PATH" Stretch="Uniform"/>
Background@ActivePressed:=<ImageBrush ImageSource="IMAGE PATH" Stretch="Uniform"/>
BorderThickness=0
BorderBrush=Transparent

[Dougyyyyy]

So for the 26h2 @Duplicity85 posted I am only getting the invisible icon. The second part, changing the image, isnt working for me. I have tried a few pngs I made a while back that previously worked fine. I have also tried the colored ones you provided and I put in the Windhawk directory but none have worked. I have tried different sizes, different locations and different image types. Anyone have any Ideas? I used this mod without even the tiniest problems for a long time and one day, presumably when I went to 26h2, it stopped working. Is there some setting or procedure I am missing?

[Dougyyyyy]

What about a static start button on 26h2 what code would I need?

[m417z]

@Dougyyyyy for 26H2 (and other preview/insider builds), instead of these targets from the styling guide:

• Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Border#BackgroundElement
• Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.AnimatedVisualPlayer#Icon

Try using:

• Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Grid > Border#BackgroundElement
• Taskbar.ExperienceToggleButton#LaunchListButton[AutomationProperties.AutomationId=StartButton] > Taskbar.TaskListButtonPanel > Grid > Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls.AnimatedVisualPlayer#Icon