Microsoft has had a long history of new=better and since Win8 it seems obvious that new=worse.
Microsoft did not comment on the decision, but one possible explanation is that the other designs interfered with the new centered position of the Start menu, and that the removal of the options was the cheaper solution. Gone are the times of placing the taskbar on the side or at the top. The only location that is available is at the bottom of the screen. One of the first things that you may notice is that you cannot change the position of the taskbar anymore. If you take a closer look at Windows 11's taskbar, you will notice that it lacks functionality that previous versions of Windows support. Windows 11 users may align the Start menu to the left if they prefer that. The centering of content is not a novel concept, as plenty of third-party solutions, such as Center Taskbar, Taskbar Dock, or FalconX, and Apple with its Mac OS provide centered solutions as well. Windows 11 ships with a centered Start menu by default, and all icons placed on the taskbar are centered as well. While Microsoft is still working on the first stable version of its Windows 11 operating system, some features of the upcoming version of Windows appear set in stone already.
