Google broke a Windows 11 function, if you were using this free popular modding tool

ExplorerPatcher is a fairly popular app that lets users modify, tweak, tinker with, and customize various elements of Windows. The software's latest update fixes issues for Windows 11 24H2, 22H2, and Windows 10 22H2, addressing problems across the Start menu, File Explorer, and the Taskbar. The release however does not contain any fixes or improvements specific to Windows 11 25H2, the latest feature update.

Interestingly, the weather integration is now fixed as the “Unable to load weather information” error should no longer occur. The dev notes that it broke following changes on Google's side, though you may need to clear local widget data before it starts working properly again.

On the File Explorer side, the title bar is once again available on Windows 11 22H2 and newer, while a bug that caused folder lists to scroll to the top after WM_SETTINGCHANGE has been resolved. Menanwhile on Windows 11 24H2, shrinking the address bar no longer breaks graphics, and toolbar button sizing has been corrected when Microsoft’s Servicing_CFDNavButtonsTheming flag is active.

In terms of compatibility fixes with other customization apps, Start11 users on Windows 11 24H2 will see the Recommended section properly hidden again. Start10 has also received attention as animation patching is restored on x64 build 27938+ and ARM64 build 27881+, while a bug preventing the Windows 10 Start menu from opening when Windows 11 feature flags were enabled has been resolved.

In terms of Taskbar fixes, on Windows 11 22H2 and newer, ExplorerPatcher’s taskbar (ep_taskbar) is now the default. You can find the full list of changes for the release in the changelog given below:

• ep_weather: Fixed "Unable to load weather information" due to changes in Google's side.
• Start11: Fixed hiding of Recommended Section on recent builds of 24H2.
• GUI: File Explorer > Title bar is now available again on >= 22H2.
• Reduced the occurrences of the Windows 11 bug in Explorer windows where WM_SETTINGCHANGE would scroll the folder items list to the top.
• Changed hooking library to SlimDetours. On ARM64, fixes incompatibilities with certain Windhawk mods that hook CreateWindowExW such as Taskbar Volume Control. Also on ARM64, fixes a very slim chance bug where hooked functions would cause a crash when called until a reboot.
• ep_taskbar: Now statically links to private functions it uses.
• Taskbar10: Fixed folder toolbar menus and Toolbars > New toolbar not working on builds with TrayThreadBSTA feature flag turned on, such as 26100.5074+.
• GUI: Windows 8 Network flyout is now no longer an option on builds >= 25346 as van.dll was removed.
• On Windows 11 22H2+, Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher) taskbar a.k.a. ep_taskbar is now used by default.
• Fixed weather button not having an icon. You may need to perform "Clear weather widget local data" in EP properties > Weather.
• File Explorer: Fixed "Shrink address bar height" resulting in broken graphics on recent 24H2 builds.
• Start10: Fixed open/close animation patching on x64 27938+ and ARM64 27881+. (201a7e5, 79f8dd3, f873888, 465117e, 4434d10)
• Start10: Fixed Windows 10 Start menu refusing to open when the new Windows 11 Start menu feature flag(s) are enabled.
• Fixed Windows 10 Alt+Tab and Windows 10 taskbar Win+X functionality on ARM64 226x1 and 27686+. - File Explorer: Corrected shrunk address bar toolbar button size when Servicing_CFDNavButtonsTheming (NI: 56845961, GE: 52061322) is enabled.

You can download the new ExplorerPatcher update, version 26100.4946.69.4, from its official GitHub repo here, though do note that this is a pre-release version.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 4 October 2025 at 3:16 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of September): 4,533

RIP Matrix