Streamlining Windows Configuration: Deploying Taskbar and Start Menu Layout with Microsoft Intune

Deploying taskbar and Start menu layout with Microsoft Intune

You’ve got three reliable paths. Choose based on Windows edition and how tightly you want to control the UI.

Option 1: Settings Catalog (simplest, but requires Enterprise/Education)

Prerequisites

• Windows edition: Windows 10/11 Enterprise or Education.

• Files:

  • Windows 10: LayoutModification.xml (Start + taskbar).

  • Windows 11: LayoutModification.json (Start pins) and TaskbarLayoutModification.xml (taskbar).

Steps

1. Create/export layout files

   • Windows 10: On a reference device, arrange Start/taskbar → run:

     Code

     Export-StartLayout -Path C:\Temp\StartLayout.xml

     (Rename to LayoutModification.xml if you built it manually.)

   • Windows 11:

     • Start pins:

       Code

       Export-StartLayout -Path C:\Temp\LayoutModification.json

     • Taskbar pins: author TaskbarLayoutModification.xml (schema supports pinned apps, order, and visibility).

2. Host files

   • Place the XML/JSON on a publicly reachable location (e.g., Azure Blob with anonymous read or a secure internal web server).

3. Create profile in Intune

   • Devices → Configuration profiles → Create → Windows 10 and later → Settings catalog.

   • Add settings:

     • Start menu: “Start” → Start Menu Layout (Windows 10/11 Enterprise/Education). Provide the URL to your LayoutModification.xml (Win10) or LayoutModification.json (Win11).

     • Taskbar: “Taskbar” → Configure taskbar (Windows 10/11 Enterprise/Education). Provide the URL to your TaskbarLayoutModification.xml.

4. Assign & monitor

   • Scope to device groups (recommended for Autopilot).

   • Monitor: Device status → confirm “Succeeded.”

   • Validate: Sign in with a fresh user profile or during Autopilot OOBE.

Option 2: Custom OMA-URI (MDM CSP—works when Settings Catalog isn’t available)

Prerequisites

• Windows edition: Windows 10/11 Pro/Enterprise/Education.

• Files: Same as above.

Steps

1. Prepare file content

   • Open your XML/JSON and base64-encode the content (PowerShell):

     Code

     [Convert]::ToBase64String([IO.File]::ReadAllBytes("C:\Temp\LayoutModification.xml"))

2. Create a custom profile

   • Devices → Configuration profiles → Create → Windows 10 and later → Custom.

   • Add OMA-URI entries:

     • Start layout (Win10):

       • OMA-URI: ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/StartLayout

       • Data type: String

       • Value: Base64 of LayoutModification.xml

     • Start pins (Win11 22H2+):

       • OMA-URI: ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/ConfigureStartPins

       • Data type: String

       • Value: Base64 of LayoutModification.json

     • Taskbar (Win10/11):

       • OMA-URI: ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Taskbar/ConfigureTaskbar

       • Data type: String

       • Value: Base64 of TaskbarLayoutModification.xml

3. Assign & validate

   • Target device groups.

   • Reboot or sign in with a new profile to apply cleanly.

Option 3: Win32 app or PowerShell (most flexible—great for Pro)

When to use

• You need file copy + registry changes, or want per-tenant logic (e.g., dynamic pins).

Steps

1. Package script

   • Script actions typically:

     • Copy LayoutModification.json and/or TaskbarLayoutModification.xml to:

       • Win10: C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\ (XML)

       • Win11: C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\ (JSON/XML)

     • Set policy keys (if needed) under:

       • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Start\ConfigureStartPins

       • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Taskbar\ConfigureTaskbar

   • Convert to Win32 with IntuneWinAppUtil.

2. Create Win32 app in Intune

   • Upload package, add install command (e.g., powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Apply-Layout.ps1).

   • Detection rule: Check file presence or registry value.

3. Assign & test

   • Target devices; validate on new user profiles or during Autopilot.

Practical tips

• Apply during Autopilot for consistent first sign-in experience.

• New profiles: Start/taskbar layout applies best to new users; existing profiles may need a reset of TileDataLayer (Win10) or Start cache (Win11).

• Pin only essentials: Keep 6–10 core apps; avoid over-pinning.

• Version control: Store XML/JSON in Git; tag releases to track changes.

• Rollback: Keep a “default” layout file—reassign to revert.