Windows 11 Taskbar Band Not Working

Symptom

The taskbar band (experimental) feature stopped working after a Windows 11 update. DU Meter no longer displays in the taskbar.

Cause

Microsoft removed the taskbar band API in Windows 11. A February 2023 cumulative update (KB5022913) broke compatibility with the method DU Meter used to emulate Windows 10 taskbar functionality.

Solution

There is no native fix. The experimental Windows 11 taskbar support has been discontinued. You have two options:

Option 1: Use a third-party taskbar replacement

If you install one of these tools, DU Meter's taskbar band will continue to function normally.

Option 2: Use the floating DU Meter window

The main DU Meter window works normally on Windows 11. You can position it anywhere on your desktop and it will display your network traffic in real-time.

Historical Known Issues (Pre-2023)

Before Microsoft removed the API entirely, there were several known issues with the experimental Windows 11 taskbar band support:

  • DU Meter Taskbar Band could obstruct the expanding chevron button
  • DU Meter Taskbar Band did not respond to mouse clicks
  • Resizing was not possible

Common issues