Taskbar Customizer uses Windows APIs to customize the taskbar's appearance.

• The taskbar is verified to belong to Explorer. The application's DLL is loaded through a temporary WH_CALLWNDPROC hook.
• The DLL targets only the taskbar's XAML background; blur is not applied to text or icons.
• The application does not access the network, collect telemetry or credentials, or install services or drivers.
• Administrator privileges are not requested; the build script does not download packages.
• Settings are stored locally in %LOCALAPPDATA%\TaskbarCustomizer\settings.json.
• Start with Windows adds the TaskbarCustomizer value under the current user's HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run key only when the user enables it. Disabling the option removes this value.

The DLL is loaded using an absolute path from the same folder as the EXE; no additional digital signature verification is performed. A local control channel transfers settings and status between the EXE and DLL; it does not authenticate processes that access the channel.

Disable, Exit, or loss of the EXE connection triggers an attempt to restore the previous appearance. To keep callbacks valid, the DLL remains loaded until Explorer exits. To unload it completely or switch to a new version, close the application, save your work, and restart Windows Explorer. Windows updates may change the taskbar's internal structure; DLL errors can affect Explorer's operation.

If you encounter a security issue or a security software alert, include the application version, affected file name, SHA-256 hash, and report details. Reports are assessed for the specific file and version. Do not include personal information or confidential data in public reports.