The Windows taskbar is used to display shortcuts to applications, perform searches, and has a Windows Start button for even more options.
In Windows, the taskbar often has a standard appearance. You can customize it to your liking. In this section, I will explain how you can customize the Windows taskbar through the Windows settings.
Customize Windows taskbar
Make taskbar smaller
The Windows taskbar is quite large and occupies a large part of the bottom of the screen. You can resize the taskbar by reducing the icons in the taskbar.
Right-click on the taskbar. Click Taskbar settings from the menu.
In the taskbar settings, enable the option: use small taskbar buttons.
After this, you will see that the taskbar in Windows has become a lot smaller.
Display application name in the taskbar
If you have opened an application in Windows, then the taskbar will group the application and hide the labels (title).
If you prefer (just like in Windows 7, for example) that the application’s name is always visible in the taskbar, change the following option: Combine taskbar buttons to: when taskbar is full, or, never.
The name of the application is now displayed in the taskbar.
Moving the taskbar
By default, the taskbar is at the bottom of Windows. You can change the taskbar to the top, the left side, or the screen’s right side.
In the taskbar settings, you change the option: Taskbar location on screen to your desired location.
Hide taskbar
If you prefer the taskbar to be hidden when you don’t need it, enable the option: Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode. You can also hide the taskbar in tablet mode, enable the option: Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode.
If the taskbar is hidden, move the mouse to the taskbar’s location, and the taskbar will be shown.
Hide Windows search
You will find a large empty text field to search in Windows at the bottom of the taskbar. This search field takes up quite some space in the taskbar. To replace the search field with a search icon, right-click on the taskbar.
Open the Search settings and click the Show search icon. The Windows search window is now replaced by a Windows search icon. To completely hide Windows search, click Hide.
Hide Cortana button
The virtual assistant Cortana is represented in the taskbar by a round icon. If you disable Cortana, you can also hide the Cortana button.
Right-click on the Windows taskbar and click the Show Cortana button. Make sure the setting is disabled.
Image missing, because I have disabled Cortana.
Hide Task View button
The Task View button in the taskbar is displayed by default in Windows 10. If you do not use the Task View functionality, it is also unnecessary to occupy space in the taskbar.
Right-click on the Windows taskbar and click the Show Task View button. Make sure that the Task View button is disabled.
Hide system tray icon
System icons are displayed on the right side of the taskbar. Examples are the date and time and the network icon. You can choose which icons you want to show and which you do not want to show.
Right-click on the taskbar. Open the taskbar settings from the menu. Click on the link: Turn system icons on- or off.
You now have the choice to display the desired icons in the Windows system tray. You can show or hide the clock, volume, network icon, etc.
Now you have seen a lot of tips to customize the taskbar in Windows. I hope this will help you. Thank you for reading.
