How to hide/unhide the Taskbar on Windows 11

After you install Windows 11 and log in for the first time, you'll see the desktop, the default wallpaper (which looks great), the Recycle Bin and Microsoft Edge icons, and the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

 However, just like other Windows versions, if you want to have full screen display space, you can easily set the taskbar to automatically hide when not in use. If this is what you want, read the next part of this guide. And, if you've hidden it and want to see the taskbar, read the end of the article to know how to do it.

Hide the Taskbar on Windows 11 using Settings

First, you need to access Windows 11 taskbar settings. To do this quickly, right-click on an empty space on the taskbar. In the small menu that appears, select the ' Taskbar Settings ' option .

(Alternatively, you can also open the Windows Settings app and navigate to Personalization > Taskbar to access the same configuration menu).

In the Taskbar settings screen, click on the ' Taskbar Behaviors ' section.

When the Taskbar Behaviors menu appears, check the box next to the ' Automatically Hide the Taskbar ' option.

As soon as you perform the above operation, the taskbar will disappear. But if you look closely, you will still see a small line at the bottom of the screen letting you know that the taskbar is ready to appear when you need it.

Close the Settings window. To make the taskbar temporarily reappear, simply move your mouse pointer to the bottom edge area of ​​the screen. As soon as you touch the bottom edge, the taskbar will pop up and you can interact with it as usual.

When you move your mouse away from the taskbar, it will automatically hide. Quite convenient!

In case you change your mind and want the taskbar to display permanently again, open the Settings app (press Windows + i key combination ), then navigate to Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors and uncheck the option. select ' Automatically Hide the Taskbar '.

Hide the Taskbar on Windows 11 using Command Prompt

You can use Command Prompt to hide the Windows 11 taskbar. On Windows 11, click Start and enter cmd. This will bring up the Command Prompt and you must select Run as administrator .

Enter the following command in Command Prompt to hide the taskbar in Windows 11.

powershell -command "&{$p='HKCU:SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStuckRects3';$v=(Get-ItemProperty -Path $p).Settings;$v[8]=3;&Set-ItemProperty -Path $p -Name Settings -Value $v;&Stop-Process -f -ProcessName explorer}"

The PowerShell command above enables the 'Automatically hide the taskbar' option in Windows 11 personalization settings.

If you want to unhide or re-show the taskbar, run the command below.

powershell -command "&{$p='HKCU:SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerStuckRects3';$v=(Get-ItemProperty -Path $p).Settings;$v[8]=2;&Set-ItemProperty -Path $p -Name Settings -Value $v;&Stop-Process -f -ProcessName explorer}"

Hide Windows 11 taskbar on secondary monitor

For multi-monitor PC systems, Windows 11 allows you to hide the taskbar on additional monitors while leaving the taskbar enabled on the primary monitor. Of course you will have to adjust the settings to do that and here's how to do it.

First, open the Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows + i keyboard shortcut .

In the Settings window that appears, from the list on the left, click on ' Personalization '.

On the right, in the ' Personalization ' menu, select ' Taskbar '.

Scroll the ' Taskbar ' menu to the bottom. There, click on the ' Taskbar Behaviors ' section.

In the menu that opens, disable the ' Show My Taskbar on All Displays ' option.

( Tip : In the future, to bring the taskbar back on all displays, simply re-enable the ' Show My Taskbar on All Displays ' option).

It's all that simple, from now on Windows 11 will no longer display the taskbar on your secondary screen, while everything will remain the same on the main screen.

How to show the Taskbar in Windows 11

If you can't see the Taskbar in Windows 11 and want it to show up again, move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen and it will show itself. If you're using a touchscreen, you can see the taskbar by swiping up from the bottom of the screen with your finger. Then, right-click or press and hold, then select Taskbar settings.

Alternatively, you can press Windows + I on the keyboard to open Settings then go to Personalization > Taskbar . Next, on the right, click on Taskbar behaviors to expand it and uncheck the ' Automatically hide the taskbar ' setting.

The Windows 11 taskbar is always displayed at the bottom of the screen. Close Settings and you're done.

Many users like the way the taskbar looks and works on Windows 11, despite its limitations. However, some people want it visible all the time, while others want it hidden. Everything depends on each person's needs and you can freely adjust it accordingly.

Hiding the taskbar in Windows 11 is a simple yet powerful trick to get more space on your screen. If you're running Windows 11, there's a way to make the taskbar disappear and free up your screen.

Hiding the Windows 11 taskbar is useful when you are playing games, working on applications, or when you want more space on the screen. This article mentions 2 ways to hide/show the taskbar in Windows 11.

Wishing you a good experience with Windows 11!

Kareem Winters

Update 13 August 2024