How to Move the Windows Taskbar to the Top, Left, or Right

You can move a supported Windows Taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom of the screen from Taskbar settings. Windows 10 includes the location menu shown below. Windows 11 began receiving equivalent edge-position controls in 2026; if the setting is absent on your PC, install available Windows updates and avoid unsupported registry edits.

Move the Taskbar in Windows 10

1. Right-click an empty area of the Taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

   

2. Scroll to Taskbar location on screen. The nearby Combine taskbar buttons option controls button labels and grouping; it does not change the Taskbar's position.

   

3. Open the location menu and choose Left, Top, Right, or Bottom. The change takes effect immediately.

   

How each position looks

Left creates a vertical Taskbar along the left edge:

Right creates a vertical Taskbar along the right edge:

Top places the bar above application windows:

Bottom restores the default Windows 10 position:

Windows 10 reached the end of standard support on October 14, 2025. These settings remain useful on existing installations, but use a supported release where possible.

Move the Taskbar in Windows 11

On a Windows 11 build that includes the newer positioning feature:

1. Right-click the Taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
2. Find Taskbar location on screen or expand Taskbar behaviors, depending on the build.
3. Select Top, Bottom, Left, or Right.
4. If a separate alignment option appears, choose how icons align within that edge.

Microsoft introduced edge positioning through the Windows Insider program in 2026, so availability can vary during rollout. If the location control is missing, check Settings > Windows Update and use the bottom Taskbar until the supported feature arrives. Registry values and shell-patching tools written for older Windows 11 builds may break Start, Search, or notification icons after an update.

Move the Taskbar by dragging on older Windows

On Windows 7 and some earlier releases, right-click the Taskbar and clear Lock the taskbar. Drag an empty part of the bar to the desired edge, then lock it again to prevent accidental movement. See the illustrated guide to moving the Windows 7 Taskbar.

If the Taskbar moved accidentally

Open Taskbar settings and choose Bottom. On a legacy draggable Taskbar, unlock it, drag it back to the bottom, and lock it again. If the bar is missing rather than relocated, press the Windows key and check whether auto-hide is enabled.

For related options, learn how to hide or show the Taskbar, keep it on one monitor, or review useful Windows 11 Taskbar features.