How to use the taskbar in Windows 10

Locking the taskbar is handy to make sure it remains how you set it up. Unlock the taskbar later when you want to make changes or change its location on the desktop.

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar.
2. Select Taskbar settings  and turn on Lock the taskbar.

Open Taskbar settings

If Lock the taskbar has a check mark next to it, you know it’s already locked. To turn it off, under Lock the taskbar set the toggle to Off.

If you have multiple monitors that display the taskbar, you’ll see Lock all taskbars.

Typically, the taskbar is at the bottom of the desktop, but you can also move it to either side or the top of the desktop. When the taskbar is unlocked, you can change its location. See the Lock and unlock the taskbar section to find out if yours is locked. When you’ve confirmed that your taskbar is unlocked, you can change its location.

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings .
2. Scroll down to Taskbar location on screen, and then select Left, Top, Right, or Bottom.

Open Taskbar settings

Like many other changes in the taskbar, you’ll need to first unlock the taskbar. Then, move the pointer over the border of the taskbar until the pointer turns into a double arrow. Drag the border to the size you want and release.

You can add the battery icon to the taskbar.

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar.
2. Select Taskbar settings , scroll down, and choose Select which icons appear on the taskbar.
3. Set the toggle for Power to On.

Open Taskbar settings

You can check battery status by selecting the battery icon in the taskbar.

Note: You might need to select the Show hidden icons icon on the taskbar before selecting the battery icon. Power is not an option on systems without a battery.

Whenever you want to change the order of app buttons on the taskbar, just drag a button from its current position to a different one. You might want to choose how taskbar buttons are grouped, especially if you have multiple windows open. By default, all open files from the same app are always grouped together, even if you didn’t open them in succession.

Change how taskbar buttons group together

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar, then select Taskbar settings  > Combine taskbar buttons.
2. Select from the list:

• Always, hide labels. This is the default setting. Each app appears as a single, unlabeled button, even when multiple windows for that app are open.
• When taskbar is full. This setting shows each window as an individual, labeled button. When the taskbar becomes crowded, apps with multiple open windows collapse into a single app button. Select the button to see a list of the windows that are open.
• Never. This setting shows each window as an individual, labeled button and never combines them, no matter how many windows are open. As more apps and windows open, buttons get smaller, and eventually the buttons will scroll.

If you use multiple displays, you can make a different choice for your extra displays. 

1. Select Taskbar settings .
2. Scroll down to Multiple Displays and select from the Combine taskbar buttons on other taskbars list.

Open Taskbar settings

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If you want to show more of your apps on the taskbar, you can show smaller versions of the buttons.

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar, select Taskbar settings , and then select On for Use small taskbar buttons. 
2. Select Off to return to the larger taskbar buttons.

Open Taskbar settings

Note: Badges aren’t displayed on small taskbar buttons.

A badge on a taskbar button is an alert to let you know that some activity is happening or needs to happen with that app. For example, a bell badge on the Alarms & Clocks app alerts you to an active alarm that will notify you at the time you set. This feature is turned on by default, but you can make sure it’s on (or turn it off). 

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar, and select Taskbar settings .
2. Scroll down to Show badges on taskbar buttons and set the toggle as desired.

Open Taskbar settings

Use the Peek feature to take a quick look at what’s on your desktop behind all the open windows.

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar, select Taskbar settings , and then turn on Use Peek to preview the desktop when you move your mouse to the Show desktop button at the end of the taskbar.
   Open Taskbar settings
2. Move the mouse pointer over (or press and hold) the far-right edge of the taskbar to see the desktop.
3. To restore the view of all your open windows, move the pointer away or press and hold the edge one more time.

You can hide the taskbar based on whether you’re in desktop mode or tablet mode.

1. Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar, and select Taskbar settings .
2. Turn on either Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode or Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode (or both).

Open Taskbar settings