You can customize the taskbar, including the way taskbar buttons look, how they group together when you have more than one window open, change where the taskbar is on your desktop, and decide what icons and apps are on it.
To rearrange the order of app buttons on the taskbar, drag a button from its current position to a different position on the taskbar. You can rearrange apps as often as you like.
All open files from the same app are always grouped together, even if you didn’t open them one after the other. This is so you can see all of the previews for that app at the same time.
Usually, you can find the taskbar at the bottom of the desktop, but you can move it to the sides or top of the desktop. Before you can move the taskbar, you need to unlock it.
Press and hold or right-click an empty space on the taskbar. If Lock the taskbar has a check mark next to it, the taskbar is locked. You can unlock it by tapping or clicking Lock the taskbar, which removes the check mark.
Do one of the following:
Tap an empty space on the taskbar, and then drag it to one of the four edges of the desktop. When the taskbar is where you want it, let go.
(If you're using a mouse, click an empty space on the taskbar, and then hold down the mouse button as you drag the taskbar to one of the four edges of the desktop. When the taskbar is where you want it, release the mouse button.)
To lock the taskbar into place, press and hold or right-click an empty space on the taskbar, and then tap or click Lock the taskbar so that the check mark appears. This helps make sure that the taskbar doesn't accidentally get moved or resized.
You can choose how buttons are grouped together when there's more than one window open, and change the size of taskbar button icons.
tap or click to open Taskbar Properties.
On the Taskbar tab, select one of the options from the Taskbar buttons list:
Always combine, hide labels
This is the default setting. Each app appears as a single, unlabeled button, even when multiple windows for that app are open.
Combine 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. tap or clicking the button displays a list of the windows that are open.
Never combine
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.
To use small taskbar button icons, select the Use small taskbar buttons check box. To use large icons, clear the check box.
Tap or click OK.
You can pin an app directly to the taskbar for quick and easy access.
Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.) In the search box, enter the name of the app you want to pin. Then, on the search results page, tap or click the app to open it on the desktop.
On the desktop, press and hold or right-click the app's button on the taskbar to open the app’s Jump List (a list of shortcuts to recently opened files, folders, and websites), and then tap or click Pin this program to taskbar.
To remove a pinned app from the taskbar, open the app's Jump List, and then tap or click Unpin this program from taskbar.
Folders and shortcuts to folders appear in the File Explorer Jump List.
The notification area is located at the far right side of the taskbar, and it contains app icons that provide status and notifications about things like incoming email, updates, and network connectivity. You can change which icons and notifications appear there.
In the notification area at the far right of the taskbar, tap or click the icon you want to hide, and then drag it toward the desktop.
You can rearrange icons that appear in the notification area—just drag an icon to a different spot.
Press and hold or right-click an empty area on the taskbar, and then tap or click Properties.
Next to Notification area, tap or click Customize.
For each icon, select one of these options, and then tap or click OK:
Show icon and notifications. The icon is always in the notification area of the taskbar and notifications appear.
Hide icon and notifications. The icon is hidden and you won't see notifications for that app.
Only show notifications. The icon is hidden, but notifications will appear.
You can use the Show desktop button at the right end of the taskbar to minimize your open windows and get to the desktop quickly. And if you're using a mouse, you can also use it to preview the desktop without closing or minimizing your open windows.
Tap or click the Show desktop button at the right end of the taskbar. All of the open windows minimize, revealing the desktop.
To get the windows back, tap or click the Show desktop button again.
You can only change this setting if you're using a mouse.
Right-click the Show desktop button at the right end of the taskbar and click Peek at desktop.
Desktop preview only works if you're using a mouse.
Point to the Show desktop button at the right end of the taskbar. The open windows fade from view, revealing the desktop.
To make the windows reappear, move the mouse away from the Show desktop button.
If you're using more than one display (for example, if you have more than one monitor), you can decide whether you want to have a taskbar on all of your displays, and how you want buttons to be arranged on the taskbars.
Tap or click to open Taskbar Properties.
Under Multiple displays, make sure the Show taskbar on all displays check box is selected, and then tap or click OK.
Under Multiple displays, select one of the options from the Show taskbar buttons on: list, and then tap or click OK.
All taskbars
The taskbar buttons for all of your open windows will be duplicated on the taskbars on each display.
Main taskbar and taskbar where window is open
This setting shows a taskbar button on your main monitor and duplicates it on the taskbar on the display where the window is open.
Taskbar where window is open
This setting shows a taskbar button only on the display where the window is open. None of the buttons are duplicated on other taskbars.