How to Hide the Taskbar in Windows 10

See the Windows 10 taskbar only when you need it

By
Scott Orgera
Scott Orgera
Scott Orgera
Writer

Scott Orgera is a former Lifewire writer covering tech since 2007. He has 25+ years' experience as a programmer and QA leader, and holds several Microsoft certifications including MCSE, MCP+I, and MOUS. He is also A+ certified.

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Updated on November 6, 2021

What to Know

  • Right-click any blank space on the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, and set the Automatically hide the taskbar switches to On (blue).
  • Move the Windows taskbar to the top, left, or right side of the screen by clicking and dragging it.
  • To access the hidden taskbar, move the mouse cursor to the taskbar's usual location on the screen.

This article explains how to hide the Windows taskbar. Instructions in this article apply exclusively to Windows 10.

How to Hide the Windows 10 Taskbar

To temporarily disable the taskbar in Windows 10:

  1. Right-click any blank space on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.

    You can move the Windows taskbar to the top, left, or right side of the screen by clicking and dragging it. You can also lock the taskbar in place.

    Right-click any blank space on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings

  2. Set the toggle switches under Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode and Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode to On (blue).

    To access the Windows taskbar while hidden, move the mouse cursor to the taskbar's usual location on the screen. The taskbar should appear automatically.

    Set the toggle switches under Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode and Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode to On

Windows groups together icons that belong to the same program, but you can disable taskbar button grouping.

What Is the Windows Taskbar?

Located at the bottom of the screen by default, the Windows taskbar contains shortcuts to various features and tools in Windows 10. You can use the shortcuts to quickly access your favorite applications, the Start Menu, an integrated search field, an icon that displays available Wi-Fi networks, and more.

While it comes in handy, there may be times when you want to hide the Windows taskbar while playing a game or watching a video.

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