Customizing the Appearance of Windows 10

Customizing the taskbar

You can customize the taskbar that runs along the bottom of the Windows desktop in several ways. First, you can control whether the taskbar is locked in place so that it can’t shift to a different position (such as to the top, left, or right of your desktop). You can also control whether your taskbar is automatically hidden so that you can view the full screen without it until you move your pointing device near its position on the screen. You can move the taskbar to the top, bottom, right, or left of the screen. You can also change which Quick Action buttons, such as those that control volume, power, network connections, and so forth, appear on the right side of the taskbar.

Choose taskbar settings

1. Right-click the taskbar.

2. Click Properties.

   
3. Select any of the check boxes, such as Lock The Taskbar or Auto-Hide The Taskbar, to apply that setting.
4. Click the Taskbar Location On Screen drop-down box.
5. Click a location.

6. Click Customize for the Notification Area.

   

7. Click a Quick Action icon, and then, from the list that appears, select a different one.

   

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TIP

If your taskbar becomes too crowded with icons, you can choose whether to hide labels that appear next to some buttons to gain some extra space. In the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box, click the Taskbar Buttons drop-down list, and then choose whether these labels should be displayed or hidden.