change taskbar icon

How to customize your Windows 11 taskbar

You can tweak your new taskbar — somewhat

By Barbara Krasnoff , a reviews editor who manages how-tos. She’s worked as an editor and writer for almost 40 years. Previously, she was a senior reviews editor for Computerworld.

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If you’ve updated your computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11, you may find that your taskbar isn’t quite as configurable — and perhaps not quite as useful — as it was before. For example, the old, familiar Start menu with its configurable Live Tiles is now gone. The search box is no longer within the taskbar but is accessed by first clicking on the Start menu — an extra step. (Although the fact that Cortana is no longer automatically part of that search box can be considered, by many at least, as a plus.)

Another thing: the taskbar is now permanently affixed to the bottom of the screen — so if you were more comfortable having it on top of the screen, or on either side, you’re out of luck.

As you might imagine, Windows users are already posting fixes for at least some of these issues — as long as you’re comfortable tweaking your Windows Registry. For example, there’s one that purportedly lets you move the taskbar to the top of the screen , and another that lets you change the size of the taskbar .

These apps let you customize Windows 11 to bring the taskbar back to life

It’s possible that Microsoft will bring back some of these abilities in future updates of the new OS. For now, let’s concentrate on how you can adjust the current Windows 11 taskbar.

Pin an app to the taskbar

Pinning an app to the taskbar at the bottom can be a little — well, weird. There are several ways to handle it:

If an app is running, its icon will appear in the taskbar with a line underneath to indicate that it is active. If you want its icon to remain in the taskbar even after you’ve closed it, then right-click on the icon and select “Pin to taskbar.”

Right click on an active icon and select “Pin to taskbar”

If an app isn’t running, but its icon is on your desktop, you can pin it to the Taskbar as well. Right-click on the desktop icon and click on “Show more options.” A longer menu will open up; about two-thirds down, you’ll see “Pin to taskbar.”
You can also click on the Start icon, select the “All apps” button, and then right-click on the app you want. If you don’t see “Pin to taskbar” in the menu that pops up, then select “More” and you’ll see “Pin to taskbar.”

You can also pin an app to your tasks from the “All apps” menu.

Remove an app from the taskbar

Most apps are simple to remove: just right-click on the icon and select “Unpin from taskbar.”

A few of the icons take a little more effort to remove. The Start menu icon is, as might be expected, unremovable. But there are four other icons that can’t be removed but can be hidden. The easiest way to do that is:

Right click on the taskbar.
Select “Taskbar settings.” (You can also get there by going to “Settings” > “Personalization” > “Taskbar.”)
Toggle off any of the four icons — “Search,” “Task view,” “Widgets,” or “Chat” — that you want to hide.

You can hide four of the standard taskbar icons.

Move your icons to the left

Those of us who having been using Windows 10 (or 7 or earlier iterations) are used to accessing the Start menu from the lower left-hand corner of the screen. If your muscle memory keeps your hand drifting to that corner, you can move the center app icons so they are to your left instead:

Right-click on the taskbar and click on “Taskbar settings.”
Select “Taskbar behaviors.”
Look for “Taskbar alignment” and click on the button on the right where it says “Center.” Select “Left” instead.
Close the settings window, and you’ll see that the app icons in the taskbar have moved to the left, with the Start menu icon in the corner.

You can move the icons from the center to the left of the taskbar.

Incidentally, the “Taskbar behaviors” section of the settings lets you do more than move your icons to the left. It also lets you automatically hide the taskbar (something that’s been a taskbar behavior for a very long time); show a badge on taskbar apps to let you know if, say, you have any unread messages; handle how the taskbar works on multiple displays; and show a clean desktop by clicking on the far right corner of the taskbar.

Taskbar behaviors include hiding the taskbar and showing unread messages.

Taskbar corner icons and overflow

While the taskbar corner icons and the overflow window aren’t new, I never actually knew what they were called before. To tell you the truth, when I first saw the phrase “Taskbar corner overflow,” I pictured a bunch of app icons flowing out of the display like Niagara Falls. Turns out the corner icons are the icons in the right corner of the taskbar — the ones that show the time and date, your battery status, your volume level, and your Wi-Fi status, among other things. The overflow is the little pop-up menu that appears when you select the arrow to the left of those corner icons.

For the most part, the icons in the overflow window are meant to notify you when there is something that needs to be done — messages that have arrived or an update that is needed. This is also handy for apps, like Discord, that tend to run in the background; you can shut them down easily from the overflow by right-clicking on the icon and looking for the “quit” selection.

While most of the corner icons that come with Windows are permanent, some — specifically, the Pen menu, the Touch keyboard, and the Virtual touchpad — can be hidden. They can be found on the same taskbar settings menu that let us move the icons to the left; just click on “Taskbar corner overflow” and toggle off the ones you don’t want to see.

The overflow menu lets you handle apps that run in the background.

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Windows 10 tips and tricks

How to Customize Any Icon in Windows 10 (or 11)

Here's how to change icons on Windows 10 and 11, including program shortcuts, folders, file types, and much more.

While the default Windows icons get the job done, they aren't particularly exciting. If you want to put a personal spin on your computer, changing Windows 10 icons is a great way to do this.

We'll show you how to change icons on Windows 10, including program and folder icons. With a bit of work, you'll have an all-new interface with a unique look! While we focus on Windows 10 here, these tips largely work the same on Windows 11.

Where to Find Custom Icons for Windows 10

Before you start changing your current Windows 10 icons, you need some new icons to replace them with. The OS has a few additional icons built-in, but they're not that great.

Flaticon is a great resource for all your Windows icon needs. The site contains millions of high-quality icons arranged in thousands of convenient packs. You can grab everything in a pack at once, or download single icons.

The site offers downloads in several formats. We recommend downloading them in PNG for easy conversion to the ICO format. Keep all the raw downloads in a folder called PNG Icons or similar.

If you don't find what you're looking for here, try Findicons , IconArchive , or GraphicBurger . We've also looked at some great Windows icon packs in the past.

Converting PNG Images to ICO Icons

Windows uses ICO files for its icons. Thus, you'll need to convert images from PNG (or other image formats) before you use them as icons.

ConvertICO offers an easy way to do this. You can upload up to 50 PNG images at once to convert them into the ICO format. If you prefer, you can also enter the URL of an image you want to convert, cutting out the middle step of downloading the PNG.

Keep all your ICO files in their own folder. Make sure you put this somewhere permanent, as moving icon files after you have assigned them will break the link, requiring you to set them up again.

How to Change Program Icons in Windows 10

Windows 10 makes it easy to change the program icon for a shortcut, but not the main executable. Thus, you should make a desktop shortcut for the app icon you want to change, if you don't have one already.

To do this, search for an app in the Start menu, then right-click its name and choose Open file location . In the resulting folder, right-click the program name and choose Send to > Desktop (create shortcut) .

Now you can modify the new shortcut on your desktop. Right-click it and choose Properties to open a new window. Here, switch to the Shortcut tab and click the Change Icon button at the bottom.

You'll see a list of alternative icons included in the app, if there are any. To set your own icon, click Browse and navigate to the place where you saved your ICO files.

Double-click one to select it, then choose OK on both open dialog boxes. That's all you have to do to change a program icon in Windows 10.

Pinning Custom Icons to the Taskbar

Want to customize the icons on your Taskbar too? The easiest way to do this is to follow the steps above to create custom desktop icons. After that, simply right-click a shortcut and choose Pin to Taskbar .

If you'd rather, you can customize an icon already pinned to your Taskbar. While holding Shift , right-click the app icon and choose Properties . From here, you can follow the same steps as above to set a new icon.

You may need to wait a few moments for changes you make in this way to take effect.

How to Change Individual Folder Icons in Windows 10

Changing a folder icon is similar to the above process: to begin, right-click the folder you'd like to change and choose Properties .

On the resulting window, switch to the Customize tab. Select the Change Icon button at the bottom to select a new icon from your computer. Windows includes many default icons for this, but most of them are old-school and ugly. Hit Browse to locate your custom icons instead.

If you ever change your mind, just open this window and choose Restore Defaults to get the original folder icon back.

How to Change All Windows Folder Icons at Once

Want to change all the standard folder icons on your computer with one action? You'll have to dig into the Registry to do so.

Remember that it's possible to damage your system by modifying the Registry, so take care not to touch any other values while inside.

First, type regedit into the Start menu to open the utility. You'll need to provide administrator permissions to continue. Navigate to the following location:

Now, right-click on the Explorer folder in the left navigation tree and select New > Key . Name the new key Shell Icons , then select it in the left panel. In the blank space on the right, right-click and choose New > Expandable String Value . Set its name as 3 . Repeat this to create another string called 4 .

Now, double-click the 3 string you just made. In the Value data field, enter the location of your folder icon in quotes. An easy way to do this is by holding Shift while right-clicking your ICO file, then selecting the Copy as path option. It should look something like this:

Repeat this for the 4 string, then click OK and exit the Registry Editor.

If you don't see the change take effect upon opening a new File Explorer window, you'll need to restart File Explorer for your changes to take effect. To do this, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Click More details to expand it if needed. On the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer . Right-click this and choose Restart .

This should apply your new icon to all folders. To remove this in the future, simply delete the Shell Icons Registry key you created.

We tested this method as working in Windows 10 version 20H2, but other users have reported that it has no effect. Your mileage may thus vary depending on your version of Windows 10.

How to Change File Icons by Type

Normally, for each file type, Windows shows an icon of the default program. If you'd like to change this, you can use a free utility called FileTypesMan to change the icon for any file type.

After downloading and running it, press Ctrl + F to locate the file type you want to change. Double-click it in the list to open a new window with many more options. Next to the Default Icon field, you'll see a ... (ellipsis) button.

Click this and you'll open the familiar Windows dialog box that lets you change the icon.

Using this, you can set up separate icons to distinguish file types, even if they open in the same program. You might want to make it easier to highlight JPG and PNG files at a glance, or spot old DOC Word files not using the newer DOCX format, for instance.

How to Change Drive Icons in Windows

Want to change the icons that you see in This PC for your various computer drives? A free utility called Drive Icon Changer makes this easy.

It's similar to FileTypesMan mentioned above, but much more basic. Simply select a drive and the desired icon, and it will apply them for you after a restart. That's all it takes.

How to Create Blank Taskbar Icons

Usually, all of your Taskbar icons appear alongside each other. If you'd like to add some space—perhaps to separate icons by type—you can achieve this with a workaround.

Creating Dummy Batch Files

To start, create a new folder somewhere you can keep permanently. Name it Spaces or something similar. Inside this folder, right-click again and choose New > Text document . Double-click the file to open it.

Inside the text file, enter the following. This will create a batch file that's a dummy; it immediately opens and closes a Command Prompt window if you click on it.

After this, go to File > Save As . In the saving dialog box, give the file a name ending in .BAT . If you want to create multiple spaces, you should then copy, paste, and rename the file so you have several named Space1.bat , Space2.bat , and so on.

Set Up a Blank Icon

Windows has blank icons built-in. But in our testing, these can appear as black squares on your Taskbar instead of transparent boxes, which is no good. This means you'll need to quickly make your own "blank" icon.

Open an image editor (we used Paint.NET ) and hit Ctrl + Shift + R to change the canvas size. Create one that's perfectly square; 256x256 will work. Press Ctrl + A to select the entire image, then press Del to erase it. This will create a transparent square when saved as a PNG.

However, if you leave it like this, you'll run into the same black block problem. Thus, you need to take the Pencil tool, zoom in, and use it to draw a single pixel in a corner of the image. This will effectively be invisible when it sits on your Taskbar.

Save the file as a PNG, then use an online converter as mentioned above to convert this into an ICO file.

Creating and Pinning Shortcuts

Now, right-click each Space file you made and choose Create shortcut , as you'll need a shortcut, not the main BAT file, in order to change the icon. Then right-click each shortcut file, select Properties , and use the Change Icon button to select your new blank icon.

Once this is done, you'll need to add one more element in order to add these shortcuts to your Taskbar. In the Shortcut tab of each BAT file, enter explorer in front of everything in the Target box. Make sure there's a space before the opening quotes.

Now you can right-click all your Space files and choose Pin to taskbar . They'll appear as blank icons, allowing you to drag them wherever you like and group your other icons.

How to Change the Desktop Icon Size on Windows 10

Just want to adjust the size of Windows 10 icons on your desktop? That's an easy fix. On the desktop, you can right-click any empty space and choose View to select Small icons , Medium icons , or Large icons .

If you don't like one of those presets, hold the Ctrl key and scroll your mouse wheel. This gives you more granular control over icon size.

In a File Explorer window, you'll find more size options under the View menu. The method of scrolling your mouse wheel while holding Ctrl works, too.

Windows 10 Desktop Icons Missing?

If you don't see any icons on your desktop , chances are that you've hidden them all. Getting them back takes just a few clicks. Right-click anywhere on your desktop, then select View > Show desktop icons if it's not already checked. With this enabled, you should see your desktop icons with no problem.

If this didn't fix your problem, your computer may be in tablet mode, which prevents your desktop icons from showing. To disable tablet mode, visit Settings > System > Tablet .

Finally, if you're missing the default Windows 10 system icons, you'll need to restore them in another menu. Go to Settings > Personalization > Themes and on the right side of the window, select Desktop icon settings .

This will launch a new window where you can toggle the icons for This PC , your user folder, Network , Control Panel , and the Recycle Bin . While here, you can also change the icons for these shortcuts if you want.

Customize Every Icon in Windows

Now you know how to change nearly every icon on your Windows system. Whether you want to completely overhaul everything or just want to change a few shortcut icons, you have the tools to personalize your computer in a fun way.

If you love personalization, it thankfully doesn't end here. There are many other ways to customize the look and feel of your Windows environment.

How to Change the Taskbar Size in Windows 11

You can get small, medium or large taskbar and icons.

By default, Windows 11's taskbar is a decent size, but what if you want it a little bigger so you can see the icons better? Conversely, what if you want it a little smaller so you can fit more of your content on the screen at once?

The good news is that, using a simple registry tweak, you can set the taskbar in Windows 11 to one of three sizes: small, medium or large, with the medium size being the same as the default. The size will effect both the bar itself and any icons within it, including the Start, search and task view buttons.

The height may vary based on your screen resolution, but on our full HD screen, the default or medium taskbar height was 48 pixels, the large height was 72 pixels and the small height was 32 pixels. We originally published this article during the beta period, but we've tested with the release version of Windows 11 and this tip still works.

1. Open Regedit. You can do by hitting Windows key + R and typing regedit or by searching for regedit, using the search menu.

2 . Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced .

3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value by right clicking in the right window pane and selecting New->DWORD (32-bit) Value.

4. Name the value TaskbarSi.

5. Set the value to one of the following to 0, 1 or 2 which give you small, medium or large. You set the value by double clicking on TaskbarSi.

6. Close Regedit and reboot .

You will now have the size of taskbar icons you set. If you don't like it, you can always go back and change it. And, if you want some more changes, you can always bring back the full context menu in Windows 11 , move the taskbar to the top of the Windows 11 desktop or bring back the Windows 10 File Explorer in Windows 11 .

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targetdrone This feature will be removed in the next release version, just like the reposition of the Start Menu. Hopefully Classic / Open Shell will be stable by 2025 when It's time for a new computer. Reply
royalones One small issue I see with resizing the taskbar - the network / volume / date & time icons in the far right corner don't seem to resize. they seem to settle the bottom of the bar with the date nearly being cut in half. Bar Image Reply

targetdrone said: This feature will be removed in the next release version, just like the reposition of the Start Menu. Hopefully Classic / Open Shell will be stable by 2025 when It's time for a new computer.

sadsteve Because they think they know better than you. Don't you remember the Windows 8 fiasco? Reply
Nestea_Zen as opposed to unlocking the taskbar and resizing it the old fashioned way. how classy 2010s design. Reply
tvdwouw It does not work any more. Also the option TaskbarSmallIcons to 1 is no longer working. Why MS is so stubborn is a mystery.... Reply
AxelOhneSchweiss At me (21H2 (22000.282)) :unsure: "0" = Small (the clock position is awful) "1" = Default "2" = Large Reply
Steve_1951 Thanks, unfortunately this only works on my Main Monitor. I might just keep it though. Reply
Bill_55 There is no need to reboot to test the different taskbar sizes. Leave Regedit open. Then open the Task Manager and restart the Windows Explorer process after each change. The taskbar will reflect the change after each restart. All 3 taskbar settings can be viewed in less than a minute. Reply
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How to Customize Your Windows 11 Taskbar

Move taskbar icons to the left, pin your own programs, hide Widgets and Search, and more ways to change the Windows 11 taskbar

Emporia State University

What to Know

Most of the available options are in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar . Others are in the registry.
Customizations include left-aligning the icons and hiding the Widgets button.

This article explains how to customize your Windows 11 taskbar to adjust where the icons are positioned, change how big the taskbar buttons are, and more.

Move Start Button & Icons to the Left

Windows 11 is the first version of Windows that places the Start menu and other icons in the center of the taskbar instead of the left. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

This is a super easy change that you can make through Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors .

Change Pinned Icons

The Start button is the only thing that has to exist on the taskbar. Everything else can be modified, meaning you can drag icons to rearrange them, hide Widgets and other default icons, and pin new icons to the taskbar.

How to Hide Default Taskbar Icons

Follow these steps to hide any of the following taskbar buttons: Search, Copilot, Task view, Widgets, or Chat.

Open Settings.

You can do this from the Power User Menu (right-click the Start button) or through a search for Settings .

Select Taskbar .

From the Taskbar items section at the top, select the toggle button next to any button you want to hide, like Task view or Chat .

How to Pin Programs to the Taskbar

You can add items to the Windows 11 taskbar for quick access to your favorite apps. But unlike older Windows versions, you can't drag and drop items to the taskbar to pin them.

Instead, there are a few other ways to do it:

Open the program, right-click its button in the taskbar, and select Pin to taskbar .
Find the program in the Start menu, right-click it, and choose Pin to taskbar .
Locate the program shortcut in File Explorer (like on the desktop), right-click it, and go to Show more options > Pin to taskbar .

To unpin a non-default taskbar item, right-click it and select Unpin from taskbar .

Auto-Hide the Taskbar

Windows 11 lets you hide the taskbar when you don't need it. It'll remain collapsed into the bottom of the screen until you focus on it with the mouse or trigger it open with the Windows key.

This option is called Automatically hide the taskbar . It's accessible in the taskbar settings.

Change the Taskbar Size & Color

The size of the whole taskbar can be changed, but, unfortunately, there isn't a regular, click-here-to-change option in Settings to do it. Instead, you need to go into the Windows Registry to make the change.

The taskbar color, on the other hand, is much easier to change:

Open Settings, and select Personalization from the left panel.

Choose Colors from the right.

Select Custom from the menu next to Choose your mode .

Select Dark from the menu next to Choose your default Windows mode .

Scroll down and toggle Show accent color on Start and taskbar on.

Pick a color from the Accent color area.

Show or Hide System Tray Icons

System tray icons are located by the clock on the far right side of the taskbar. You can edit this part of the taskbar if there are items visible down there that you'd rather not see, or if some icons are hidden that you do want quick access to.

There are two ways:

Drag-and-drop icons in and out of the overflow menu.
Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar . Expand Other system tray icons , and select the button next to any item to toggle its visibility on or off.

You can't hide the network or volume icon in Windows 11.

Something else you can do related to these taskbar icons is force them to always show, but the option to do that isn't available in Settings. Instead, open the Run dialog box ( Win + R ), enter the below command, and check the box next to Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar .

Disable 'Show Desktop' Button

This is a small button at the very far right side of the taskbar called Show desktop . If you've ever clicked it by accident, and all your open windows minimized, you might find it more of an inconvenience than a helpful feature.

Fortunately, it's super easy to disable:

Open the taskbar settings by right-clicking an empty area of the taskbar, and choosing Taskbar settings .

Expand Taskbar behaviors at the bottom of the page.

Uncheck the box next to Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop .

Combine Taskbar Buttons

You can disable taskbar button grouping in Windows using Settings. Another way to ungroup taskbar icons is with a third-party program.

StartAllBack is one such program that includes this option. To ungroup taskbar buttons in Windows 11 with this program, open its Taskbar menu and change the Combine taskbar buttons option to Never . The change will take effect immediately.

This program has tons of other customizations you can apply to Windows 11. For example, you can move the taskbar to the top or side of the screen, make the icons extra large, and customize Start menu items.

Weather is one of several Widgets you can add to the Windows 11 desktop . To add it, press Win + W to open the Widgets window, and then click the plus sign next to the weather one to add it.

You can remove Widgets by first opening the Widgets window ( Win + W ), and then clicking the X next to the one you want to remove. This option is different from hiding the Widgets button in the taskbar, which you do through Settings.

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Windows 11 - How Can I Change the Taskbar Icon or Actual Icon of Windows Terminal

Microsoft makes it extremely difficult to make any changes to "modern" Windows apps.

For most non-MS Store applications, you can simply place a shortcut with a modified icon in the Start Menu folder and this will change the displayed Taskbar icon for the program.

If I try to do this with a Microsoft Store app, the taskbar icon turns into a black square!

On the other hand, trying to directly modify the executable with Resource Hacker also did not seem to work (and is probably a bad option anyways if you want the app to be updated).

Is there any way I can modify either the taskbar icon or actual icon for Windows Terminal? (Since as far as I know, it is impossible to install it as a normal standalone application due to MS's "heavy encouragement" of MS Store)

I am on Windows 11 version 21H2.

I have already tried the solution here, https://stackoverflow.com/questions/70413031/change-the-taskbar-icon-for-windows-store-apps but it is either outdated or does not work for Windows Terminal. I should mention that Windows bugged and my memory usage skyrocketed when I tired placing the shortcut in my start menu folder and running it ; the only way I could fix this was by deleting the shortcut from the folder. If someone can get this solution working, please post a detailed answer explaining how.

I am open to 3rd party software suggestions if there is no native way to change a Microsoft Store app's taskbar icon like John suggested.

desktop-customization
microsoft-store

Is there any simple way I can modify either the taskbar icon or actual icon for Windows Terminal? ....No native way at all. – John Aug 6, 2022 at 12:20

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Browse other questions tagged taskbar icons windows-11 desktop-customization microsoft-store ..

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Customize the Taskbar

2 contributors

For the Windows 10 version of this topic, see Customize the Windows 10 Taskbar

You can pin up to three additional apps to the Taskbar. You can configure Taskbar pins using one of these two methods:

TaskbarLayoutModification.XML method (recommended)

Supports multivariant images; you can specify different sets of taskbar layouts for different regions.
Uses a single XML file.
Only method that allows you to add UWP apps to the taskbar.
In the examples below, the file name "TaskbarLayoutModification.xml" is used, however, you can choose any name you like.

Classic Unattend method (still supported in Windows 10, but marked as deprecated and may not be available in future builds)

Uses the Unattend setting: TaskbarLinks

Image showing the Windows desktop, including the taskbar

Taskbar links and ordering

The taskbar starts with the following links: Start , Search (glyph) , Task View , Widgets , and Chat plus three additional Windows-provided links: File Explorer , Edge , and Store . These pins cannot be removed or replaced.

OEMs can pin up to three additional items to the taskbar.

For left-to-right languages, the taskbar icons are ordered from left to right, and for right-to-left languages the taskbar icons are in the opposite order, with the right-most element being Start .

Author a TaskbarLayoutModification.xml file

Below is an basic example of a TaskbarLayoutModification.xml file:

The above example defines a default layout that has three pinned items: Notepad, the Calculator UWP app, and Command Prompt.

Adding pins to your layout

Pin Classic Windows applications or Universal Windows Apps to your Taskbar by adding up to three elements under the <taskbar:TaskbarPinList> element:

To add a Classic Windows application , add a <taskbar:DesktopApp> element with a DesktopApplicationLinkPath attribute that specifies the path to a shortcut (.lnk) file. We recommend using the same shortcut .lnk files in the All Users Start menu. Example:

Some classic Windows applications are now packaged differently than they were in previous versions of Windows. See Notepad and Paint to learn more.

For Universal Windows apps , add a <Taskbar:UWA> element with a AppUserModelID attribute that specifies the a Universal Windows app's user model ID (AUMID). Example:

See Find the Application User Model ID of an installed app to learn how to find the AUMID of an installed app.

Links to .url files are not supported.

Use different layouts for different regions

You can also define different layouts for different regions within the same TaskbarLayoutModification.xml file. To additional layouts for different regions, configure additional <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout> elements that include a Region attribute to define the applicable region. You can use multiple region tags separated by a pipe ( | ) character.

Here is an example of adding pins to the Chinese (PRC) and Chinese (Taiwan) regions:

These regions use the second half of the language/region tags listed in Available Language Packs for Windows .

The example below shows a TaskbarLayoutModification.xml file with a default configuration, and two configurations for specific regions:

Add TaskbarLayoutModification.XML to an image

If you're using a TaskbarLayoutModification.xml files to customize your taskbar, you'll:

Configure a registry key in your Windows image to set the default path of your TaskBarLayoutModification.xml file.
Add the TaskBarLayoutModification.xml file to your image.
Generalize and recapture your image.

Set a default path

To use a Taskbar Layout Modification XML file, you'll need to add a registry key (LayoutXMLPath) to the image, then generalize and recapture the image. The registry key is processed before the specialize configuration pass, so you can't add the registry key using Synchronous Commands/FirstLogonCommands unless you're planning to generalize the image afterwards.

Once the registry key is configured in your image, the other shortcut files, apps, and the Taskbar Layout Modification file itself can be changed at any time through regular imaging techniques. You can add this registry key to all your images, even if you intend to add taskbar links using the Classic Unattend method.

To set the path:

Install the Windows image to a technician computer.

After the image boots, go into audit mode by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+F3.

Add the following registry key to define a default location for the Taskbar Layout Modification file:

cmd /c reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ /v LayoutXMLPath /d C:\Windows\OEM\TaskbarLayoutModification.xml

We recommend using the file location C:\Windows\OEM\TaskbarLayoutModification.xml because this is the default path used for Push-button reset auto-apply folders .

Add taskbarlayoutmodification.xml to your image

Now that Windows knows where to look for the file, copy your TaskbarLayoutModification.xml file into the configured location.

While still in Audit mode:

Add a Taskbar Layout Modification file (TaskbarLayoutModification.xml) in the location you configured in the previous step, for example: C:\Windows\OEM\TaskbarLayoutModification.xml .
(Optional) You can also place a backup copy of your file at C:\Recovery\AutoApply\TaskbarLayoutModification.xml so it will be restored during a push-button reset .

Generalize and recapture your image

Generalize the Windows image using Sysprep :

Boot to Windows PE.

Recapture the image. For example:

Your image is now configured to use your TaskBarLayoutModification.xml.

How Windows parses the setting for Unattend and Taskbar Layout Modification XML

While you’re transitioning to the new method to customize the taskbar, you may end up using existing images that still include your old Unattend TaskbarLinks settings. When that happens:

If Windows finds a valid Taskbar Layout Modification XML file, it uses the XML file, and ignores any of the Unattend taskbar settings.
If the Taskbar Layout Modification XML file isn't found, or is invalid, Windows looks for the old Unattend TaskbarLinks settings. If it finds them, it uses them.
If Windows can't find either a valid Taskbar Layout Modification XML file, or Unattend TaskbarLink settings, then only the Windows-provided pins and Start , Search (Glyph) , Task View , Widgets , Chat , and Taskbar corner icons are shown.

Additional resources

Customize the taskbar notification area

The Notification Center is located at the right end of the taskbar. It contains icons you might find yourself selecting often: battery, Wi-Fi, volume, Clock and Calendar, and Notification Center. It also provides status and notifications about things like incoming email, updates, and network connectivity.

Customize what you see

You can change which icons and notifications appear in the taskbar notification area, or even hide some.

To see hidden icons

Select the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area.

To change how icons and notifications appear

Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings .

Under Taskbar corner icons :

Select On for any icons you want to see on the taskbar.

Select Off for any icons you don’t want to see on the taskbar.

To hide an icon in the taskbar corner overflow

Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings .

Select Taskbar corner overflow .

Find the app you want to hide and select Off .

The notification area is located at the right end of the taskbar. It contains icons you might find yourself selecting or pressing pretty often: battery, Wi-Fi, volume, Clock and Calendar, and action center. It provides status and notifications about things like incoming email, updates, and network connectivity.

You can change which icons and notifications appear in the notification area, or even hide some.

Tap or click the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area.

Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar, then tap or click Taskbar settings .

Under Notification area :

To customize your taskbar, choose Select which icons appear on the taskbar , then select specific icons you don’t want to see on the taskbar—we’ll just move them into the overflow area so they're out of sight.

To turn system icons on or off, select Turn system icons on or off , then select On or Off to set which icons appear.

To hide an icon from the taskbar notification area

In the notification area on the taskbar, select or press the icon that you want to hide and start dragging it. This opens the overflow area.

Drag the icon where you want it in the overflow area.

If you want to move a hidden icon into the notification area, tap or click the Show hidden icons arrow next to the notification area, and then drag the icon you want back to the notification area. You can drag as many hidden icons as you want.

You can rearrange icons that appear in the notification area—just drag an icon to a different spot.

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How to Change Icons on Windows 11

While Windows 11 packs quite a few customization options , changing icons on Windows 11 is a neat way to personalize your Windows PC. So, if you’re interested in changing the look of folders and shortcuts on your PC, you’ve come to the right place.

If you don’t like the default icons on Windows 11 or just want to give your PC a unique look, we’ll show you how to change the various icons on Windows 11. So, let’s begin.

Change Desktop and Taskbar Icons on Windows 11

Let’s start with the Desktop icons first. You can use the Settings app on Windows 11 to change the icons for Computer, User’s Files, Network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel. Here’s how.

Step 1: Open the Start menu and click on the gear icon to launch the Settings app.

Step 2: Head over to the Personalization tab on your left and select Themes.

Step 3: Scroll down to the Related settings section and open Desktop icon settings.

Step 4: Select the Desktop icon you wish to modify and click on the Change Icon button.

Step 5: In the Change Icon window, select a new icon from the available options. Alternatively, you can also use the browse button to locate any custom icons downloaded from a third-party website.

Step 6: Once selected, click on OK.

Step 7: Click on Apply followed by OK to save changes.

Repeat the above steps to modify all the Desktop icons. However, if you want to change the icon of a desktop shortcut, you’ll have to access its Properties. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Right-click on the desktop icon and select Properties.

Step 2: Under the Shortcut tab click on the Change Icon button.

Step 3: Select a new icon and click on OK.

Step 4: Hit Apply to save changes.

Similarly, you can also change the icon of a program pinned to Taskbar by accessing its Properties. Here’s how.

Step 1: While holding down the Shift key, right-click on the program icon on the Taskbar and select Properties.

Step 2: Under the Shortcut tab, click on Change Icon.

How to Change Folder Icons on Windows 11

Apart from desktop and taskbar icons, Windows also lets you change folder icons in the File Explorer. The process is quite similar to changing the desktop shortcut icons. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press Windows key + E to launch the File Explorer.

Step 2: Right-click on the folder and open its Properties.

Step 4: Select a new icon for the Folder and hit OK.

Step 5: Lastly, click on Apply to save changes.

How to Change Drive Icons on Windows 11

While modifying the desktop and folder icons is easy, Windows doesn’t offer a straightforward way to change the drive icons in File Explorer. For that, you’ll have to tweak the Registry files.

To change the drive icon, you’ll need to download an icon from a third-party website like icon-icons or convert a picture into the ICO format using an online tool. Once you have the preferred icon, here’s how to set it as the drive icon on Windows 11.

A word of caution. Since the Registry Editor holds important settings for Windows and its app, it’s recommended that you backup your registry files before proceeding to make any changes.

Step 1: Right-click on the downloaded ICO file and select Copy as path.

Step 2: Press Windows key + R launch the Run command, type in regedit , and press Enter.

Step 3: Use the address bar at the top to navigate to the following key:

Step 4: Right-click the DriveIcons key, select New from the menu, and choose Key. Name the new key using the drive letter you want to change.

For instance, if you want to change the icon of the C drive, name the key C.

Step 5: Right-click on the newly created key, go to New and select Key. Name it DefaultIcon.

Step 6: Select the new DefaultIcon key and double-click the (Default) value on your right.

Step 7: In the Value data, paste the patch of icon copied in Step 1 and hit OK.

And voila! Your new drive icon will appear in no time.

Bonus: How to Change Icon Size on Windows 11 (Desktop & File Explorer)

Apart from changing the desktop and the file explorer icons, Windows also allows you to increase or decrease their size.

To change the size of the desktop icons, right-click anywhere on the empty space on the desktop, go to View, and select a size that works for you.

Similarly, if you want to resize files and folder icons in the File Explorer, you can expand the View menu at the top and select from the available sizes.

Customize Your Icons

Probably the best part about Windows 11 is that it lets you customize each and every element, right from the lock screen to the Start menu . And as we just saw, changing icons on Windows 11 isn’t too difficult either. Use the methods mentioned above to start changing icons on Windows 11.

Last updated on 24 March, 2022

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

DID YOU KNOW

Pankil Shah

Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer from Ahmedabad, India. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides on Android, iOS, Windows, and the Web at Guiding Tech. When time permits, he also writes at MakeUseOf and Techwiser. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he's a disciplined footfall fan and continues to plan his international travels with his wife.

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How to Change Icons on Windows 11

Learn how to change the icon for Apps, Folders, and Shortcuts without using any third-party tool on Windows 11.

Customizing icons for individual apps, folders, or shortcuts is a great of personalizing Windows 11. There are a lot of options provided by Windows itself, and in case you want to explore further, multiple online platforms offer free icons for download.

The icons set by default may sometimes be too generic or simply bland, and you might want to spice things up a bit. Changing the icons does just that. Let’s see how you can change the icons with the built-in options and by downloading icons from the web.

Change Icons using Built-in Options

Windows provide various options for each of the types, be it Desktop icons (This PC, Network, Recycle Bin), folders, or shortcuts.

Change Icons for Folders

To change the icons for folders, right-click on the folder and select ‘Properties’ from the context menu. Alternatively, you can select the folder and press ALT + ENTER to launch its properties.

In the folder properties, navigate to the ‘Customize’ tab, and click on ‘Change Icon’ under ‘Folder icons’.

You will now find a list of icons that can be used for the folder. Scroll right to view more options on the list. Once you selected the desired option, click on ‘OK’ at the bottom.

Finally, click on ‘OK’ in the Properties to save the change and close the window.

The folder icon will now be changed. If the changes don’t apply right away, refresh once and the changes will come into effect.

Change Icon for Desktop Icons

Changing the icons for the desktop icons is not as simple as the others, and would require a little more time on your part.

To change the icon for Dekstop icons, either right-click on the ‘Start’ icon in the Taskbar or press WINDOWS + X to launch the Quick Access menu, and select ‘Settings’. Alternatively, you can press WINDOWS + I to directly launch the Settings app.

In Settings, navigate to the ‘Personalization’ tab from the navigation pane on the left, and select ‘Themes’ from the list of options on the right.

Next, select ‘Desktop icon settings’ under ‘Related settings’.

The ‘Desktop Icon Settings’ window will now open. Select the desired Desktop icon, and then click on ‘Change Icon’ under them.

Now select an icon from the ones listed on the box that appears, and click on ‘OK’.

Finally, click on ‘OK’ at the bottom of the ‘Desktop Icon Settings’ to apply the changes and close the window.

The icon for the Desktop icon you selected earlier will be changed.

Change Icon for Shortcuts

You can also change the icon for any of the shortcuts, be it an app shortcut, one for a folder, or a Command Prompt command. The steps remain the same for all. Also, the icon selected for a specific shortcut will only apply to that and not affect the other shortcuts for the same app.

To change the icon for shortcuts, right-click on the shortcut, and select ‘Properties’ from the context menu. Alternatively, you can press ALT + ENTER to directly launch the ‘Properties’ window.

In the Properties, navigate to the ‘Shortcut’ tab and click on the ‘Change icon’ option.

Now, select an icon of your choice from the ones listed in the box that appears, and click on ‘OK’ at the bottom.

Finally, click on ‘OK’ at the bottom of the ‘Properties’ window to apply the changes.

The icon you selected earlier will now appear for the shortcut.

Change Icon for Programs Pinned to Taskbar

You can also change the icons for programs pinned to the Taskbar and the process is similar to the one for ‘Shortcuts’.

To change the icon for programs/apps pinned to the Taskbar, right-click on the pinned item, again right-click on the app name in the menu, and then select ‘Properties’ from the list of options that appear.

Here onwards, the process is similar to that for ‘Shortcuts’ and you can refer to the previous section.

That’s all there’s to changing folder icons on Windows 11. You can’t change the icon for a particular file type using the built-in methods and would have to rely on third-party apps such as FileTypesManager for the job.

Change Icons with Custom Images

The options listed for icons on the computer are limited and many of you may want to add custom icons. It’s pretty simple, all you have to do is download the icons from the web, and then convert them to ICO format. You can download creative icons from flaticon.com or convert any other picture (preferably high-quality) into the ICO format, and set it as the icon.

Note: We recommend downloading the icons in PNG format owing to ease of conversion, although all formats would do.

After you have downloaded the icon files in PNG format, it’s time to convert them to ICO, a format recognized by Windows for icons. To convert, go to cloudconvert.com , upload the PNG files, convert them to ICO, and finally download them to the computer.

Now, transfer the ICO files to a separate folder and make sure you don’t move them around since it would lead to problems locating them for Windows.

After you have the required images in ICO format placed in a designated folder, it’s time you start changing the icons. The process remains pretty much the same as earlier but instead of choosing one from the list of options, you would have to browse and select the ICO file.

We will walk you through the process for changing the icons for folders and with the same concept, you can easily change the icons for others as well.

To change the icon to a custom one, right-click on the folder and select ‘Properties’ from the context menu. Alternatively, you can select the folder and press ALT + ENTER to launch the Properties.

Just as we did for the built-in icons, navigate to the ‘Customize’ tab and select ‘Change Icon’ under the ‘Folder icons’.

Here is the part that’s different from earlier. Instead of selecting an icon from the list, click on ‘Browse’ to select the one you downloaded earlier.

Now, navigate to the folder where you stored the ICO files for icons, select the one you want to set, and click on ‘Open’.

Now, click on ‘OK’ to confirm the icon selection.

Finally, click on ‘OK’ at the bottom of the ‘Properties’ to apply the changes and close the window.

The icon you selected earlier will now be applied to the folder. In case the changes don’t reflect instantly, a simple refresh would do the job.

You can similarly change icons for other shortcuts, apps pinned to the Taskbar and Desktop icons by clicking on ‘Browse’ and selecting the desired file, instead of choosing one from the list presented by Windows.

Changing Icon for Drives

This has been listed separately and not with the other options since the process for it is entirely different. You can either opt for a third-party app to change the icon for the drive or make modifications to the registry. Here’s how you can do it via the Registry.

Before you proceed, move the desired image in ICO format to a designated folder and ensure that you don’t change the location of the folder or the file, since you would need the path for the ICO image file. To get that, navigate to the location where the file is stored, select it, click on the ‘See more’ icon at the top, and select ‘Copy path’ from the menu.

Once you have copied the path, we can now move to the next part of the process.

Note: Since you are about to make changes to the Registry, it’s recommended that you follow the steps as it is and not make any other changes. Any lapse on your part while making the changes could render the system unusable.

To change the icon for a Drive, press WINDOWS + R to launch the Run command, enter ‘regedit’ in the text field, and either click ‘OK’ or press ENTER to launch the Registry Editor. Click ‘Yes’ on the confirmation box that appears.

In the ‘Registry Editor’ either navigate to the following path or paste it in the address bar and press ENTER.

You are now required to create a couple of new keys. Right-click on ‘DriverIcons’ in the navigation pane on the left, hover the cursor over ‘New’, and select ‘Key’ from the list of options. Use the ‘Drive letter’ for the drive for which you want to change the icon as the name of the key. For instance, we are changing the icon for the ‘D’ drive and have thus used the same name for the key.

Note: This method may not work flawlessly for removable drives if they have not been assigned a permanent drive letter.

Next, right-click on the key you just created, hover the cursor over ‘New’, and again select ‘Key’ from the menu. Name this key as ‘DefaultIcon’.

In the ‘DefaultIcon’ key, you just created, double-click on the ‘Default’ string at the left to change its value.

Finally, paste the path of the ICO file you earlier copied in the text field under ‘Value data’, and click on ‘OK’ at the bottom to save the changes. Make sure you add the path between double quotes (“). You can now close the ‘Registry Editor’ window.

The changes would automatically reflect in the File Explorer and the new icon would be visible.

With the methods mentioned above, you can easily change the icons and personalize your computer. If the options offered by Windows don’t seem to interest you, you can always set a custom image as the icon.

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How to Change Taskbar Icons in Windows 10

I n this tutorial, we are going to see how to change taskbar icons in Windows 10. If you have upgraded your system from Windows 7/8.1 to Windows 10, then you might have noticed that the taskbar customization has changed slightly. So, let’s see together in this tutorial how to change taskbar icons in Windows 10.

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How-To Geek

How to ungroup taskbar icons on windows 11.

Let each app instance have its own icon on the taskbar thanks to this simple Windows customization trick.

Key Takeaways

To ungroup taskbar icons on Windows 11, open Settings, navigate to Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors, and choose "Never" from the "Combine Taskbar Buttons and Hide Labels" dropdown menu.
If you don't see the dropdown menu to uncombine taskbar icons, update your Windows version from Settings > Windows Update.

Do you want to prevent Windows 11 from grouping the same app’s windows under one entity on your taskbar? If so, all you have to do is tweak an option in your PC’s Settings app. We’ll show you how to do that, as well as how to get Windows to group your taskbar icons again if you change your mind.

How to Uncombine Taskbar Icons on Windows 11

Windows 11 offers an option in Settings that you can tweak to make your taskbar either group or ungroup icons.

To begin, right-click the taskbar and click "Taskbar Settings".

Alternatively, press Windows key+i to open Settings, select "Personalization" from the left sidebar, then choose "Taskbar" from the right pane.

Next, select "Taskbar Behaviors." In the expanded menu, at the bottom, click the "Combine Taskbar Buttons and Hide Labels" dropdown menu and choose "Never." This ensures Windows never groups your taskbar icons.

And instantly, Windows will ungroup any grouped icons on your taskbar.

If you wish to go back to the default option, which is to group your taskbar icons, choose "Always" from the same dropdown menu. Alternatively, to only group the icons when the taskbar is full, select "When Taskbar is Full."

And that’s how you customize your taskbar appearance on your Windows PC.

What If You Don’t See the Option to Ungroup Taskbar Icons?

If you don’t find the option to uncombine taskbar icons in your Windows 11 Settings app, you may be running an old Windows version .

You can update your system version to bring the feature to your PC. To do that, open Settings, select "Windows Update," and click "Check for Updates". If you still don't have the feature, Microsoft has yet to roll it out to you, so you'll just have to remain patient.

And that’s how you make your Windows taskbar display a separate icon for each open instance of an app. Enjoy!

How to improve Taskbar space on Windows 11

If you're running out of space in the Taskbar, here are a few tips that help on Windows 11.

On Windows 11 , the Taskbar is an essential component as it provides quick access to the Start menu, your favorite apps, and information such as time and date and notifications.

The only problem with this feature (excluding all the missing functionalities from previous versions) is that the space is finite, and you can only fit some of your apps. Of course, the system provides a menu overflow to compensate, but that's the same as looking for the app in another menu that's not the Start Menu.

However, if you notice that you're frequently running out of space, even with the limitations of the feature, you can adjust settings and make some changes to make the most out of the Taskbar space.

In this how-to guide , I'll walk you through how to make more space in the Taskbar on Windows 11.

How to optimize Taskbar space on Windows 11

On Windows 11, to optimize the space in the Taskbar, there are several configurations you can adjust in your setup, and here's how.

Resize or remove search

Although the search experience is a handy feature to find apps, settings, and files quickly, you can change the size or remove them to gain several slots in the Taskbar for other apps.

To remove or change the Search size on Windows 11, use these steps:

Open Settings .
Click on Personalization .
Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
Under the "Taskbar items" section, choose the Hide (or Search icon only) option for the "Search" setting.

Once you complete the steps, you will gain additional space to pin around four new applications. You can continue to access the Search experience through the Start menu or the "Windows key + S" keyboard shortcut.

Remove feature buttons

The Taskbar comes with various buttons pinned by default, including Widgets, Copilot, Task View, and Chat, and if you don't find them useful, it's possible to remove these buttons from the Taskbar

To remove the icons for features from the Taskbar to regain more space in the Taskbar, use these steps:

Under the "Taskbar items" section, turn off the Copilot toggle switch.
Turn off the Task View toggle switch.
Turn off the Widgets toggle switch.
Turn off the Chat toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, the Taskbar will be able to accommodate four additional buttons.

When removing these buttons from the Taskbar, you're now disabling the features. You can still access Copilot with the "Windows key + C" keyboard shortcut, "Windows key + Tab" to open Task View, and "Windows key + W" to access the Widgets board.

Minimize System Tray icons

Some applications and features can show additional icons in the System Tray for easier access. While you can't remove them as long as they're running in the background, you can hide the icons to optimize the Taskbar space on Windows 11.

To reduce the number of icons in the System Tray, use these steps:

Click the "Other system tray icons" setting.
Turn on the "Hidden icon menu" toggle switch.
Turn off as many icons as possible to make more space in the Taskbar.

Once you complete the steps, you will have more space in the Taskbar, but you can still access them by opening the "Show hidden icons" menu.

Hide time and date

If you must declutter the Taskbar as much as possible, you can also remove the time and date elements from the System Tray. However, this option is available through the "Time & language" settings.

To optimize the Taskbar space by removing the time and date information, use these steps:

Click on Time & language .
Click the Date & time page on the right side.
Turn off the "Show time and date in the System tray" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, the Taskbar will no longer show the time and date information, giving you more extra space from the System Tray.

Unpin non-frequent app buttons

Another way to organize the space in the Windows 11 Taskbar is by simply unpinning the apps you don't use frequently. (Since this option may be obvious, consider it a reminder of what you should focus on to make changes.)

To unpin apps from the Taskbar on Windows 11, use these steps:

Right-click the app on the taskbar.
Select the "Unpin from taskbar" option.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 to remove additional buttons.

Once you complete the steps, you will have more space for other apps.

Combine buttons and hide labels

Windows 11 allows you to ungroup apps and show labels in the Taskbar, but this feature can run out of space quickly. If you want to organize the Taskbar, you should consider rolling back the settings.

To group buttons and hide labels in the Taskbar, use these steps:

Click the "Taskbar behaviors" setting.
Choose the Always option for the "Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels" setting.

After you complete the steps, the system will combine the instances of running applications and hide their labels to make more space available in the Taskbar.

Show Taskbar across monitors

If you have a multi-monitor setup, you can expand the Taskbar across all the screens and how apps only in the screen they're running for even more space.

To expand the Taskbar across monitors, use these steps:

Turn on the "Show my taskbar on all displays" option.
Choose the "Taskbar where window is open" option from the "When using multiple displays, show my taskbar apps on" setting.

Once you complete the steps, the Taskbar will appear on all screens, and the app buttons will only appear on the screen where the window is open.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Get the Windows Central Newsletter

All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.

Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.

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How to Move the Taskbar in Windows 11 and Windows 10

We show you how to move the Windows taskbar in Windows 10 and Windows 11 and how you can make the Windows 11 start menu and taskbar look like in Windows 10.

1 How to Move the Taskbar on Windows 10 to the Top, Left or Right
2 How to Move the Windows 11 Taskbar to the Top
3 How to Show the Windows 11 Start Menu and Taskbar Icons on the Left Like in Windows 10
4 Extra: How to Make the Windows 11 Taskbar Smaller or Bigger
5 Extra: How to Start Apps Using Keyboard Shortcuts
6 Extra: How to Pin a Website, Folder, Drive, or Files to the Taskbar in Windows 11

The taskbar has been a staple of the Windows experience for decades, serving as the anchor point for launching and managing applications. With the advent of Windows 11 , Microsoft introduced a centered taskbar and Start menu, aiming to align with modern design trends and user behaviors. This shift mirrors the central alignment found in other operating systems , such as macOS, and caters to where eyes naturally go on a widescreen display.

However, not all users have embraced this change. Many rely on muscle memory and the familiarity of the taskbar's traditional placement at the bottom left of the screen. If you're among those who want to experiment with different taskbar positions for a more personalized setup, Windows offers the flexibility to move the taskbar to suit your preferences.

While Windows 11 initially limited taskbar customization compared to its predecessor, it's still possible to adjust its position with a few simple steps. This tutorial will guide you through the process of moving the taskbar in both Windows 11 and Windows 10 , helping you to tailor your desktop environment to your liking.

In Windows 10, the taskbar's position can be easily changed through the settings, allowing users to place it on either side of the screen or at the top for a different perspective on their workspace. Windows 11, while initially more restrictive, has seen updates and community-driven solutions that enable similar adjustments.

Whether you're a long-time Windows user adjusting to the new look of Windows 11 or a Windows 10 user looking to shake things up, moving the taskbar can be a simple yet impactful change.

How to Move the Taskbar on Windows 10 to the Top, Left or Right

In Windows 10, the taskbar is not just a static tool; it's a versatile feature that you can move to either side of your screen or even to the top. This flexibility can be particularly useful for enhancing productivity or better utilizing screen real estate, especially on widescreen monitors. This section of the tutorial will walk you through the simple steps to reposition your taskbar, allowing you to customize your desktop to match your workflow preferences.

How to Move the Windows 11 Taskbar to the Top

While Windows 11 introduced a centered taskbar design, you might find that having the taskbar at the top of your screen is more in line with your personal or professional usage patterns. Moving the taskbar to the top can mimic the feel of other operating systems and can be a refreshing change for those who prefer this layout. This part of the guide will show you how to achieve this configuration, giving your Windows 11 a unique touch that caters to your comfort. You can combine this with the last method, which shows how to move the Windows 11 start menu and taskbar icons to the left like in Windows 10.

Open the “Settings” binary value within “StuckRects3” via double-click

Windows 11 - Regedit - StuckRects3 - Settings

Change the 03 value to 01 to move the taskbar to the top.

Click OK to confirm the change.

Windows 11 - Regedit - StuckRects3 - Settings - Change to 1 - Accept

Use this command to restart the taskbar process :

Windows 11 - Elevated Command Prompt - Enter Cmds

How to Show the Windows 11 Start Menu and Taskbar Icons on the Left Like in Windows 10

The centered taskbar and Start menu in Windows 11 represent a significant design shift from previous versions. However, if you're feeling nostalgic or simply find the classic left alignment more intuitive, Windows 11 offers the option to revert to this familiar layout. This section will guide you through the quick and easy process of aligning your Start menu and taskbar icons to the left, bringing back the traditional look and feel to your Windows 11 experience.

In the Taskbar settings window, scroll down to find “Taskbar behaviors” .
Click on the “Taskbar behaviors” section to expand it if it's not already open.
Look for the “Taskbar alignment” option within the Taskbar behaviors section.

Windows 11 - Taskbar Settings - Taskbar Alignment - Left

Extra: How to Make the Windows 11 Taskbar Smaller or Bigger

Extra: How to Start Apps Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If you want to skip the taskbar entirely, you can instead follow our guide on how to start apps using keyboard shortcuts . Then you don't have to take your fingers off the keyboard at all.

Extra: How to Pin a Website, Folder, Drive, or Files to the Taskbar in Windows 11

Featured - Pin to Taskbar an App, Drive, File, Folder, or Site in Windows 11

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XDA Developers

How to remove icons from the taskbar in Windows 11

Posted: October 31, 2023 | Last updated: October 31, 2023

The taskbar on a Windows PC is one of the most convenient places to house applications you use often. However, the size of your screen will dictate how many apps you can see on the taskbar, which can become a problem, especially on smaller laptops . Plus, if you've recently purchased a new computer, the taskbar is likely already filled with unneeded programs.

To keep your screen uncluttered and your favorite apps accessible, it's a good idea to remove icons that you don't use regularly. This way, there's room for more important apps and settings. If you're ready to tidy up your Windows 11 taskbar, you can remove icons with a few simple steps.

How to remove application icons from the taskbar in Windows 11

Removing icons from the taskbar in Windows 11 is very straightforward. With a right click and a selection from the drop-down menu, you'll be on your way. Here's how:

Locate the icon you want to remove on the taskbar.
Right-click the icon you wish to remove.
Select Unpin from taskbar from the dropdown menu.

How to remove notification and system icons from the taskbar

To the far right of the taskbar you'll see the system tray. This is where you can access the clock and other system settings, such as volume and internet connectivity. You can customize what shows up in the system tray by adding and removing icons with these simple steps:

Right-click on an empty space in the taskbar.
Select Taskbar settings from the dropdown menu.
Scroll down to System tray icons .
In the first section, you can enable or disable icons like the virtual keyboard.
Proceed to the Hidden icon menu and add or remove icons with the toggle switch.
Exit out of the Settings menu when you're done.

How to remove Windows icons from the taskbar

Besides adding and removing icons, there are other ways to customize what lives on the taskbar. You can add and remove everything from widgets to the search bar. Unlike app icons, you can't modify them directly from the taskbar. Instead, these changes are made in the Settings menu âââââ.

Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar.
Click Taskbar settings from the dropdown menu.
Modify whether Widgets, the Search bar, Chat, or Task View show up in the taskbar.
Exit the Settings menu when you are finished.

Keeping your taskbar clean

Most people like to keep their taskbar clean since it's visible even when an app is open, and it allows you to quickly locate and open your most used programs. If you are having a hard time figuring out what to remove, consider relocating some programs to the desktop. Storing icons on the desktop keeps them nearby without clogging up the limited space in your taskbar. If you go to one often, you can always move it back to the taskbar. Lastly, you can move the taskbar entirely if you don't like it at the bottom of the screen.

How to remove icons from the taskbar in Windows 11

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New Teams and taskbar Icon Notification counter

After I switched Teams to new UI, the MS Teams taskbar icon doesn't show the missed chat messages counter. I checked settings in the Windows Settings >System > Notifications and Actions. I found there only “Microsoft Teams classic” and notifications are turned on for it.

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Agreed, I will be using the classic version until they fix the "new and improved version" to be at least as functional as the classic view.

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TaskbarXI for Windows 11

An application written in c++ to modify the windows 11 taskbar. features: * turn the windows 11 taskbar into a dock. * turn the tray/clock into a dock. * support multiple monitors. * support sepperate dpi scaling. * switch back to normal on maximized window. * support left and centered taskbar. * tray icon to exit taskbarxi and revert to the default taskbar. you can exit taskbarxi using the tray icon in the bottom right of your screen. using the "taskbarxi configurator" located in your start menu you can change the settings., 1/25/2022 12:53:56 pm.

IMAGES

How To Change Taskbar Icons For Programs In Windows 10
How to customize which icons appear on the taskbar on Windows 10
How to Change Taskbar and its Icons Location in Windows 11/10
How to Change the Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11 and 10
How to Change Taskbar Icons for Programs in Windows 10
How to Resize the Taskbar Icons in Windows 11

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COMMENTS

How to Change Taskbar Icons for Programs in Windows 10
Updated Jun 30, 2021 Learn how to change taskbar icons in Windows 10 for a more personalized look. Image Credit: SSilver/Depositphotos Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More. When customizing Windows 10, it's easy to forget about the icons on your taskbar.
How to Customize the Taskbar in Windows 10
Quick Links Pin Apps to the Taskbar Pin a File or Folder to Taskbar Jump Lists Configure or Remove Cortana and the Search Box Remove the Task View Button Hide System Icons in the Notification Area Hide Application Icons in the Notification Area Move the Taskbar to a Different Edge of the Screen Change the Size of the Taskbar
How to customize your Windows 11 taskbar
Right-click on an active icon and select "Pin to taskbar" If an app isn't running, but its icon is on your desktop, you can pin it to the Taskbar as well. Right-click on the desktop icon...
How to use the taskbar in Windows
Press and hold (or right-click) any empty space on the taskbar, and then select Taskbar settings. In the Taskbar settings, scroll to see the options for customizing, choosing icons, and much more.
How to Customize Any Icon in Windows 10 (or 11)
Home Windows How to Customize Any Icon in Windows 10 (or 11) By Ben Stegner Updated Mar 28, 2022 Here's how to change icons on Windows 10 and 11, including program shortcuts, folders, file types, and much more. Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.
How to Customize Your Icons in Windows 11
Customize your desktop icons on Windows 11 by opening the Settings app, navigating to Personalization > Themes > Desktop Icon Settings > Change Icon, and selecting a new icon. To change the icon of a folder or shortcut, right-click it, select Properties, and then click on the Customize or Shortcut tab.
How to Change the Taskbar Size in Windows 11
1. Open Regedit. You can do by hitting Windows key + R and typing regedit or by searching for regedit, using the search menu. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) 2. Navigate to...
Configure and customize Windows 11 taskbar
In Configuration settings, select Start > Start menu layout. Browse to, and select your taskbar XML file. Select Next, and configure the rest of the policy settings. For more specific information, see Configure device restriction settings. When the policy is created, you can deploy it now, or deploy it later.
How to Change Icon Sizes on Windows 10
First, right-click anywhere on your desktop. In the context menu that appears, hover your mouse over "View." In the sub-menu, you'll see three sizes to choose from: large, medium, and small. You'll see a dot next to the current size. Click the size that you want.
How to Customize Your Windows 11 Taskbar
Select Custom from the menu next to Choose your mode . Select Dark from the menu next to Choose your default Windows mode . Scroll down and toggle Show accent color on Start and taskbar on. Pick a color from the Accent color area. How to Change the Taskbar Size in Windows 11.
How to change settings for Taskbar on Windows 11
To customize the Windows Search box experience, use these steps: Open Settings. Click on Personalization. Click the Taskbar page on the right side. Click the Taskbar items setting. Choose the ...
Windows 11
1. Microsoft makes it extremely difficult to make any changes to "modern" Windows apps. For most non-MS Store applications, you can simply place a shortcut with a modified icon in the Start Menu folder and this will change the displayed Taskbar icon for the program. If I try to do this with a Microsoft Store app, the taskbar icon turns into a ...
Customize the Windows 11 Taskbar
Install the Windows image to a technician computer. After the image boots, go into audit mode by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+F3. Add the following registry key to define a default location for the Taskbar Layout Modification file: cmd /c reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ /v LayoutXMLPath /d C:\Windows\OEM ...
Customize the taskbar notification area
Windows 11 Windows 10 The Notification Center is located at the right end of the taskbar. It contains icons you might find yourself selecting often: battery, Wi-Fi, volume, Clock and Calendar, and Notification Center. It also provides status and notifications about things like incoming email, updates, and network connectivity.
How do I change Taskbar Icon picture
How do I change Taskbar Icon picture Recently one of my Icons that shows on the Taskbar when the application is open has changed to an icon that is a white page instead of the program icon. How do I change that to the correct icon. I am using Win 10 This thread is locked. You can vote as helpful, but you cannot reply or subscribe to this thread.
How to Change Icons on Windows 11
Step 1: Right-click on the desktop icon and select Properties. Step 2: Under the Shortcut tab click on the Change Icon button. Step 3: Select a new icon and click on OK. Step 4: Hit Apply to save ...
How to Change Icons on Windows 11
To change the icon for Dekstop icons, either right-click on the 'Start' icon in the Taskbar or press WINDOWS + X to launch the Quick Access menu, and select 'Settings'. Alternatively, you can press WINDOWS + I to directly launch the Settings app.
How to Change Taskbar Icons in Windows 10
To display the icons you want, right-click on the taskbar and then click on Taskbar settings. Under the Notification area section, click Select which icons appear on the taskbar. Activate the icons you want to display using the switches. Types of Ethernet Cable. How to Install CAB File in Windows 10 using Command Line.
How to Change the Taskbar Color in Windows 11
First, open the Settings app by pressing Windows+i on your keyboard. Or you can right-click the taskbar and select "Settings" in the menu that appears. In Settings, click "Personalization" in the sidebar, then select "Colors." Under "Colors," locate the option labeled "Choose Your Mode" and select "Custom" from the drop-down list.
How to Make Your Taskbar Larger or Smaller on Windows 11
To change the size of your Windows 11 taskbar, you can either edit your Windows Registry yourself or download our one-click hack ZIP file in the section below. ... the manual way, first, open Registry Editor. Click the Start button, type "regedit," and select the "Registry Editor" icon when it appears in the results. When the Registry Editor ...
How to change windows 10 icon on taskbar
Harassment is any behavior intended to disturb or upset a person or group of people. Threats include any threat of suicide, violence, or harm to another.
Windows 11 Taskbar Size: 2 Easy Ways to Change It
The Windows 11 taskbar's centralized icons are the most obvious change from its predecessors. In previous platforms, icons ran from left to right along the taskbar. All the Windows 11 taskbar shortcuts are positioned from the center. The centralized icons give Windows 11's taskbar (and the overall desktop) a new look.
How to Ungroup Taskbar Icons on Windows 11
Windows 11 offers an option in Settings that you can tweak to make your taskbar either group or ungroup icons. To begin, right-click the taskbar and click "Taskbar Settings". Alternatively, press Windows key+i to open Settings, select "Personalization" from the left sidebar, then choose "Taskbar" from the right pane.
How to improve Taskbar space on Windows 11
To remove the icons for features from the Taskbar to regain more space in the Taskbar, use these steps: Open Settings. Click on Personalization. Click the Taskbar page on the right side. (Image ...
How to Move the Taskbar in Windows 11 and Windows 10
Look for the "Taskbar alignment" option within the Taskbar behaviors section. Click on the dropdown menu next to "Taskbar alignment" and select "Left". The start menu and taskbar ...
How to remove icons from the taskbar in Windows 11
Right-click the icon you wish to remove. Select Unpin from taskbar from the dropdown menu. Right-click on an empty space in the taskbar. Select Taskbar settings from the dropdown menu. Scroll down ...
New Teams and taskbar Icon Notification counter
Check notification settings: Ensure that your notification settings in Microsoft Teams are properly configured. Open Teams and go to your profile picture, then click on "Settings" > "Notifications." Make sure the appropriate notification options are enabled, such as "Banner and feed" or "Badge app icon. 2.
TaskbarXI for Windows 11: aplicación oficial en la Microsoft Store
Using the "TaskbarXI Configurator" located in your start menu you can change the settings. An application written in C++ to modify the Windows 11 Taskbar. Features: * Turn the Windows 11 Taskbar into a dock. * Turn the tray/clock into a dock. * Support multiple monitors. * Support sepperate DPI scaling. * Switch back to normal on maximized window.

You can tweak your new taskbar — somewhat

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How to Customize Your Windows 11 Taskbar

In This Article

What to Know

Move Start Button & Icons to the Left

Change Pinned Icons

How to Hide Default Taskbar Icons

How to Pin Programs to the Taskbar

Auto-Hide the Taskbar

Change the Taskbar Size & Color

Show or Hide System Tray Icons

Disable 'Show Desktop' Button

Combine Taskbar Buttons

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Windows 11 - How Can I Change the Taskbar Icon or Actual Icon of Windows Terminal

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Taskbar links and ordering

Author a TaskbarLayoutModification.xml file

Adding pins to your layout

Use different layouts for different regions

Add TaskbarLayoutModification.XML to an image

Set a default path

Add taskbarlayoutmodification.xml to your image

Generalize and recapture your image

How Windows parses the setting for Unattend and Taskbar Layout Modification XML

Additional resources

Customize the taskbar notification area

Customize what you see

To see hidden icons

To change how icons and notifications appear

To hide an icon in the taskbar corner overflow

To hide an icon from the taskbar notification area

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How to Change Icons on Windows 11

Change Desktop and Taskbar Icons on Windows 11

How to Change Folder Icons on Windows 11

How to Change Drive Icons on Windows 11

Bonus: How to Change Icon Size on Windows 11 (Desktop & File Explorer)

Customize Your Icons

DID YOU KNOW

Pankil Shah

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