Just because the Windows taskbar features a ton of handy info doesn’t mean you want to see it all the time. If you’d like to learn how to hide the taskbar in Windows — at least when you're doing things other than gaming — you’ve come to the right place.
Depending on which version of Windows you’re currently runningthe process might be slightly different. Either wayit’s still relatively simple. The opposite is easytooso if you find yourself needing the taskbar in the futurebringing it back is just as straightforward. Here's how.
How to hide the taskbar in Windows 11
You can set the taskbar to automatically hide and only appear when you mouse over it. Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
Step 2: On the Personalization > Taskbar window that appearsselect Taskbar behaviors.
Step 3: Make sure that the box labelled Automatically hide the taskbar is ticked. You can also use this opportunity to change the taskbar's alignmentsetting it to the left like in older version of Windowsor the centeras the Windows 11 default.
The screen may flicker for a secondand the Windows search bar will immediately collapsebut the taskbar may not hide itself right away. If yours doesn'tgive it a secondand move some Windows around. It will catch up.
If you find yourself needing the taskbar in the futuresimply move your mouse to the bottom of the screenand the taskbar will magically reappear. When you're donemove your mouse awayand the taskbar will once again slide out of view.
How to hide the taskbar in Windows 10
The steps for hiding the taskbar in Windows 10 are very similar to Windows 11. Here's how to do it.
Step 1: Right-click on the taskbar (it has to be on the taskbar itselfnot anywhere on the screen) and select Taskbar settings from the resulting menu.
Step 2: On the Settings page that appearslook for the options that say Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode and Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode (if applicable). Make sure they are both turned On. Triggering them on and off will give you a preview of what it's like with the taskbar hidden — it should slide out of sight at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3: When happy with the resultssimply close the Settings window. The taskbar is now hidden!
If eventuallyyou find yourself missing your old pal taskbarbringing it back to the base of your screen all the time is just as easy as auto-hiding it in the first place. Just repeat the steps outlined aboveand deactivate the settings button instead of activating it.
Want more tips on how to tweak the taskbar? Here's our guide on how to move the taskbar in Windows 11.
