How to Customize the Taskbar on A Windows Laptop in 2024?

To customize the taskbar on a Windows laptop, you can follow these steps:

Right-click on the taskbar: Find an empty area on the taskbar and right-click on it. This will open a context menu with customization options.
Lock the taskbar: If the taskbar is unlocked, you can ensure it stays in place by clicking on the "Lock the taskbar" option. This prevents accidental changes to its position or size.
Resize the taskbar: Hover your mouse cursor over the edge of the taskbar until the cursor changes to a double-ended arrow. Click and drag the edge to resize the taskbar according to your preference.
Move the taskbar: If you want to relocate the taskbar, right-click on it and ensure the "Lock the taskbar" option is unchecked. Then, click and drag the taskbar to any edge of the screen.
Add or remove icons from the taskbar: You can add frequently used programs to the taskbar for quick access. Open the program and right-click on its taskbar icon. From the context menu, select "Pin to taskbar" or "Unpin from taskbar" to add or remove the icon, respectively.
Change taskbar settings: Right-click on the taskbar and select "Taskbar settings" from the context menu. This will open the Taskbar section in the Windows Settings app, where you can customize various options such as taskbar alignment, notification area icons, system icons, and more.
Enable or disable taskbar features: In the Taskbar settings, you can enable or disable additional features like Task View, Cortana, virtual desktops, etc., based on your preferences.
Customize taskbar appearance: Right-click on the desktop and select "Personalize" from the context menu. In the Settings app, choose "Taskbar" from the left-hand side menu. Here, you can change the color, transparency, and other visual elements of the taskbar to match your style.
Auto-hide the taskbar: If you prefer a more minimalist look, you can configure the taskbar to automatically hide when not in use. Right-click on the taskbar, select "Taskbar settings," and toggle on the "Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode" option.
Restart or sign out: After making any changes to the taskbar, you may need to sign out or restart your laptop for the modifications to take effect.

Remember, these steps may vary slightly based on the version of Windows you are using, but the overall customization options remain similar.

Best Windows Laptops to Buy in December 2024

Rating is 5 out of 5

HP Pavilion Laptop, 15.6" FHD Touchscreen, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1355U Processor, 32GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, Webcam, Fingerprint Reader, Backlit KB, Wi-Fi 6, Windows 11 Pro, Blue

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【Display】15.6" diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080) Touchscreen, IPS, micro-edge, anti-glare, 250 nits
【Tech Specs】1x USB Type-C 3.0, 2x USB Type-A 3.0, 1x HDMI, 1x Headphone/mic combo; Backlit Keyboard (On: F11); Fingerprint Reader; Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth;
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Rating is 4.9 out of 5

Lenovo V15 Laptop, 15.6" FHD Display, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Hexa-core Processor (Beat Intel i7-1065G7), 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, HDMI, RJ45, Numeric Keypad, Wi-Fi, Windows 11 Pro, Black

【High Speed RAM And Enormous Space】16GB high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once; 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive allows to fast bootup and data transfer
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【Display】15.6" diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080)
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Rating is 4.8 out of 5

ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” 16:10 FHD 165Hz, GeForce RTX 4070, Intel Core i9-13980HX, 16GB DDR5, 1TB PCIe SSD, Wi-Fi 6E, Windows 11, G614JI-AS94, Eclipse Gray

POWER UP YOUR PLAY - Draw more frames and win more games with Windows 11, a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX processor, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU at 140W Max TGP..Anti-glare display, Refresh Rate: 240Hz, Response Time: 3ms, 720P HD camera.
BLAZING FAST MEMORY AND STORAGE – Multitask swiftly with 16GB of DDR5-4800MHz memory and speed up loading times with 1TB of PCIe 4x4.
ROG INTELLIGENT COOLING – To put this amount of power in a gaming laptop, you need an even better cooling solution. The Strix features Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on the CPU, and a third intake fan among other premium features, to allow for better sustained performance over long gaming sessions.
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MUX SWITCH WITH ADVANCED OPTIMUS - A MUX Switch increases laptop gaming performance by 5-10% by routing frames directly from the dGPU to the display bypassing the iGPU. With Advanced Optimus the switch between iGPU and dGPU becomes automatic based on the task, optimizing battery life.

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Rating is 4.7 out of 5

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 3520 Business Laptop Computer[Windows 11 Pro], 15.6'' FHD Touchscreen, 11th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-1135G7, 16GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, Numeric Keypad, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI, Black

【15.6" Full HD Touchscreen】The 1920 x 1080 resolution boasts impressive color and clarity. IPS technology for wide viewing angles. Energy-efficient LED backlight. Designed with tiny rubber feet and bumpers on the hinge that keep it from skidding and provide additional stability.
【11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor】Ultra-low-voltage platform. Quad-core, eight-way processing provides maximum high-efficiency power to go. Your always-ready experience starts as soon as you open your device. Turn on, boot-up, and log-in quickly.
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【Easy-to-use Technology】Long-lasting battery and express charge capability, to keep going for longer. Comes with Express Charge capabilities that minimize the time you spend tethered to an outlet and will recharge your battery 80% in 60 minutes. Built-in media reader for simple photo transfer.
【Windows 11 Professional】Experience the most secure Windows ever built with fast boot times, increased responsiveness, and added protection against phishing and malware. Plus, you can switch out of S mode.

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Rating is 4.6 out of 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (2022), 13.5" Touch Screen, Thin & Lightweight, Long Battery Life, Fast Intel i5 Processor for Multi-Tasking, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage with Windows 11, Platinum

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Rating is 4.5 out of 5

Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Laptop, 15.6” FHD Touchscreen Display, Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor, 20GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Wi-Fi 6, SD Card Reader, HDMI, Webcam, Windows 11 Pro, Grey

【High Speed RAM And Enormous Space】20GB high-bandwidth DDR4 RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once; 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive allows to fast bootup and data transfer
【Processor】11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor (2.40 GHz up to 4.20 GHz, 4 Cores, 8 Threads)
【Display】15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, Anti-Glare, Touchscreen, 45%NTSC, 300 nits, 60Hz, LED Backlight, Narrow Bezel
【Tech Specs】1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB-A 2.0, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo, 1 x HDMI, 1 x SD Media Card Reader; Wi-Fi 6 AX and Bluetooth 5.1; Touchscreen; Numeric Keyboard; Windows 11 Pro
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ASUS VivoBook 15.6" Touchscreen FHD Laptop, 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U, 16GB RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, Backlit Keyboard, WiFi 6, Windows 11 Pro, Quiet Blue, 32GB Hotface USB Card

【15.6" FHD Touchscreen Display】15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) Touch screen Display. Embark on a visual journey where vibrant colors and high resolution come to life at your fingertips.
【Intel Core i7-1255U Processor】1.7 GHz (12M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 10 cores), saving you time and increasing your ability to prioritize important tasks. Embrace highly efficient multitasking, powering through new levels of productivity and unleashing your full potential in a boundless journey.
【16GB DDR4 RAM】Seamlessly tackle resource-intensive tasks, smoothly run multiple applications simultaneously, and enjoy lightning-fast responsiveness that keeps you in the flow.【512GB PCIe SSD】Delivers lightning-fast boot-up speed, enhanced storage capabilities, and support for high-definition video playback. Effortlessly store an extensive digital library and access your virtual world with ease.
【Backlit Keyboard】The illuminated keys make it easier to locate specific keys and improve typing accuracy, allowing you to be more productive and focused on your tasks.【720p HD Camera】Provides high quality video calls, virtual meetings and online interactions.
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What is the system tray on the taskbar?

The system tray, also known as the notification area, is a part of the taskbar on the desktop interface of a computer. It is typically located on the right side of the taskbar and displays icons for various system and application notifications. These icons represent background processes or services that are running and provide quick access to their corresponding functionalities or settings. Examples of system tray icons include volume control, network connectivity, battery status, clock/calendar, antivirus software, and messaging apps.

How to enable or disable the Quick Launch toolbar?

To enable or disable the Quick Launch toolbar, follow these steps:

Right-click on an empty space on the taskbar.
In the context menu that appears, hover over the "Toolbars" option.
If the Quick Launch toolbar is already enabled, you will see a checkmark next to it. Click on the "Quick Launch" option to disable it.
If the Quick Launch toolbar is not enabled, you will see an empty box next to it. Click on the "Quick Launch" option to enable it.
After clicking on the option, you should see the Quick Launch toolbar appear or disappear from the taskbar immediately.

Note: If the "Quick Launch" option is missing from the context menu, it means the Quick Launch toolbar feature is not available on your version of Windows.

How to enable or disable the taskbar search box?

To enable or disable the taskbar search box in Windows 10, you can follow these steps:

Right-click on any empty space on the taskbar.
From the context menu that appears, click on "Cortana" (or "Search" if using a newer version of Windows 10).
From the submenu, select one of the following options: "Show search box" to enable the search box on the taskbar. "Show search icon" to disable the search box and replace it with a search icon.

Note that the available options may vary depending on your Windows 10 version.

After selecting the desired option, the taskbar search box will be enabled or disabled accordingly.

What is the Quick Launch toolbar on the taskbar?

The Quick Launch toolbar is a feature on the taskbar in Windows operating systems. It allows users to quickly access frequently used programs, files, and folders. Users can customize the Quick Launch toolbar by adding shortcuts to their preferred applications or locations, providing easy access to commonly used items. The Quick Launch toolbar was introduced in Windows 98 and continued to be available in Windows XP, but it was replaced by the "Pin to Taskbar" feature in later versions of Windows, starting with Windows 7.

What is the "Always on Top" feature for the taskbar?

The "Always on Top" feature for the taskbar allows you to keep the taskbar visible and fixed on top of all other windows on your computer screen. When enabled, the taskbar will not be hidden when you open applications or windows in full-screen mode. It ensures quick access to the Start menu, active applications, and system tray icons, regardless of the window or program you are currently using. This feature is commonly available in operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux.

How to customize the options in the taskbar context menu?

To customize the options in the taskbar context menu, you can follow these steps:

Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows Key + R, typing "regedit", and hitting Enter.
Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
Right-click on the "Advanced" folder in the left pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name the new value "TaskbarSmallIcons" and set its value to 1 (to enable smaller icons) or 0 (to disable smaller icons).
Close the Registry Editor and right-click on the taskbar to see the changes you made.

Note: Modifying the registry can have unintended consequences if done incorrectly, so it's essential to create a backup before making any changes.

How to Customize the Taskbar on A Windows Laptop?

Best Windows Laptops to Buy in December 2024

What is the system tray on the taskbar?

How to enable or disable the Quick Launch toolbar?

How to enable or disable the taskbar search box?

What is the Quick Launch toolbar on the taskbar?

What is the "Always on Top" feature for the taskbar?

How to customize the options in the taskbar context menu?

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