Having the Start menu, Search bar, Task View, and your favorite apps, Windows Taskbar is probably the most used functionality. And it comes with some pretty useful tips that some of you might not be well aware of. Getting acquainted with them will help in executing your desired tasks much quicker. Therefore, in this guide, we have compiled some of the best Windows Taskbar tips, tricks, and shortcuts. So without further ado, let’s begin with this guide.
Keyboard Shortcut to Access Apps on Windows Taskbar
I have always been the kind of person who prefers to use the keyboard over the mouse, as much as possible. And taskbar is one such region where I make full use of it. Here is how the shortcut works. If you wish to open any app from the Taskbar, press the Windows key plus the number key corresponding to that app’s position. For the 10th position, use Windows+0. And for apps placed beyond 10, it is best to move them to the position 1-10. It’s indeed a useful Windows Taskbar tip. One more thing to keep in mind is that while counting, the task view icon isn’t taken into consideration.
Shifting the Windows Taskbar Position
The everyday user of Windows wouldn’t find this taskbar tip much of a use. This is because you might have become accustomed to using Taskbar in its default state. However, if you’re one of the customization freaks, here is how you could move the position of the Taskbar. First of all, you will have to unlock the taskbar from its preset position. To do so, right-click the taskbar and uncheck the Lock the taskbar option. Now click on any blank region of the taskbar and drag it to the desired position. Likewise, don’t forget to check out our guide on how to move Taskbar icons to the center on Windows 10.
Increasing the Height of the Taskbar
Unknown to many, you could also increase the height of the Windows taskbar using this useful tip. Sometimes when too many apps are opened, you’ll see only a handful of apps. to access the next set of apps, you will have to take the help of arrows that appear at the extreme right. But you could easily escape from these efforts simply by increasing the height of the taskbar. In doing so, all apps will easily be accommodated in one single space. You wouldn’t have to scroll to view the other set of apps.
To do so, start by unlocking the taskbar by right-clicking on it and de-selecting Lock the Taskbar option. Now bring the cursor to the edge of the taskbar. As you do so, the cursor will change to a double-sided arrow. Drag and release the mouse pointer up to the desired height. Moreover, you could use this tip to have your network speed displayed on the Taskbar in Windows.
Pinning and Unpinning Apps
Another pretty handy Windows taskbar tip allows you to pin/unpin apps. If you’re a frequent user of some apps, then it’s much better to place it on the Taskbar. To do so, you could either drag the app over to the taskbar or if an app is already opened, right-click on it and select Pin to taskbar.
Moreover, some apps like Microsft Store remain pinned on the taskbar, which some of you would rarely use. The best bet, in that case, is to remove it from the taskbar. To do so, right-click on the desired app and select unpin from the taskbar. Also, have a look at the steps to pin Recycle Bin to the Taskbar in Windows
Hide Cortana from the Windows Taskbar
The Cortana search bar takes up a lot of space on the Taskbar. To be frank, not many people use it. Even if the need arises, you could easily invoke the Assistant via the Windows + C shortcut key. Or press the Windows keys and type in the desired query. Therefore, to hide the Cortana search bar, right-click on an empty area on the Taskbar and go to Cortana > Hidden. You could also disable Hey Cortana Hotword on Windows 10. Have a look at that guide to know more.
Read next: Change Taskbar Transparency on Windows 10
