{"id":25831,"date":"2022-12-25T12:13:53","date_gmt":"2022-12-25T12:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/25\/10-windows-11-taskbar-features-you-should-be-using\/"},"modified":"2022-12-25T12:13:53","modified_gmt":"2022-12-25T12:13:53","slug":"10-windows-11-taskbar-features-you-should-be-using","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/25\/10-windows-11-taskbar-features-you-should-be-using\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Windows 11 Taskbar Features You Should Be Using"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Windows<\/p>\n

The Windows 11 taskbar has been the subject of much discussion. It\u2019s a drastic change from Windows 10<\/a>, and lacks many older features<\/a>. Still, there\u2019s a lot it can do, and you should know about the best tips and tricks.<\/p>\n

Move the Icons to the Left Side<\/h2>\n

\"In<\/p>\n

One of the biggest visual changes in Windows 11 is the centered taskbar icons. By default, the Start Menu and all the apps pinned to the taskbar sit in the center of the taskbar\u2014more like macOS than past versions of Windows.<\/p>\n

If you prefer the classic left-aligned Start Menu and taskbar icons, it\u2019s simple to change it back<\/a>. You\u2019ll want to go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors. Choose \u201cLeft\u201d for the \u201cTaskbar Alignment\u201d option.<\/p>\n

Hide the Taskbar<\/h2>\n

\"In<\/p>\n

Maybe you don\u2019t want to see the taskbar<\/a> at all unless you actually need it. This gives you a little extra screen real estate when the taskbar isn\u2019t in use. When you need it, simply move your mouse to the edge of the screen, and the taskbar will slide up.<\/p>\n

To do this, go to\u00a0Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors. Check the box for \u201cAutomatically Hide the Taskbar.\u201d You can also hide the taskbar on secondary monitors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Hide the Taskbar on Windows 11<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Ctrl + Click to Go to Last Active Window<\/h2>\n

Windows 11 groups windows from the same app together in the taskbar. When you mouse over or click the icon, it shows a preview of the windows, which you can then click the one you want to open. This can be pretty annoying if you\u2019re switching windows a lot.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a handy little keyboard shortcut that makes this easier. Hold the Ctrl key while you click the icon in the taskbar and the last active window from the app will open immediately. It\u2019s a very handy shortcut to know.<\/p>\n

Drag and Drop Files<\/h2>\n

When Windows 11 was first released, the taskbar was missing one of the handiest features from previous versions. Thankfully, it\u2019s now possible to drag and drop files to apps<\/a> in the taskbar again as of Windows 11\u2019s 2022 Update<\/a>, and you should use this feature.<\/p>\n

It works exactly like you would think. Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve downloaded an image in Google Chrome and you want to use it in Photoshop. You can simply drag the file from Chrome\u2019s Downloads page and hover over the Photoshop icon in the taskbar. Photoshop will open and you can drop the image in the app. It works the same way for other apps.<\/p>\n

Make the Taskbar Bigger or Smaller<\/h2>\n

\"Windows<\/p>\n

Unlike Windows 10, the Windows 11 taskbar can\u2019t be easily resized right from the taskbar. The good news is there is technically still a way to resize it, but you\u2019ll need to use the registry editor to do it.<\/p>\n

We actually have our own One-Click Registry Hack file that will accomplish the same thing a lot easier. The file includes three taskbar sizes to choose from. Here\u2019s\u00a0how to make the taskbar larger or smaller on Windows 11<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Make Your Taskbar Larger or Smaller on Windows 11<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Change Audio Devices from the Taskbar<\/h2>\n

\"Tap<\/p>\n

If you want to switch between headphones, speakers, or other sound devices on Windows 11, there\u2019s a way to do it that isn\u2019t super obvious, but it\u2019s\u00a0a much faster way to switch audio devices<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All you have to do is click the sound icon in the taskbar and then click the little arrow next to the volume slider. Now you\u2019ll see a list of audio devices you can switch between. It\u2019s much easier than opening Settings.<\/p>\n

Change the Taskbar Color<\/h2>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

By default, the Windows 11 taskbar is white, and it can be easily switched to black with dark mode<\/a>. What if you want your own custom color? You can change the taskbar color<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n

To get a colorful taskbar, you\u2019ll need to select an accent color and toggle the switch to \u201cShow Accent Color on Start and Taskbar.\u201d This can be found in Settings > Personalization > Colors.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Change the Taskbar Color in Windows 11<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

See Weather in the Taskbar<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

When Windows 11 was first released, there was a \u201cWidgets\u201d button on the taskbar to the right of the Start button. If you were like us, you probably disabled the Widgets button<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The widget button now\u00a0shows the current weather on your taskbar<\/a>, which is much more useful than the original implementation. It shows a weather icon, the temperature, and a short description of the conditions.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Get the Weather on Your Windows 11 Taskbar<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Move the Taskbar to the Top<\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

One of the most disappointing things about the Windows 11 taskbar is the inability to move it to any side of the screen<\/a>. At the time of writing, it\u2019s still not officially possible, but there\u2019s a hacky method that works to put it at the top of the screen.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got a one-click registry hack you can download to move the taskbar to the top of your screen easily<\/a>. Keep in mind the taskbar was not intended to be at the top, so it may not work as smoothly as the bottom. Still, it\u2019s a solution.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Move Windows 11’s Taskbar to the Top of the Screen<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Restore Taskbar Labels<\/h2>\n

\"Ungrouped<\/p>\n

Windows 11 doesn\u2019t have the option to see app labels on the taskbar. It only shows the icon and nothing else. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, there\u2019s not an official way to change this, but you can use Stardock\u2019s software to get taskbar labels back.<\/a><\/p>\n

Stardock is a company that has been making customization software for Windows going all the way back to the XP days.\u00a0The ability to ungroup taskbar icons and see labels was introduced in Start11 Beta v1.2, which was released in March 2022.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Restore Taskbar Labels on Windows 11<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n

Windows 11 was released with an unfinished taskbar<\/a>, and Microsoft continues to slowly add more features to it. Hopefully, with these tips in your pocket, you\u2019ll be able to make the most of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n