How to Hide the Windows 10 Taskbar

Although the Windows 10 taskbar feels like it is a fundamental part of the desktop operating system, but in fact it is a modular component that can be easily replaced and/or modified. One common approach to the taskbar is to just install a third-party software dock, such as Aqua Dock, as we cover in this article, to replace the taskbar.

If you choose to add a new taskbar, then it’s a good idea to actually remove the built-in version and replace it with custom options and extra software. Whatever you decide, this article will show you how to hide the taskbar.

How To Hide Your Taskbar On Windows 10

1. If you just want to hide the taskbar without removing it permanently or installing new software, right-click the Taskbar and select Taskbar Settings at the bottom of the menu.
2. Next, click the toggle switch to On for Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode or Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode, it’ll depend on your Windows mode, and close the window.
3. The taskbar will disappear from the desktop, as seen below.

Whenever the mouse is over the taskbar area for more than a millisecond, the taskbar will pop back up into existence, and will hide itself again as soon as the mouse is moved.

How to Unhide the Taskbar

However, as this is an auto-hide option you can quickly restore the taskbar. The taskbar reappears when you move the cursor to the bottom of the desktop. As such, you can still switch between windows.

1. To disable the auto-hide feature, follow the steps shown above and then click the toggle switch back to Off.

Hiding Your Taskbar With Software

You can also remove the taskbar with a hotkey with third-party software.

Using Hide Taskbar to Hide Your Taskbar

Hide Taskbar is one program that enables you to remove the taskbar by pressing a keyboard shortcut.

1. Click the Download Now button on its Softpedia page to save its ZIP.
2. Open the compressed folder, and click Extract all to unzip it. You can run it by selecting its .exe in the extracted folder.
3. The program doesn’t have a configuration window, but has an icon in the system tray when up and running. Now press the Ctrl + Esc hotkey to remove the taskbar. You can only restore the taskbar by pressing the same keyboard shortcut again.
4. To close the software, you should right-click its icon and select Exit.

Hide Taskbar doesn’t include any hotkey customization options. An alternative program that you can customize and remove taskbar keyboard shortcut with is Taskbar Control. You can add it to Windows 10 from this Softpedia page much the same as HT.

Using Taskbar Control to Hide Your Taskbar

1. When the software’s running, you should right-click the Taskbar Control system tray icon and select Settings to open the window directly below. Press a new hotkey that will remove the taskbar. Click the OK button, and press the new keyboard shortcut to hide and restore the taskbar.

Taskbars and Windows 10

So that’s how you can remove the taskbar with or without hotkeys if ever required. Note that the programs covered here are compatible with all the more recent versions of Windows and are also portable apps you can store on USB stick. Windows 10 is very rich in features that let you choose and optimize your own user experience; for just one example out of many, check out our article on changing your mouse speed on Windows 10.

Share your thoughts and experiences with the Windows 10 Taskbar below.

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