Windows 11 gives its users a slick taskbar to work with. Sure, it’s much cleaner and more functional than before, but that doesn’t mean we cannot make it smaller or larger as per our liking.
The taskbar consists of the Start menu, pinned applications, and a system tray containing miniature icons for system functions such as volume and notification.
As we use it on a daily basis, we have the option to customize our taskbar in any way we want to; altering its size, color, and transparency to increase our overall experience in the system canvas.
So, if you’d like to learn and understand how to customize your taskbar, you’ve come to the right place. The guide below will take you through every step you can follow to change its size, making it bigger or smaller as per your wish.
Change the Size of Your Taskbar
Changing the size of your taskbar can be done in various ways. Listed below are all the ways you can do so. So, without wasting much time, let’s get right to it!
Via the Registry Editor
The registry consists of Windows configuration settings. It is a database that can be accessed and altered to change the functionality of certain Windows components. Hence, you can easily change the size of your taskbar through the registry editor.
However, it’s smart to back up your registry before making any change. A minor error during the alteration process could easily cause stability issues in your system.
So, taking this into consideration, follow these steps to change the size of your taskbar:
- Press the Windows button + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Enter regedit to open the Registry Editor.
- Copy and paste the following line on the address, and hit enter.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\Advanced - Right-click on an empty space and select New followed by DWORD (32-bit value). Then, name it as TaskbarSi.
- Double click TaskbarSi and set the Value Data as either 0, 1, or 2.
0 signifies a small taskbar size. 1 represents a medium size. And 2 is the largest out of the bunch. - Close the registry ad restart your computer.
Using Third-Party Applications
Although we don’t recommend it per se, there are still plenty of third-party applications that you can use to change the size of your taskbar.
Upon research, we found that Stardock Star11 is one of the best applications to customize your Windows taskbar.
However, keep in mind that downloading and installing third-party applications increases the chance for your system to get attacked by viruses and malware.
Moreover, some third part taskbar and start menu applications are known to cause certain errors on the Start menu, causing it to be unresponsive and broken.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Make the Taskbar Transparent?
Windows 11 allows you to add transparency effects to your taskbar as well. This can be done directly through the settings app and doesn’t require any third-party downloads. Follow the methods below to do so:
- Press Windows key + I to open settings.
- From the left panel, select Personalisation.
- Select Colors.
- Now, Toggle on the Transparency effects.
How to Change the Taskbar Accent Color?
There is a feature in Windows 11 with which you can change the accent color of your taskbar and start menu. It can be done by selecting the color you like from the settings app.
Moreover, you can create your own custom color by selecting it through the color wheel as well. Furthermore, you can add this color to your Windows title bars and Windows borders as well.
Follow the steps below to change the accent color.
- Press Windows key + I to open settings.
- From the left panel, select Personalisation.
- Select Colors.
- Now, from the list of colors available, select anyone you like.
To create your own custom color, click on Custom Color and select the one you like from the color wheel. - Checkmark the box for Show accent color on start and taskbar.
How to Relocate Your Taskbar in Windows 11?
You can change the location of your taskbar in Windows 11. You can alter it to be either on left, right, top, or bottom of your desktop screen. Relocation of the taskbar can be done through the registry editor and the steps are shown below.
- Press the Windows button + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Enter regedit to open the Registry Editor.
- Copy and paste the following line on the address, and hit enter.
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\ - On StuckRects3, double click Settings.
- Change the fifth value of the second row to any one of the following values depending on the position you’d like to place your taskbar on. If your taskbar is originally on the bottom of your screen, this value is set as 03.
00 puts the taskbar on the left side of the screen.
01 puts the taskbar on the top of the screen.
02 puts the taskbar on the right side of the screen.
03 puts the taskbar on the bottom of the screen. - Close the registry editor.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Del.
- Click on Task Manager.
- Go to the Processes tab.
- Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.
