How to Move Taskbar on Windows 11

By default, the Windows 11 taskbar is locked on the bottom of the desktop screen. And, unlike Windows 10, you cannot just unlock the taskbar and drag it to any position on the desktop screen. 

Although Windows 11 has made several UI changes, it only lets you move the taskbar items to the left similar to Windows 10. For users who find other positions easier to access, you still have some other options like making registry changes or using a third-party application.

Using the Registry Editor

Another method to change the taskbar position is using the registry editor. However, if you are on Windows 11 version 21H2, you may experience issues while moving the taskbar to the left and right positions. Also, the pop-up animations may not appear from the expected position. So, consider using this method only if you want to move the taskbar to the top or bottom position.

On the other hand, modifying such settings could cause your system to act up when done inappropriately so it’s better to create a registry backup first.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
   
2. Then, copy and paste the following path into the registry address bar.
   Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects3
   

3. On the right pane, double-click to open Settings.
   
4. Right below the FE column, replace the default value (03) with one of the following values. 
   • 01: Top
   • 03: Bottom
5. Close all the registry windows.
6. Press Windows + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
7. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
8. Then, under the Processes tab, select Windows Explorer and click Restart.

Using the Explorer Patcher Tool

If you don’t want to modify any registry settings, you can use third-party programs like Explorer Patcher. It is open-source and freely available for download. If you have multiple monitors set up on your system, you can even customize each of their positions using this method. Basically, after you run the tool, it turns your system UI similar to that of Windows 10.

1. Open a browser and go to the Explorer Patcher official GitHub page.
2. Scroll down and click the setup program under the How to section to download the tool.
3. Then, run the installer.
4. Right-click on an empty area on the taskbar and select Properties.
   
5. Select Windows 10 next to the Taskbar style field.
   
6. Then, click Primary taskbar location on the screen and choose your preferred location.
   
7. Additionally, you can customize the taskbar location for your second monitor as well. You just have to choose it next to the Secondary taskbar location field. 
   
8. Once done, click Restart File Explorer at the bottom left corner to apply changes.
   
9. Right-click on the taskbar and select the Lock the taskbar option. Make sure it’s unticked.
   
10. Now, you can change the taskbar position by dragging the taskbar to any four corners of the desktop screen.