How to Fix Taskbar Problems in Windows 10?

Windows 10 is undoubtedly a great operating system in terms of speed, regular updates and many other features that offer a great user experience. However, this does not make it flawless, and some apps or interface elements may fail from time to time. Taskbar is the most useful item and it will be frustrating when it is not responsive or not working at all. If you are frequently facing issues, here is how to fix taskbar problems in Windows 10. If you are using Windows 11, then check out our article on how to cleanup taskbar in Windows 11.

Common Windows 10 Taskbar Issues

Though some people prefer to hide the taskbar to work with a distraction-free desktop, the majority of Windows 10 users find the tool very helpful in their daily computing tasks. The taskbar serves a number of purposes like enabling access to the Cortana, virtual desktop, the Timeline feature and the notification area among others. Unfortunately, Windows 10 users encounter a number of taskbar problems with the regular ones being:

• Taskbar icons missing.
• Frozen Windows 10 taskbar.
• Taskbar not hiding.
• Taskbar disappeared.

In this article, we will explore how to fix common issues that plague the Windows 10 Taskbar.

Fixing Taskbar Problems in Windows 10

Restarting your PC works magic in fixing Windows 10 issues. Rebooting your computer will fix temporary system performance issues that could be affecting the taskbar. If the problem is not resolved after restarting, proceed to the other troubleshooting options.

Try Restarting the Windows 10 Explorer

The explorer.exe controls the Windows Shell, which comprises of the Start Menu, File Explorer and the Taskbar. Thus restarting the program could resolve a variety of Taskbar issues.

• Press the “Ctrl + Shift + Esc” keys on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
• Under the “Processes” tab, find “Windows Explorer” process.
• Right-click it and select “Restart” from the context menu.

• You can also click the option and then click the “Restart” button at the bottom of the Task Manager window.
• You will notice that the Taskbar will disappear for a few seconds and when it reappears, it should function correctly.
• If this did not solve the problem, continue with the troubleshooting process.

Fix Taskbar Not Hiding Problem

Windows 10 has a feature that allows users to auto-hide the Taskbar to minimize distraction, especially when working in desktop mode. If the feature is not working you may try the following solutions.

Option 1: Checking the Taskbar Auto-Hide Feature Configurations

When the Taskbar fails to hide automatically, the first thing you should do is to confirm that the feature is enabled.

• Press the “Win + I” keys on your keyboard to open the Windows 10 Settings app and go to the “Personalization” settings.
• Click on the “Taskbar” settings, the last item on the left sidebar and on the right panel, ensure that the “Auto-hide” option is active.
• If disabled, click the switch to enable. It is also advisable to disable and re-enable to see if the taskbar will now hide automatically.

Option 2: Clear App Interference

Another common yet unsuspected cause of the auto-hide problem is an app that requires your attention.

• To resolve this, check all the open apps pending error messages or other alerts that need your attention.
• Clear any app notifications that could be preventing the task back auto hide.
• Some app could be running in the background so you should also check for such interference.
• To do so, click the System Tray icon (the up-facing arrow at the right edge of the taskbar) and check for the affected background apps.
• Look for any background app with notifications and clear them.

Option 3: Adjust App Notification Settings

If the issue keeps repeating due to apps alerts, you can adjust the notification settings for the affected app.

• Go back to the Windows Settings app and select the “System” settings.
• Go to the “Notifications & actions” settings and scroll down to find the title, “Get notifications from these apps”.

• Disable notification for the troubling app and wait to see if the problem will reoccur.
• You may also consider modifying the app’s settings and reinstalling the app. If it is an app that you don’t need, you can uninstall the app from your computer.

Scan and Fix System File Issues

Sometimes the Taskbar issue could due to some corrupt file system and running the System File Checker will scan and repair corrupt files as well as replace the missing ones.

• Go to the Windows Search box, type “Command Prompt” and from the result open Command Prompt (Admin) option.
• Type the following command, “sfc /scannow” and then hit Enter.
• Once the scan is complete, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Update Your Windows 10

Microsoft releases regular Windows 10 updates to fix bugs, security vulnerabilities and add new features. An outdated OS may lead to a number of issues including Taskbar problems.

• To update your Windows 10, open the settings app and go to the “Update & Security” settings.
• Click the “Check for update” button and wait as Windows searches for new updates.
• Download and install the updates. You may need to restart your PC to complete the installation process.

Microsoft officially confirmed that Windows 10 support will be extended till 14 Oct 2025. If you are frequently facing problems, it is also a good idea to consider upgrading to Windows 11 and start working with the newer look.

Conclusion

The Windows 10 Taskbar is a very helpful tool that helps you to view which apps are currently running on your computer as well as giving access to several Windows functionality and features. If your Taskbar is not functioning properly, no need to worry as you can resolve most of the issues using the tips above. To identify the cause of the problem, it is advisable to try the solutions one at a time and checking if the fix works.