The Windows taskbar or Taskbar is the most important tool on the desktop, the one that if used correctly and well configured, can save a lot of time in the management of programs, windows, files and for the main operations. While it sounds simple, there are plenty of tricks for the taskbar that you can take advantage of to quickly launch your favorite programs, to switch between multiple sessions of the same application, to open a file with a specific program, and so on.
In addition, to increase the efficiency of the taskbar in Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7, it is convenient to change some settings that eliminate what is not needed in order to leave more space for the most important buttons.
1) Fix favorite applications and programs on the taskbar
To have quick buttons always visible to be able to open your favorite programs you need to fix them on the taskbar and there are several ways to do it.
You can simply open a program, then click on its icon at the bottom with the right mouse button and press on Add to the taskbar .
Another way to add them is to move the icon from the desktop to the taskbar by dragging it over the space you prefer.
In Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, you can also right-click on a program icon from the Start menu and use the More -> Add to taskbar option.
2) Rearrange the links on the taskbar
Windows allows you to control how the taskbar links are displayed and their order.
You can easily change their order to arrange them alphabetically or according to the order of their importance by dragging the icons with the mouse.
On a touch device, to drag an icon, hold down and move your finger to the new location.
3) Use previews to switch between multiple instances of a program
If you open multiple files with the same program, the various windows are grouped in one place on the taskbar.
Just move the mouse over it to see the previews and move from one file to another.
READ ALSO: How to open multiple windows of the same program
4) Keyboard shortcuts for the taskbar
Moving on to more particular things and lesser known tricks, to use the taskbar well you need to know the keyboard shortcuts.
- Hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and click on a program icon in the system tray to open another session of that same program.
- Press Shift and Ctrl together and then click on the system tray icon to open that program as an administrator.
- Shift + right click to view the special menu for that program.
- Ctrl + click to see all the open windows for a program.
- Windows - T to see the window previews of an open program.
- Press the Windows key and a number from 1 to 9 to open the corresponding program by counting from the left.
- Alt + Esc allows you to quickly switch from one window to another.
5) Hide icons from the notification area
The taskbar is not only made from the Start menu and program icons, but also from the notification area, with the clock and other icons indicating programs open in the background and the state of the network.
You can choose to hide some icons in this notification area by pressing and holding on one of them and dragging it over the up arrow icon in the notification area.
Clicking the arrow upwards you will see the hidden icons, which can be dragged near the clock to keep them visible if you prefer.
In Windows 10 you can manage the notification area and the icons that appear by opening Settings from the Start menu, going to System -> Notifications and actions .
6) Access the options on the taskbar .
The taskbar has its own special options window which you can configure in your preferred way.
In Windows 7 and 8.1 it is accessed by right clicking on an empty space of the taskbar to find the Properties.
In Windows 10 it is the same, only there is no Properties, but Settings which has a different screen explained in an article on the Notification Area options in Windows 10 to see / hide icons
From these options you can choose whether to hide the taskbar automatically, whether to make the icons smaller and whether to activate Aero Peek, ie the preview of the windows when you move the mouse over the icon of a program.
7) Add files and folders to the taskbar
In addition to the programs, you can also add specific files and folders to the taskbar by moving them from the desktop or from a folder by dragging with the mouse.
The program icon that opens that file appears on the taskbar.
By clicking on it with the right button, you will see the various recent files opened and those added by dragging which remain fixed.
You can also fix one of the recent files by pressing on the thumbtack icon located to the right of their name.
The same is true for folders, which can be added and reached by right clicking on the folder icon.
8) Only on Windows 10, there are other changes that can be made on the desktop taskbar and, in particular:
- Remove Cortana and the search bar
- Remove the task view button (by right clicking on the taskbar)
- Add the Windows ink button
- Add the button for the virtual keyboard (always by pressing the right button on the bar)
- Remove the notification center icon at the bottom right.
- Change the bar color and transparency from Settings> Personalization> Colors .
- Deactivate the Contact button which is useless.
9) If you want to save space on the screen you can move the taskbar to the side or hide the taskbar on the desktop .
10) Make the desktop bar transparent
11) You can add another taskbar on Windows, even if you need an external program.
Finally, for those who really want to go further and have access to all the tricks of modifying the Windows taskbar, you can install the free program 7+ Taskbar Tweaker
READ ALSO: Customize the Windows taskbar in 10 ways
