Windows 11 Taskbar Not Auto-Hiding? Here’s How to Fix It!

If you’re using Windows 11, you may have noticed that the taskbar doesn’t always auto-hide as it should. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you’re trying to maximize your screen space or just want a cleaner desktop. Fortunately, there are some simple fixes you can try to get your taskbar to auto-hide properly. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the steps to fix the taskbar not auto-hiding in Windows 11, so you can get back to focusing on your work without any distractions. So, let’s get started!

If you’re experiencing the issue where the taskbar on your Windows 11 PC won’t auto-hide, it can be frustrating and take up valuable screen real estate. Luckily, there are several solutions you can try to fix the problem. In this guide, we’ll go through each solution step-by-step, so you can get your taskbar auto-hiding again.

Step 1: Check Your Taskbar Settings
The first thing you should do is check your taskbar settings to make sure auto-hide is enabled. Here’s how:

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar Settings from the context menu.
2. In the Taskbar settings window, toggle the Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode and Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode options to On.
3. Check if the taskbar is now auto-hiding. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 2: Restart Windows Explorer
Sometimes, the Windows Explorer process can get stuck, causing the taskbar to stop responding. Restarting Windows Explorer can help fix the issue. Follow these steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Locate the Windows Explorer process and select it.
3. Click the Restart button in the bottom-right corner of the Task Manager window.
4. Wait for Windows Explorer to restart and check if the taskbar is now auto-hiding. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 3: Update Your Graphics Driver
An outdated or corrupted graphics driver can cause issues with the taskbar, including not auto-hiding. Here’s how to update your graphics driver:

1. Press Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the context menu.
2. Expand the Display adapters category and locate your graphics driver.
3. Right-click on your graphics driver and select Update driver from the context menu.
4. Select Search automatically for updated driver software and wait for Windows to search for and install any available updates.
5. Restart your PC and check if the taskbar is now auto-hiding. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 4: Run the System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Tools
If there are corrupted system files on your PC, it can cause a variety of issues, including problems with the taskbar. Running the SFC and DISM tools can help fix these issues. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows key + X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the context menu.
2. Type sfc /scannow (without quotes) and press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete.
3. Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth (without quotes) and press Enter. Wait for the process to complete.
4. Restart your PC and check if the taskbar is now auto-hiding. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 5: Disable Full-Screen Optimization for Affected Apps
Certain apps can cause issues with the taskbar auto-hiding, particularly those that use full-screen optimization. Disabling this feature for affected apps can help fix the issue. Here’s how:

1. Right-click on the app icon that’s causing the issue and select Properties from the context menu.
2. Click the Compatibility tab and check the Disable full-screen optimizations option.
3. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.
4. Restart the app and check if the taskbar is now auto-hiding. If not, move on to the next step.

Step 6: Perform a Clean Boot
If none of the above solutions work, performing a clean boot can help identify if a third-party app or service is causing the issue. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig (without quotes), and press Enter.
2. In the System Configuration window, click the Services tab and check the Hide all Microsoft services option.
3. Click the Disable all button to disable all third-party services.
4. Click the Startup tab and click the Open Task Manager link.
5. In the Task Manager window, disable all third-party startup items by right-clicking on them and selecting Disable.
6. Close Task Manager and the System Configuration window.
7. Restart your PC and check if the taskbar is now auto-hiding. If it is, you’ll need to re-enable services and startup items one-by-one to identify the specific app or service causing the issue.

Overall, if your Windows 11 taskbar is not auto-hiding, there are several solutions you can try. Start with the basic taskbar settings, restart Windows Explorer, and update your graphics driver. If those don’t work, run the SFC and DISM tools, disable full-screen optimization for affected apps, or perform a clean boot to identify the culprit. With these steps, you should be able to fix the issue and get your taskbar auto-hiding again.

Overall, the taskbar not auto-hiding in Windows 11 can be a frustrating issue that can disrupt your workflow and productivity. However, with the solutions we have discussed, you can easily fix this problem and get back to using your computer as you normally would. Remember to try each solution until you find the one that works for you. We hope this guide has been helpful in resolving the issue of the taskbar not auto-hiding in Windows 11.