Move the taskbar in Windows 7 (to top of screen, sides, or back to bottom)
By default, Windows 7 displays the taskbar at the bottom of the screen; like all previous versions of Windows. But the position of the taskbar can be customized to fit your needs, and the type of screen you are using (a taskbar docked to the left or right of the screen makes sense with most modern, wide screen, displays). This tutorial explains first how to move the taskbar to the sides of the screen, move it to the top, and back to the bottom - and how to prevent the taskbar from being accidentally moved.
- In this Windows 7 tutorial:
- Move the taskbar to the side
- Move the taskbar to the top (or back to bottom)
Tip: before you can resize or move the taskbar, you will need to "unlock" it; a locked taskbar cannot be moved or resized. To unlock the taskbar in Windows 7, right-click on an empty area (right next to the Start button, for example). Is there a checkmark next to "Lock the taskbar"? If not, the taskbar is already unlocked; otherwise, click on "Lock the taskbar" to unlock it.
Move the taskbar to the side of the screen (left or right) in Windows 7
Once the taskbar is unlocked, here's how to move the taskbar to the sides (vertical taskbar), along the right edge or left edge of the screen:
- First, grab and hold an empty area of the taskbar with your mouse
- Then, bring the mouse cursor (still held down) towards the left or the right, depending along which side you want to dock the taskbar. Windows 7 actually gives you visual feedback as you move the taskbar, and will display it on the side in question in real time.
- Finally, release the mouse button once you reached the side of the screen
- Windows 7 will reposition the taskbar on the edge you chose. You are done!
- To prevent moving the taskbar by accident in the future, right-click on it, and choose "Lock the taskbar" from the context menu. The taskbar will not be movable until you manually unlock it.
We'll now explain how to move the taskbar to the top of the screen.
Move the taskbar to the top of the screen (or back to the bottom)
Follow these steps to move the taskbar to the top of the screen: (horizontal taskbar)
- After having ensured that the taskbar is unlocked, grab an empty area of the taskbar with your mouse, and move it straight up, until Windows shows it at the top of the screen. (Unlike older versions of Windows with which you may be familiar, Windows 7 does not require you to travel to the sides of the screen first, when trying to move the taskbar to the top.)
- Once Windows shows the taskbar at the top of the screen, release your mouse button: your taskbar is now docked alongside the top edge of the screen, and thumbnails, start menu, and jump lists will all display upside down ("hanging" below the taskbar, instead of floating above it).
- To prevent accidentally moving the taskbar, right-click on it, and check the "Lock the taskbar" menu item. That's all it takes to move your taskbar up!
To move your taskbar back to the bottom of the screen: just unlock it, and follow the same steps: grab and hold, move your cursor to the bottom edge of the screen, and release!
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