Windows 11 task bar won't stay hidden

Anonymous
2023-04-15T17:15:56+00:00

The taskbar won't stay hidden. And yes I've checked the automatically hide the task bar setting. I've also triad a myriad of other "solutions and fixes", I've found on the web to no avail. This one issue, although it may seem innocuous, is the only reason I have not upgraded to Windows 11 on several of the machines I use, and will not as long as Windows 10 remains available until this issue is fixed. Please please take this seriously and provide a permanent solution, not one of these solutions typically found on blogs such as "reset Windows Explorer" from the task manager, Although this particular fix does work, it only works for a short time and then the problem returns. I'm sure there are many others that are very frustrated by this problem besides myself. The taskbar reappearing steals the bottom portion of any window that has been maximized, so if there's a button you need to get to you must do one of two things; reduce the size of the window in the app you're in so that the task bar isn't covering the button you need to get to, or do the one other temporary fix; click on the Windows keyboard key - twice - to make the task bar go away. Then if at any time your mouse pointer even just grazes the top of the task bar location at the bottom of the screen, it's back and stays unhidden. Any fix needs to be independent of any application running, it should be a native action that can't be overridden by other applications. I know that when there's a notification this brings up the taskbar, well okay, I'll acknowledge the notification to make the taskbar go away in this case, but this is NOT the issue either.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2024-03-07T03:52:27+00:00

I am 100% with you on the annoyance factor with the taskbar overlaying various application windows. Insanity!

Like you experienced, my task bar would not stay hidden. Through trial and error I figured out that the taskbar would hide if I unclicked the option "show flashing on taskbar apps" option in the settings (it is just one setting away from the non-functional "automatically hide taskbar option").

I think that the folks that develop Windows need to stop thinking about adding crazy options in its settings and focus their attention on fixing the problems that prevent you from being able to do basic things like interact with applications.

Was this answer helpful?

300+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

62 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Anonymous
    2025-06-16T20:36:24+00:00

    Did you ever find a fix for this problem, I have the same one.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-12T14:25:15+00:00

    what a nightmare to have this problem come back. i read somewhere that if you add something NEW to your task bar that remains active it will keep your task bar from hiding.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-12T02:07:00+00:00

    Well my friend.. here we are again. As always, I have tried everything and there simply is not a definite solution to this problem. I think it's just a defect in Windows 11. Honestly I wish they would scrap Windows 11. I never asked for this garbage operating system in the first place. When I bought my computer, I was in a hurry and didn't look and assumed it was Windows 10 but it is this trashy Windows 11 which I have hated since day one. I've tried everything and my computer will go for a little while and then it goes right back to telling me the same nonsense about how I already have a taskbar hidden on another screen. I have never dual monitored this computer out so there are no other monitors that this taskbar has been hidden on. The only thing I can figure is that one it's either a defective operating system with a permanent bug that Google just doesn't care to fix or somebody is remoting in on my computer spying on me and that's why it keeps telling me that my taskbar is hidden on another screen. What other screen? You know what I'm saying? If there's another screen it's because it belongs to somebody else who is remoting in on my computer. I doubt that it's that though because I'm never online, but I do think it's just a permanent bug in Windows 11 and Google is so ridiculous they don't fix anything nor care about anybody's complaints anymore nor have they actually since probably about 2015. Google doesn't respond to anything that isn't an automated response. I guess I'm just going to have to deal with resetting the hide the taskbar option every dozen logins. As I've stated.. nothing works I try something it works for about 8 to 10 different logins and then it's right back to square one with the same problem over and over and over and over and over again so pardon my French, but to hell with it. I give up and I'll just deal with it and reset it every single time it gives me this nonsense about task bars being hidden on invisible imaginary screens that have never existed. 🙄

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2024-12-06T19:48:22+00:00

    Thank you I am going to try that. I literally saw that option and wasn't sure exactly what it meant but it is checked so I will uncheck it and see if that works. As I stated earlier I'm sure we're having the same problem it's just that you will hide the taskbar and it will stay gone for a Time usually about 10 startups and then it comes back again and says that a taskbar is already hidden on another monitor and that you can only hide one taskbar at a time. I'm not 100% tech savvy but the first thing I thought is okay is someone screen sharing in and spying on me through my computer every time I'm online because I've never been hooked up to any other monitors and I haven't even tried to do a monitor this computer out yet and it's only about 6 months old. Little $600 Walmart HP desktop with a core i3. Nice computer, but honestly I'm not a fan of Windows 11. I was Windows 10 until last year when I bought a laptop that had Windows 11 and then when I purchased this desktop that too is Windows 11. I really miss Windows 7 ultimate. It took me forever to get used to Windows 10 and right when I finally started liking it they're trying to phase it out into something that's far worse. Anyway thank you I will try your idea and hopefully that might fix this problem.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments