Task Bar covering up things. It is on top instead of in the background?

Try these fixes in order:

1. Restart Windows Explorer
   • Open Task Manager.
   • Find Windows Explorer.
   • Right-click it and select Restart. This refreshes the taskbar and often fixes taskbar layering problems.
2. Toggle taskbar auto-hide off and back on
   • Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
   • Open Taskbar behaviors.
   • Turn Automatically hide the taskbar on or off, then switch it back to the preferred setting.
3. Check whether a specific app is causing it
   • Test with different apps.
   • If the problem happens only with one app, that app may be forcing itself over the taskbar or interacting badly with fullscreen or borderless window mode.
4. Close background overlay apps
   • Temporarily close apps that add overlays or on-screen controls, such as screen recorders, game launchers, RGB utilities, or monitoring tools.
   • Then test whether the taskbar returns to normal.
5. Check taskbar behavior settings
   • Go to Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
   • Under Taskbar behaviors, review options such as Automatically hide the taskbar and Show flashing on taskbar apps.
6. If this started recently, check Windows Update
   • Some taskbar behavior changes can appear after updates.
   • Review recent updates in Windows Update.

If the issue is caused by a custom app bar or docked application, Windows has a documented issue where an app bar docked immediately above the taskbar can obscure taskbar items.

References:

• How to keep taskbar hidden while on still on top of other windows - Microsoft Q&A
• taskbar won't hide when in full screen mode - Microsoft Q&A
• Make it easier to focus on tasks
• Customize the Taskbar in Windows
• An app bar may unintentionally obscure items on the Windows task bar in Windows