How to Fix My Disappeared Task Bar
The taskbar is a central user interface component in the Microsoft Windows operating system. Located along the bottom of the screen by default, the taskbar offers one-click access to open programs, includes the Windows "Start" button and the clock, and lets you open system utilities by clicking on icons in the Notification Area. If you no longer see the taskbar on your screen, three different methods can help you track down the source of the problem and restore functionality with just a few clicks.
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Instructions
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Disable the Taskbar's Auto-hide Feature
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Move your cursor over the bottom edge of the screen. If the auto-hide feature is enabled, the taskbar will pop up immediately.
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Right-click on an empty area of the now-visible taskbar and select "Properties."
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Select the "Taskbar" tab in the resulting window.
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Uncheck the "Auto-hide the taskbar" box.
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Click "OK" to confirm the change.
Un-minimize the Taskbar
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Move your cursor over the bottom edge of the screen. If the taskbar is minimized, the cursor will transform from a pointer shape into a double-headed arrow.
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Click once, hold your click and then drag the cursor upward until the taskbar reaches your preferred height.
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Release your click to confirm the change.
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Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar and select the "Lock the Taskbar" option. This will prevent the taskbar from minimizing in the future.
Restart Windows Explorer
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10
Press the "Ctrl," "Shift" and "Esc" keys simultaneously if you use Windows Vista or Windows 7. In Windows XP, press the "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Delete" keys simultaneously instead. In either case, the Task Manager utility appears on your screen within a few seconds.
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Select the "Applications" tab located near the top of the Task Manager window.
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Click the "New Task" button located near the bottom-right corner of the window.
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Type "explorer" (without quotation marks) in the resulting dialog box and click "OK." The taskbar will reappear as soon as Windows Explorer restarts, a process that generally takes less than a minute.
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