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How to Customize the Taskbar and Start Menu

Beginner How-To · Windows

Making the two things you interact with constantly actually match how you work.

  1. Right-click the taskbar and choose "Taskbar settings" to control which icons show, taskbar alignment, and whether it auto-hides.
  2. Pin frequently used apps directly to the taskbar by right-clicking them (in the Start menu or while running) and choosing "Pin to taskbar."
  3. Open Start menu settings from the same Settings > Personalization > Start page to control which folders appear next to the power button and how many recently added apps show.
  4. Right-click any tile or pinned app in the Start menu to unpin it, resize it, or move it, building a layout that matches what you actually reach for.
  5. Group related apps into folders in the Start menu by dragging one tile onto another, the same way you would on a phone home screen.
  6. For a genuinely minimal setup, unpin everything you don't use and rely on the search bar (just start typing after pressing the Windows key) instead of browsing.
Running into an error instead of just needing the how-to? Check our Windows troubleshooting guides or the error lookup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will customizing the taskbar affect other user accounts on the same PC?
No — taskbar and Start menu customization is specific to each individual Windows user account, so your changes won't affect how it looks for anyone else signed into the same PC.
Can I undo customizations and go back to the default layout?
Yes — Windows lets you reset the Start menu layout to default through Settings, and taskbar changes can simply be reversed by adjusting the same settings back.

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