The new Windows 11 operating system brings with it many new visual changes among which is the positioning of taskbar icons. Unlike Windows 7, 8, or 10, the new OS from Microsoft prefers taskbar icons positioned at the centre instead of the bottom left corner by default. This may take some time for Windows 10 users to adjust to. The company claims that the centralised taskbar icons “puts you at the centre… and what you need closer to you, simplified.” However, it’s not permanent. There is a way to change the taskbar icon position on Windows 11 to the good old bottom left corner. If you don’t know how to do this, we are here to help. Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to move taskbar icons from centre to left on Windows 11:
Also Read: Windows 11 release date, download, system requirements, and everything else you need to know
What is a taskbar?
A taskbar on Windows laptop/ PC is an element of a graphical user interface, which has various purposes. It sits at the bottom of the screen giving the user access to the start menu, as well as the icons of frequently used applications.
How to move Windows 11 taskbar icons to the left
Moving taskbar icons to the left on Windows 11 is a fairly simple task. Here’s what you need to do:
- You can click on the lens icon next to the start menu and search Taskbar settings OR
- Choose the start (Windows icon) menu and go to Settings
- Select Personalisation from the left pane
- The Personalisation menu. Scroll down until you see Taskbar
- Click on Taskbar and look for Taskbar behaviours
- Click on it to see a list of options
- Select drop-down menu beside ‘Taskbar Alignment’, then ‘Left’
- That’s it! The taskbar icons on Windows 11 will immediately move to the left side of the screen
You can now close the Settings window. If you feel like switching the taskbar icons on Windows 11 back to the centre, just like macOS, follow the same steps as stated above and select ‘centre’ from the Taskbar Alignment drop-down menu. In addition to this, you can use the settings menu to automatically hide the taskbar, show badges on taskbar apps, show taskbar on all displays, and select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop, among other things.
FAQ
Can you hide icons from Windows 11 taskbar?
Yes, you can. Windows 11 allows users to hide/ show icons from the taskbar. For this open Settings and navigate to Personalisation > Taskbar, then “Taskbar items” and toggle the button next to the items.
