Taskbar Appearing in Full-Screen Mode? Here’s How to Resolve It – 2024

Taskbar Appearing in Full-Screen Mode? Here’s How to Resolve It

If you’ve ever tried to watch a video or play a game in fullscreen mode, only to find that the Taskbar remains visible, it can be quite distracting and annoying. The Taskbar is supposed to hide automatically in fullscreen mode to provide a seamless viewing or gaming experience. If it doesn’t, there are a few potential reasons and several methods to fix it. This guide will walk you through the steps to get your Taskbar to hide properly in fullscreen mode on Windows 10.

Understanding the Issue

Why Does the Taskbar Show in Fullscreen Mode?

Several factors can cause the Taskbar to remain visible even in fullscreen mode:

• System glitches or bugs: Temporary glitches in Windows can cause the Taskbar to behave unexpectedly.
• Notification activity: When a notification appears, the Taskbar might remain visible until the notification is dismissed.
• Incorrect Taskbar settings: Taskbar settings might be configured to always show the Taskbar.
• Third-party software interference: Certain third-party applications can force the Taskbar to remain visible.

How to Fix the Taskbar Showing in Fullscreen Mode

If your Taskbar is showing in fullscreen mode, try the following solutions to resolve the issue.

1. Restart Windows Explorer

Restarting Windows Explorer can often resolve minor glitches that cause the Taskbar to appear in fullscreen mode.

Steps:

1. Open Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Locate Windows Explorer:
   • Scroll down to find Windows Explorer under the Processes tab.
3. Restart Windows Explorer:
   • Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart. This will refresh the desktop environment, including the Taskbar.
4. Check the Taskbar:
   • After restarting Windows Explorer, check if the Taskbar is hidden in fullscreen mode.

2. Check Taskbar Settings

Ensure that the Taskbar settings are configured correctly to hide the Taskbar in fullscreen mode.

Steps:

1. Open Settings:
   • Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Navigate to Personalization:
   • Go to Personalization > Taskbar.
3. Enable Auto-Hide:
   • Toggle the switch for Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode to On.
4. Apply the Changes:
   • Close the Settings window and check if the Taskbar is hidden in fullscreen mode.

3. Dismiss Notifications

Sometimes, a notification can cause the Taskbar to remain visible until it is dismissed. Dismissing all notifications can help resolve this issue.

Steps:

1. Open the Action Center:
   • Click on the Action Center icon on the far right of the Taskbar, or press Win + A.
2. Clear All Notifications:
   • Click Clear all notifications to dismiss any active notifications.
3. Check Fullscreen Mode:
   • After dismissing notifications, check if the Taskbar is hidden when you go fullscreen.

4. Update or Reinstall Graphics Drivers

Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers can cause display issues, including problems with the Taskbar in fullscreen mode. Updating or reinstalling these drivers can help.

Steps:

1. Open Device Manager:
   • Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Locate Display Adapters:
   • Expand the Display adapters section to see your graphics card.
3. Update the Driver:
   • Right-click on your graphics card and select Update driver.
   • Choose Search automatically for updated driver software and follow the prompts to update the driver.
4. Reinstall the Driver (If Necessary):
   • If updating doesn’t work, right-click the graphics card and select Uninstall device.
   • Restart your computer, and Windows will automatically reinstall the driver.
5. Check Fullscreen Mode:
   • After updating or reinstalling the driver, check if the Taskbar is hidden in fullscreen mode.

5. Disable Third-Party Applications

Some third-party applications can interfere with the Taskbar and cause it to remain visible in fullscreen mode. Disabling these applications can help identify the cause.

Steps:

1. Open Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Go to the Startup Tab:
   • Click on the Startup tab to see a list of startup applications.
3. Disable Suspicious Applications:
   • Right-click on any third-party applications that might interfere with the Taskbar and select Disable.
4. Restart Your Computer:
   • Restart your computer and check if the Taskbar is hidden in fullscreen mode.

6. Use the Task Manager to Close Background Processes

Certain background processes can keep the Taskbar visible. Closing these processes can help.

Steps:

1. Open Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Look for Background Processes:
   • Under the Processes tab, look for any background processes that might be causing the issue.
3. End Task:
   • Right-click on the suspected process and select End task.
4. Check Fullscreen Mode:
   • After ending the task, check if the Taskbar is hidden in fullscreen mode.

Conclusion

If your Taskbar is showing in fullscreen mode, it can be a frustrating issue, especially when you’re trying to enjoy a video or play a game without distractions. However, by restarting Windows Explorer, checking Taskbar settings, dismissing notifications, updating or reinstalling graphics drivers, disabling third-party applications, and closing background processes, you can usually resolve the issue and ensure that the Taskbar remains hidden in fullscreen mode. Regular system maintenance and keeping your drivers updated can help prevent similar issues in the future.