Hiding the Taskbar on Your Second Screen in Windows 11
So, if that pesky taskbar on your second monitor is doing your head in or just getting in the way, there’s a dead easy way to hide it. Honestly, Windows loves to throw the taskbar onto every screen by default, and it can be a bit of a pain. Here’s a straightforward walkthrough to sort it out — because it took me ages to figure this one out!
Start by right-clicking on the taskbar on your main screen. Not the second one, the primary one — Windows can be a real pain sometimes. A menu will pop up, and there you go, you’ve just opened the taskbar settings.
From that menu, pick “Taskbar settings.” Usually lurking somewhere near the middle or end of the list, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t spot it right away. Once you click it, a settings window will pop up. Looks simple at first, but hang on — there are a few options that need a good look to get right. Microsoft loves hiding the good stuff in strange places, but we’ll get through it.
Scroll down until you find “Taskbar behaviors.” This is the spot where the magic happens, especially with multiple monitors. Click to expand it, and you’ll see a toggle for whether your second monitor needs its own taskbar. Spoiler alert: probably not.
Quick tip: If you’re feeling clever, you can quickly jump here using the Search bar in Settings by searching for taskbar.
Now, here’s the good bit — uncheck the box next to “Show my taskbar on all displays.” It might look like a small change, but it tells Windows to only show the taskbar on your main monitor. Your workspace will look heaps cleaner — a real breath of fresh air! It can be a relief when you’re trying to cut out distractions. Just heads up if you can’t find it right away — have a poke around, it’s there.
Another tip: If you want to keep the taskbar on your second screen but with different stuff, hit Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar for some more options.
Once you’ve done that, just close the settings window. Seems obvious, but sometimes Windows keeps hold of the old settings if you don’t close it right. Closing it properly should save your changes, and voilà — your second monitor should be taskbar-free. Like a neat little magic trick! It’s a small tweak but makes a big difference when managing multiple screens.
Messing around with this isn’t just about making it look better. If you’re working on something that needs focus, ditching that extra taskbar can make life a lot easier. But if you still want it there sometimes, just jump back into the same settings and turn it on again. Flexibility’s the name of the game.
One last thing — notifications only pop up on the taskbar that’s active. So, if your second screen’s hidden, you might miss a few alerts unless you check your main screen regularly. You can always tweak notification settings through Settings > System > Notifications if you want to be sure you’re not missing out.
And if you’re after some quick shortcuts, try Win + D or Win + Tab — they’ll flick you between windows without needing to touch the taskbar. Handy when things get a bit hectic.
Here’s the quick recap:
- Right-click on the taskbar.
- Select “Taskbar Settings.”
- Go to “Taskbar behaviors.”
- Uncheck “Show my taskbar on all displays.”
- Close the Settings window.
That’s about it. A quick tweak can really tidy up your multi-monitor setup and make it feel a bit more manageable. If you ever want the second monitor’s taskbar back, just follow the same steps and turn it on again. Easy as!
It’s a small thing, but how your taskbar behaves can seriously change your workflow. Once you’ve set it up, it’s all about finding what works best for you. And keep in mind, sometimes Windows updates can reset these settings, so it’s worth checking back every now and then. Happy customising!