Unstacking the taskbar in Windows 11 sounds like diving into a bit of a tech maze, but honestly, it’s pretty straightforward once you know where to look. Basically, you just go into the settings and flick a switch. No big science, just Windows being a bit tricky to figure out at first. Anyway, with a few clicks, you can spread out your icons and tidy up that cluttered dock, so your desktop feels a bit less chaotic.
How to Unstack the Taskbar in Windows 11
The key is to head into the Taskbar settings and adjust the alignment. If your icons are all bunched up or crammed on one side—bit weird, but the option’s there—you’ll find it lurking in the background.
Step 1: Right-click on the Taskbar
First up, right-click anywhere on that bottom bar. (Yep, the one you’re probably clicking all day.) This opens a small menu. If you’re new to Windows 11, right-clicking is just pressing the right mouse button or clickpad. That menu’s your gateway to all the customization options, including the taskbar. Sometimes you’ll see “Taskbar settings” straight away, other times you might have to dig a bit.
Step 2: Select “Taskbar Settings”
In that menu, click on Taskbar settings. That’ll open a new window—or sometimes a tab in Settings—full of options for how your taskbar looks and behaves. Honestly, this part’s decent because it’s where you find the magic switch to unstack everything.
Step 3: Find “Taskbar behaviours”
Scroll down in the Taskbar settings menu until you see Taskbar behaviours. Click on it. Now you’re getting close. This section has a bunch of toggles and dropdowns that control how your taskbar acts, including alignment, icon size, and more. If you want to ‘unstack’ the icons, this is the spot.
Step 4: Adjust the Taskbar Alignment
Look for the Taskbar alignment setting. On some setups, it’s a dropdown menu. Click it and select Left. That’s what actually “un-stacks” your icons, spreading them across the bottom rather than squishing everything on one side or centre. It’s a bit weird because you’d think “left” means starting from the left, but it actually pushes the icons out evenly—that’s been my experience. Some setups can be a bit quirky, but give it a go.
Step 5: Close the Settings window
Once you’ve set “Left” (or whatever position you prefer), just close the window. Your changes should happen straight away. If not, give Explorer a restart (Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find Windows Explorer, right-click, then choose Restart). Sometimes that helps Windows catch up.
And there you go—your icons aren’t all stacked anymore. They’re spread out nicely, making it easier to see what’s what at a glance. Fair dinkum, on some setups, the unstacking might act a little wonky at first—sometimes it reverts after a reboot or Windows update. Keep an eye on it if that happens.
Tips if it’s being stubborn
- Check your auto-hiding setting—sometimes hiding the taskbar can mess with the alignment.
- If clicking around doesn’t do much, try restarting Explorer (
taskkill /f /im explorer.exethenstart explorer.exein PowerShell or CMD). No worries, it just kills and restarts the process. - Note: toggling Use small taskbar buttons under the same settings can sometimes affect how your icons align or behave. Feel free to experiment.
- If the layout keeps resetting, check for Windows updates or consider running Windows Update. Sometimes these bugs are sorted out in patches.
FAQs
Can I change the size of the taskbar icons in Windows 11?
Yep, just toggle Use small taskbar buttons in the same Taskbar behaviours menu. It’s handy if you want a cleaner look or need more space.
Is it possible to move the taskbar to another monitor?
Absolutely. If you’ve got multiple screens, just drag the taskbar by clicking and holding onto the icons or blank space, then drag it over to another monitor. Windows usually remembers your choice.
What if the settings don’t stick?
Sometimes Windows resets things after updates or reboots. Try running a quick Windows update or repair, or manually reset your icons via registry hacks if you’re game. But most of the time, killing Explorer (Ctrl + Shift + Esc, then find Windows Explorer, right-click and select Restart) does the trick.
Summary
- Right-click the taskbar, pick Taskbar settings
- Scroll down to Taskbar behaviours
- Change Taskbar alignment to Left
- Close the settings window and enjoy your evenly spread icons
Hopefully, this saves someone a bit of a headache. Not always perfect, but it’s a good step toward making your Windows 11 desktop feel a bit less cluttered. Just keep in mind, Windows can be a bit unpredictable—restarting Explorer or a quick reboot generally sorts out any gremlins. Good luck!