Windows 7 - Taskbar Auto-hide - Turn On or Off

**Brink**

How to Show or Hide the Windows 7 Taskbar with Auto-hide

Information

This will show you how to turn auto-hide on or off to either hide or show the Windows 7 taskbar from view. By default, auto-hide if turned off to always show the taskbar. You can hide the taskbar to create more space on the desktop.

Note

When auto-hide is turned on to hide the taskbar, it will remain hidden until you move the mouse pointer over the hidden taskbar location to have it temporarily pop-up until you move the mouse point away from the taskbar location. It will then be hidden again.

Tip

Microsoft has made available a hotfix that will resolve a problem where the taskbar customizations are lost and reset to defaults when automatic logon is enabled in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. More details are available at FIX: The Taskbar is reset to the default settings when you use the "Automatically Log On" feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2.

EXAMPLE: Taskbar with Auto-hide Turned On and Off
NOTE: The right screenshow it with auto-hide turned off by default.

Here's How:

1. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar and click on Properties.
A) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties.
A) Click on the Taskbar tab. (See screenshot below step 5)

3. To Turn Auto-Hide On to Hide the Taskbar
A) Check the Auto-hide the taskbar box. (See screenshot step 5)

B) Go to step 5.

4. To Turn Auto-Hide Off to Show the Taskbar
A) Uncheck the Auto-hide the taskbar box. (See screenshot below step 5)

5. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**rats** · 11-09-2009

Hello

I'm running Windows 7 evaluation version.
The Taskbar Auto-hide works at higher resolutions,
but does not for 640 x 480, which i need.

Does Auto-hide work in either OEM or full retail
at 640 x 480 ? If not it is a deal breaker for me.

Edit by Rats: When logging in as Administrator pop up complains of a missing file.
So I now suspect a problem with the integrity of the .iso file. No way to check
if it downloaded error free as no Md5 checksum is provided by Microsoft.
I did verify the burned DVD against the downloaded install .iso.

Cheers:

YippieYeah · 11-27-2010

How do I disabled the Auto Focus when the taskbar is in Auto-Hide?

For example Instant messenger always take focus and the Taskbar appears and doesnt stay autohidden...

**Brink** · 11-27-2010

Hello YippeYeah,

Could you post a screenshot of this?

I'm not having that issue with Windows Live Messenger. You might see if toggling Auto-Hide off and on again may help, or restarting the computer.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

YippieYeah · 12-01-2010

hello brink,

Im using trillian, but i will test windows live messenger and report back.

**Brink** · 12-01-2010

Ok.

Old Guy in NJ · 01-24-2011

I have the taskbar set to Auto-Hide, but after a while it "sticks" in the raised position and will not disappear. I have to reboot to get it to hide again.

Yes, I have tried quitting all running applications.

**Brink** · 01-25-2011

Hello Old Guy in NJ,

Does it happen often?

You might see if toggling Auto-Hide off and on may help to get it to work again and hopefully avoid having to restart instead.

**cclloyd9785** · 03-01-2011

Now I knew how to do this easily :P, but is there a registry hack to edit the time it takes to slide the taskbar up/down?

**Brink** · 03-01-2011

Hello Michael,

If there is, I have not found it yet.

Windows 7 - Taskbar Auto-hide - Turn On or Off

Taskbar Auto-hide - Turn On or Off

Taskbar Auto-hide - Turn On or Off problems?