How To Make The Taskbar Transparent In Windows 10 & 11

Customizing Windows is enjoyable but can be difficult without the correct mix of tools and understanding.

One of the biggest challenges in this regard is modifying the taskbar’s appearance, making it transparent, specifically.  

Fortunately, this guide features some of the most effective techniques to alter the Windows 10 taskbar transparency without investing a significant amount of time, even with no prior experience.

So, with that out of the way, let’s get straight to what you need to know about making the taskbar transparent in Windows using different methods.

Method 1: Use The Built-In Windows Transparency Setting

Windows has countless appearance customization options that users can modify to achieve their desired interface look.

One of those options is the ability to add transparency to specific Windows elements, including the taskbar.

If not enabled by default, all you can do is “switch on” a single option within one of the customization panels in Windows, and your taskbar will immediately become transparent.

Not certain how to achieve it? Simply follow the steps below:

1. Simultaneously press the Windows + S buttons on your keyboard to open the search function.
2. Type Themes and related settings, then click on the first result or press Enter on your keyboard to open the panel.
   
   
3. Once the panel is open, choose Colours from the left sidebar menu, then scroll down a bit until you see the Transparency effects setting. Enable it by “switching” the button on, as shown in the image below.
   

By implementing this alteration, your taskbar and some other Windows elements (such as the start menu) are now see-through. However, this may not be the desired transparency level some users are after.

To further increase the transparency of the Windows taskbar, you’ll have to use a third-party app that allows for more modification options and effects.

We cover that in the next section below, so keep reading to learn more.

Method 2: Use TranslucentTB – An Open-Source Utility

A free, open-source utility called TranslucentTB (or Translucent Taskbar) allows users to modify their taskbar by applying different effects, such as blur, acrylic, and more.

When we see the question of how to get a transparent taskbar posted, most of the time, the method suggested is using this app as it offers much more customization options than the built-in Windows transparency settings.

TranslucentTB is available on GitHub, along with its source code, but users can also download it from the Microsoft Store if that’s a more convenient method.

This section contains information on properly downloading and installing the TranslucentTB app. We’ll also show you how to configure it to run on Windows startup so that your appearance preferences are immediately available as soon as the computer boots.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Simultaneously press Windows + S on your keyboard to open the Windows search function. Within it, type in Microsoft Store and click on the first result, or just press Enter to open it.
   
   
2. Once the Microsoft Store window is open on your screen, use the search function to look up TranslucentTB by typing its name in the bar and pressing Enter to display the results.
3. Once you find the app, use the Get button to install it on your system.
   
4. Wait for the process to complete, which could take a while based on your current download speed and your computer’s performance for the installation part.

Now TranslucentTB is installed on your computer, but you likely don’t see much happening immediately. That is because the app runs discreetly without interrupting your other activities since you’ll most likely be using it all the time in the background.

Here’s how to open it and use its features:

1. Click the Show hidden icons button on your taskbar to expand the category, then click on the TranslucentTB app logo. To make your taskbar transparent with it, hover over the Desktop category, then choose “Blur” from the list of effects, as shown in the image below.
   

Now, your taskbar should look like this.

That’s all you need to know about using the free TransparentTB tool, particularly for creating a see-through taskbar.

As you’ve likely already seen, this app offers many settings and options to alter the appearance of your taskbar in different ways.

For example, if you prefer your taskbar to be transparent even when the start menu is open, hover over the “Start opened” section and select the Blur effect.

The same applies when the search box is open and other Windows functions such as Task View and more.

You can configure TranslucentTB to run at computer startup with just the click of a button, which allows you to set it and forget it.

If you want to explore more of the TranslucentTB features with someone guiding you through the process, feel free to watch this helpful video tutorial.

Once again, you can also download TranslucentTB from GitHub instead of the Microsoft Store. You can also choose the portable version, but it only works on Windows 11.

It’s also worth mentioning that this app is compatible with other Taskbar appearance customization apps, such as RoundedTB.

Conclusion

Whether you favor the restricted, built-in Windows appearance customization options or desire to take things to the next level using a third-party app, you now know how to make your taskbar translucent through various methods.

Modifying the Windows interface as you want can make your daily PC experience much more enjoyable. Hopefully, this guide helped you alter your Windows taskbar’s opacity based on your needs.