Taskbar overlaying has been a common and very annoying bug for all Microsoft Windows users all over the map since Windows 7, which introduced fullscreen for the majority of compatible applications.
Located at the bottom of the screen by default, the taskbar is an access point for programs displayed on the desktop. The taskbar should not be visible during playing video games, streaming content via Netflix, watching YouTube videos, or simply navigating the browser in fullscreen mode.
Are you having any issues with Windows Taskbar showing over your fullscreen window?
We’ve put together this easy guide to help you enjoy your time using a computer.
By using our guide, you’ll discover how to stop this problem from occurring. The procedure doesn’t need extra software, and it only takes a few clicks.
Table of ContentsShow
Method 1: Restart Windows Explorer
The taskbar is a part of Windows Explorer, a system application that provides a GUI for accessing file systems. This method has been proven to work almost every time and gained our trust over time.
Here is how you restart Windows explorer.
- Launch the Task Manager by one of two alternative options:
1, Right-click your taskbar and press Task Manager.
2. By pressing the CTRL, Alt, and Del buttons on your keyboard at the same time, you will be redirected to “Ctrl+Alt+Del Screen”, then select Task Manager. - Once in Task Manager, you can see all running processes and applications on your computer. To see a more detailed view of it, press More Details.
- Select Windows Explorer from Processes by clicking on it.
- Restart Windows Explorer either by pressing the Restart button in the bottom right corner or after pressing right-click on the process.
Method 2: Autohide Feature
Windows 10 and 11 provide many different customization options for users to personalize their computers, one of which is the possibility to automatically hide the taskbar when you do not need it. This feature reveals the taskbar only when you hover the mouse pointer at the bottom of the screen.
Here is how you enable the autohide feature.
- Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows Key + I at the same time or by typing it inside the Windows Search box.
- Select Personalization.
- Inside the Personalization, press Taskbar on the left windowpane.
- Toggle on the Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode option.
Method 3: Press The F11 Button
At times, what we need is only a single click away. If you have faced difficulties with the taskbar overlapping problem, pressing the F11 button on the keyboard might resolve all your issues!
By pressing the F11 shortcut, the window of the app you’re using may go into fullscreen mode. This solution works on all Microsoft Windows editions. If you are using a laptop, pressing FN + F11 could work as an alternative for you!
Method 4: Action Center
If you haven’t disabled your notifications before entering fullscreen, there may be something important you have missed in the meantime.
With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced Action Center, a straightforwardly designed notification center that stores all unread messages in one place. It features a quick settings menu, enabling Windows 10 users to save time, and organizes notifications by multiple criteria.
To access Action Center, simply press its icon in the lower-right bottom corner. 
It is known to happen that Windows requires the user to respond to the app requests or important notifications, which activates the taskbar.
Method 5: Disable The Taskbar Lock
In Windows 10 and 11, a user can lock and unlock the taskbar to prevent it from being resized or moved to another location. Regrettably, this feature might cause the taskbar to slip and appear when the user does not want it visible.
Here’s how you disable the taskbar lock feature.
- Right-click on the taskbar.
- If the option Lock the taskbar is checked, click it to uncheck it and turn off the taskbar lock.
After disabling the taskbar lock, try to open your internet browser or video player in fullscreen mode to see if the taskbar is still overlapping.
Method 6: Install Any Pending Windows Updates
Windows updates often contain important security, bug, and glitch fixes along with optimization improvements. Staying up-to-date could fix your issue with the taskbar showing over the screen.
If you want to check if you have any Windows Updates available for download, go to Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Updates.
On this page, click on Check for updates button to check for available downloads. If you use a metered connection, you will have to manually click on the Download button.
Method 7: Restart Your PC
A new restart of your computer might help cure your headache. Sometimes, the software we use might suffer from memory leaks which leads to filling up our virtual memory and RAM. Restart starts everything new!
Conclusion
You should now be able to use your computer in fullscreen without taskbar overlapping issues, the way it’s meant to be.
Staying up-to-date is very important nowadays and learning these basic fixes often could come in handy!
