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How Do I Move the Taskbar Back to the Bottom?

Occasionally, the Windows taskbar can end up on either side (or even the top of) your screen. I'll show you how to move the taskbar bar back to the bottom.

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My taskbar’s on the right side of my screen. How do I move the taskbar back to the bottom where it belongs?

The taskbar can actually be placed on any edge of your screen. In fact, if you have multiple monitors, it can be be placed on any edge of any display.

Occasionally — usually through a misclick or accidental mouse action — the taskbar can get moved to somewhere other than where we want it.

So, let’s move the taskbar back.

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Move the taskbar back

  1. Right click in an unused area of the taskbar.
  2. Make sure that “Lock the taskbar” is unchecked.
  3. Left click and hold in that unused area of the taskbar.
  4. Drag the taskbar to the side of your screen on which you want it.
  5. Release the mouse.
  6. Now right-click, and this time, ensure that “Lock the taskbar” is checked.

Here’s a short video:

Move the Taskbar

(Click here for a larger version.)

Why does the taskbar move on its own?

The most common cause for taskbar migration is that the taskbar was unlocked (which enables this kind of movement), and somehow this click-and-drag approach mistakenly happened. For example, perhaps you were moving something in another application, but “overshot” with the mouse click and ended up moving the taskbar instead.

Of course other types of mouse movement, and even the occasional bug, could result in the taskbar being moved to somewhere it’s not supposed to be.

One of the reasons we “Lock the taskbar” after moving it back into place is to prevent this type of accidental movement in the future.

Was this article helpful?

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This is an update to an article originally posted January 22, 2007

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Comments

  1. The taskbar is usually kept at the bottom of the screen, but there are some results that show that for most people it’s better to have it at the top. Certainly that is where I have mine and I certainly find it easier to have it there.

    • What you said brings up an interesting point. There are many ways to improve the usability of an interface. Companies like Microsoft spend a lot of time and money in researching these, but when they implement the change, what people really want is what they’re used to.

  2. nothing come up when i click the space area on my task bar to move the task bar at the bottom

  3. Man I thank you! It has been forever since I did something like that and my mind went blank thinking oh great now I waste a lot of time figuring it out when I read your excellent reminder and WahLah!!! THANK YOU!!

  4. Thanks for your help
    after one year just now i placed my desktop taskbar at the botttom

  5. My taskbar has moved (apparently of its own accord) to the vertical and all the clicking and dragging as per instructions on this site doesn’t work to get it back horizontal. I have made sure it is unlocked so why won’t it move / how can I move it?

  6. Thank you so much! i hate having the taskbar on any other side. i need it to be on the bottom, im just used to it. this really helped.

  7. Thank you very much, Leo. I cannot tell you how many times you have helped me when strange things have occured on my computer. For me, the real culprit was not locking my taskbar. An oversight on my part that will not happen again. 🙂

  8. I was able to return my toolbar back to it’s original location in about 1.5 seconds 🙂 Thank you for the tip and time saver , Leo ! Eric 🙂

  9. A mega thank you for the tip on the task bar. I’ve been in despair for 3 days, trying to figure it out. Also bookmarking the tip in the event of another occurrence. Have a great week!!!:))

  10. I want to move my taskbar to the left of the screen. It is unlocked, but when I drag and drop it the screen flashes black, then resets the desktop with the taskbar back at the bottom and desktop icons moved into top left of the screen. The same thing occurs when I go to properties and switch the drop down menu to ‘left’.

    Please, someone help me, I’ve had my taskbar to the left for years, the fact that it is stuck on the bottom is driving me crazy.

  11. Thanks Leo. I have been right clicking, but not dragging. Now my task bar is where I want it. Such a simple task.
    I locked it this time.

    Thanks again!

  12. Tried many OTHER sites for a Remedy , they were all incomplete and ambiguous …LEO , your site is simple and easy to follow !! Thanks ever so much for your REASONABLE EASY TO FOLLOW Remedy …you deserve the GOLD ….and I for one will look for your INPUT on all my PC Problems ..You are the BEST

  13. Thanks so much for your help. At first I didn’t read your instructions carefully & I clicked on my left instead of my right or visa versa??? Once I read it again & REALLY followed your directions, it worked perfectly & I moved the taskbar back to the bottom. Now I have locked it & hopefully I won’t have to go through this again! I need to be more careful when I read the instructions & make sure I actually follow them. Unfortunately, my 72 year old brain doesn’t work as good as it used to so I know I will be referring to your site often. Thanks again.

  14. thank you leo l have been trying to move my taskbar for 2 days getting very frustratted so l thought to google it your name was at the top you

    following your instructions done it first time well dne leo

  15. Thank you so much. Think my mouse is going. It doesn’t want to copy or move things when I want it to, but likes to do stuff I don’t want it to like moving my task bar from one place to another. You are very kind to share this info.

  16. THANK YOU FOR THE EASY INSTRUCTIONS! I may have a MS in healthcare, but I did not know how to move the taskbar from when my kiddos changed it, and this was the easiest and quickest way/instructions. Thanks again!!!

  17. Thank You very much! This is helpful if sometime it happens. I usually forget this and try to drag but doesn’t work but when i read this it always works. Fixed in like 5 secs.

    Plus do you have anything for when your icons dont appear on the home screen. Like mine go on the home screen but dont come up and they disappear. Because i used to have lot then one day they just disappeard and now I am cant put icons on my homescreen (desktop screen i meant) If you do please email me and thank you very much

  18. I cant drag the bar anywhere it is on the side of my computer but i want it on the bottom i use windows 10 how do i move it

  20. I was at my wits’ end trying to get back my vertical taskbar to it’s original position. So glad I happen to find your website which solved my problem.
    Thank you !! I’m your latest fan.

  21. Only screen my taskbar shows on is my desktop. Whenever I sign on to any page the taskbar does not show at the bottom of the screen. How do I get it to show at the bottom of all screens

  22. I thought Cortana would fix this but I was wrong. Your helpful fix-its made my computing headache go away

  23. IN MY BOTTOM DESTOP BAR ITS AUTOMATICALLY INCREASED … I AM NOT GETTING TO IN PROPER POSITION

  24. Thank you for the information about how to move the task bar back to it’s right place. Video was easy to understand and follow.
    Brilliant. Look forward to receiving your newsletter.

  25. I appreciate all the “thank you’s”, but they’re not adding much value for the readers who come after, so I’m turning off comments on this post. 🙂

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