Locking the taskbar in Windows 7 can be useful for organizing your desktop, especially if you have chosen to customize it according to your needs and preferences. Once the taskbar is locked in place you won't have the option to resize, move or place it on a second monitor. Windows offers two simple methods to lock or unlock the taskbar.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Using the Context Menu of the Taskbar
Step 1. Access the Windows taskbar menu
Place the mouse pointer over an empty spot on the taskbar, then press the right button on the pointing device. The Windows taskbar, by default, is located at the bottom of the desktop, where the "Start" menu (or Windows logo) appears on the left end.
Step 2. Lock the taskbar in its current position
To do this, simply choose the "Lock the taskbar" option from the menu that appears. This way you will see a small blue check mark appear on the left side of the item under consideration, indicating that the taskbar has been successfully locked. At this point, you will no longer be able to resize it or move it to another place on the desktop until you repeat the steps described to unlock it.
Step 3. Place the taskbar along the sides of the screen
There are several ways to do this. Before locking it in place, try moving it to different places on the desktop to find the one that best suits your needs. You can dock the taskbar along one of the four sides of the screen. To do this, select an empty spot on the bar with the left mouse button then, without releasing it, move the mouse pointer to the side of the screen you want. If your computer has multiple monitors, you will also have the option to choose which to place the taskbar.
Step 4. Change the size of the taskbar
To do this, select the top side (if it is docked at the bottom of the desktop, in other cases you will have to select the side opposite to that of the screen to which it is docked). The mouse pointer should change icon to become: ↔. Press and hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer up or down (if the bar is positioned at the top or bottom of the desktop) or to the right or left (if the bar is positioned along the sides of the desktop).
Method 2 of 2: Use the Properties Menu on the Taskbar and Start Menu
Step 1. Enter the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" menu
You have two ways to do this.
- Right-click the "Start" button, the one you use to access the Windows menu of the same name, then choose the "Properties" option from the list that appears.
- Alternatively, right-click an empty spot on the taskbar, then choose the "Properties" option from the context menu that appeared.
Step 2. Lock the taskbar in its current position
Access the "Taskbar" tab of the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" window that appeared, then select the "Lock" check button located within the "Appearance of the taskbar" section.
From the same window you can also change other configuration settings, including the ability to enable the "Auto Hide" function, change the position of the bar and change the appearance of the buttons that compose it
Step 3. Apply the changes
To do this, press the Apply button located at the bottom right of the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" window, then press the OK button to save the new settings. At this point the Windows taskbar is locked in its current position, so you won't be able to move or resize it until you decide to unfold it again.
Advice
- The Windows 7 taskbar can be unlocked at any time by re-accessing its context menu or the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" window, and then deselecting the "Lock the settings bar" option (in the first case) or "Block" (in the second).
- If you need to hide the Windows 7 taskbar for more desktop space, access the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" window by following the instructions described in the relevant method in the article, then select the check button "Hide automatically". After applying and saving configuration changes, the taskbar will only appear automatically when the mouse pointer moves to the position where it is currently docked.
- To dock an application icon on the Windows taskbar, select it with the right mouse button, then choose the "Pin to taskbar" option from the context menu that appears. At this point you will still be able to change the position of the icons on the taskbar, according to your needs, but to delete them you will have to choose the option "Remove from the taskbar" from the relative context menu.
- If you are unable to locate the taskbar or the "Start" button, you can access the "Start" menu by pressing the ⊞ Win key on your keyboard or by pressing the key combination Ctrl + Esc. This way the taskbar will be displayed on the screen even when the "Auto Hide" function is active or if an application window is temporarily hiding it.
- The Windows 7 taskbar does not have the "Always on Top" feature. If a program or application window is hiding it, check if it has the "Always on top" option and if it is active, as it is this setting that allows it to occupy the entire screen by obstructing the window. access to the taskbar.
