How to Fix Windows 11 Taskbar Not Hiding Automatically

Quick Tips

• Open Task Manager > right-click Windows Explorer > Restart.
• Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > uncheck Automatically hide the taskbar box > wait and check the box again.
• Open Personalization Settings > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > uncheck Show badges on the taskbar apps box.

Fix 1: Restart Windows Explorer

The quickest way to remove any Taskbar issue is to restart the Windows Explorer. This eliminates any temporary bug or glitch causing the issue. You can restart the Windows Explorer by following the below instructions:

Step 1: Open Task Manager and right-click on Windows Explorer. Choose Restart.

Also Read: How to fix Windows 11 taskbar not working

Fix 2: Disable and Enable Auto-Hide Taskbar

Another quick way to eliminate the temporary bug or glitch is to disable and re-enable the auto-hide feature. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: Use the Windows + I key to open Settings. Go to Personalization and click on Taskbar.

Step 2: Click the Taskbar behaviors option.

Step 3: Uncheck the Automatically hide the taskbar box. Wait a few minutes and check the box again.

Fix 3: Disable Taskbar Badges and Flashing on Apps

If the Windows Taskbar doesn’t hide automatically, you can disable the Taskbar badges. This solution will be effective if the problem is caused by a specific application pinned to the Taskbar. To disable the Taskbar badges, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Settings. Go to Personalization and click on Taskbar.

Step 2: Click the Taskbar behaviors option.

Step 3: Uncheck the Show badges on the taskbar apps box.

Fix 4: Run SFC & DISM Scan

The problem can also result due to corruption in the important system files. Fortunately, you can run the SFC and DISM scan to detect and eliminate corrupt files. Here’s how to run these scans to fix the Taskbar not hiding issue:

Step 1: Open Command Prompt with administrator privileges and type the following command. Press enter to run it.

SFC /scannow

Step 2: Then, type the following commands and press enter after each command.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After the scan completes, restart your Windows 11 device and check if the issue has been resolved.

Fix 5: Perform a Clean Boot

The Taskbar can fail to hide due to the conflict between startup applications and Windows Explorer. You can solve this problem by starting your computer in the clean boot state. Once done, your computer boots with a minimal set of drivers and start a program. Follow these steps to do it:

Step 1: Open the System Configuration app and select the Selective Startup option. Then, switch to the Services tab.

Step 2: Check the Hide all Microsoft services box, click the Disable all button, and then OK.

Now, when you reboot your computer, it will start in the clean boot state. Check if the Taskbar auto-hide feature is working. If yes, one of the disabled services was the cause. Troubleshoot it to fix the issue.

Fix 6: Re-Register the Taskbar

If you’re still facing the auto-hide Taskbar not working issue, you’ll have to re-register the Taskbar as a last resort. This will reset all the Taskbar settings to their default values. You can reset the Windows Taskbar by following these instructions:

Step 1: Open Windows PowerShell as an administrator. Type the following command and press enter.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Wait till the process is complete. This may take some time as all the taskbar settings reset. After that, restart your computer, and check if this fixes the issue.