How to Move the Taskbar to a Different Monitor

Having a second monitor is useful for moving more of your workflow to another screen, but what happens when the taskbar doesn’t come along for the ride? If you’re trying to get your taskbar on one or more of your monitors, then let this article be your guide.

How to Move the Taskbar to a Different Monitor

There are quite a few ways to move your taskbar or duplicate it on a different monitor. This might add to your confusion about where to start. Never fear, we’ve assembled a few surefire methods below.

Drag Your Taskbar

Let’s begin with a simple method: dragging the taskbar to the other monitor. You might think this is impossible, seeing as the taskbar is locked by default (unlike in older versions of Windows), but moving it is still possible. Here’s what to do:

Step 1. Right-click on an empty area on your taskbar.

Step 2. From the context menu that pops up, click “Lock the taskbar” to uncheck it.

Step 3. From here, click and drag your taskbar to the desktop of the secondary monitor. You can also position it on any edge of the screen.

Step 4. Right-click the taskbar and choose “Lock the taskbar” again to lock it in place if you want.

Make a Different Monitor Your Main Display

If you’re going to be using your other monitor quite often and need the taskbar regularly, why not make it your main display? This can be easily done through Settings. Here’s what to do:

Step 1. Open up Settings (Win + I) and choose “Display.”

Step 2. On Windows 11, scroll down to “Multiple Displays” and click it. On Windows 10, navigate down to the “Multiple Displays” section.

Step 3. Check the box next to “Make this my main display,” and your taskbar and desktop icons should be moved over to your secondary monitor.

If this option does not appear, it may be because your displays are duplicated. Press (Win + P) to bring up the projection screen and choose “Extend” from the options provided.

Personalize Your Taskbar

If you want the taskbar on all displays by default, then you can also do this through the Settings menu. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1. Open up Settings (Win + I) and navigate to “Personalization.”

Step 2. Click the “Taskbar” section in Windows 11 from the main window and from the sidebar in Windows 10.

Step 3. Scroll down to the “Multiple Displays” section and drag the “Show taskbar on all displays” slider to “On for Windows 10.” For Windows 11, make sure to check the “Show my taskbar on all displays” under “Taskbar behaviors.”

Duplicating Your Display

If you need not only your taskbar, but the entire desktop mirrored on another monitor, you can easily do so by mirroring your screen. Here’s what to do:

Step 1. Connect your other monitor.

Step 2. Press (Win + P) or one of your function keys (shortcuts vary) to open the “Project” menu.

Step 3. Choose “Duplicate” to mirror your entire desktop (including taskbar) on the other monitor.