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Give Your Taskbar some Breathing Room

Posted By : Chad of Data Doctors on June 1, 2006

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Is there a way to expand my bloated taskbar?

This question was answered on June 1, 2006. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.


This is one of my all-time favorite Windows tips, and it’s one of the first customizations I make on a new computer

After you open more than three or four programs, you’ll have trouble seeing which file or program goes with each taskbar button Here’s a great solution: increase the height of the taskbar to two lines (or even three), so you can see more buttons Aim the mouse pointer at the top edge of the taskbar until it turns to a two-headed arrow, then drag up to create an extra row If your screen resolution is 1024 X 768, you have room for at least two rows; at higher resolutions, you can comfortably use three rows.

After you finish this tweak, you’ll be able to see more taskbar buttons and their text labels You’ll also find that the small icons in the Quick Launch bar and the system notification area (the “tray” at the right of the taskbar) stack up as well, giving you a lot more room in these areas, too Even the clock changes appearance With a two-line taskbar, you see today’s day and date along with the current time.

You may need to unlock the taskbar before you can make any changes To do so, right-click the system clock and clear the check mark next to Lock the Taskbar You may also need to “unhide” the Quick Launch bar (right-click any empty space on the taskbar, click the Toolbars menu, and select the Quick Launch option) Drag the right edge of the Quick Launch bar to make it wide enough to hold your icons Remember to lock the taskbar after you finish.

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Posted by Chad of Data Doctors on June 1, 2006

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