What is taskbar on windows xp

The Start in earlier versions of Windows contained items such as Find and Run , the functionality of which was included in Search programs and files in Windows Vista and later. The Quick Launch bar, available in versions of Windows earlier than Windows 7, contains shortcuts to applications. Windows provides default entries, such as Windows Internet Explorer, and the user can add any further shortcuts that they choose.

Icons in this area respond to a single click. In Windows 7 and later, this functionality is included in the taskbar buttons. The Shell places a button on the taskbar whenever an application creates an unowned window—that is, a window that does not have a parent and that has the appropriate extended style bits see Managing Taskbar Buttons , below.

To switch to a window, the user clicks its window button. This functionality has been greatly expanded as of Windows 7. For more information, see Taskbar Extensions.

Applications can put icons in the notification area to indicate the status of an operation or to notify the user about an event. For example, an application might put a printer icon in the notification area to show that a print job is under way. However, in Windows 7 and later, some of the information previously provided by the notification area should be provided through an application's taskbar button. The notification area is located at the right edge of the taskbar if the taskbar is horizontal or at the bottom if the taskbar is vertical.

For more information, see Notifications and the Notification Area. The notification area also displays the current time if that option is selected. The option is found as:. The user can right-click the taskbar to display the shortcut menu. The shortcut menu includes commands to cascade windows, stack windows, show windows side-by-side, show the desktop, start Task Manager, and set taskbar properties. The shortcut menu also provides the option to add or remove a set of toolbars from the taskbar.

For more information, see Implementing Band Objects. Note that as of Windows 7, the taskbar and the notification area have separate shortcut menus. These shortcut menus share some options, such as window arrangement, and add others. The taskbar supports two display options: Auto-Hide and, in Windows Vista and earlier only, Always On Top the taskbar is always in this mode in Windows 7 and later. To set these options, the user must open the taskbar shortcut menu, click Properties , and select or clear the Auto-hide the taskbar check box or the Keep the taskbar on top of other windows check box.

The work area is the portion of the screen not obscured by the taskbar. It is possible to cover the taskbar by explicitly setting the size of the window rectangle equal to the size of the screen with SetWindowPos. Also particular to those systems, if the taskbar is set to Always On Top, it will remain hidden only while the application is the foreground application.

The Shell creates a button on the taskbar whenever an application creates a window that isn't owned. Sorry this didn't help. Thanks for your feedback. Does anyone know if or how you can get the XP style and color Taskbar back? This thread is locked.

You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread. I have the same question 6. Report abuse. Details required :. Cancel Submit. This setting shows each window as an individual, labeled button. When the taskbar becomes crowded, apps with multiple open windows collapse into a single app button. Select the button to see a list of the windows that are open. This setting shows each window as an individual, labeled button and never combines them, no matter how many windows are open.

As more apps and windows open, buttons get smaller, and eventually the buttons will scroll. Select Taskbar settings. Scroll down to Multiple Displays and select from the Combine taskbar buttons on other taskbars list. If you want to show more of your apps on the taskbar, you can show smaller versions of the buttons.

Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar, select Taskbar settings , and then select On for Use small taskbar buttons. Note: Badges aren't displayed on small taskbar buttons. A badge on a taskbar button is an alert to let you know that some activity is happening or needs to happen with that app.

Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar, and select Taskbar settings. Scroll down to Show badges on taskbar buttons and set the toggle as desired. Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar, select Taskbar settings , and then turn on Use Peek to preview the desktop when you move your mouse to the Show desktop button at the end of the taskbar.

Move the mouse pointer over or press and hold the far-right edge of the taskbar to see the desktop. To restore the view of all your open windows, move the pointer away or press and hold the edge one more time.

Turn on either Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode or Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode or both. Select Colors and scroll down to Show accent color on the following surfaces. Select Start, taskbar, and action center. Windows 11 Windows 10 More Pin an app to the taskbar Pin an app directly to the taskbar for quick access when you're on the desktop. Open Taskbar settings Move the mouse over, or press, the far-right edge of the taskbar to see the desktop.

Press and hold or right-click any empty space on the taskbar. You can add the battery icon to the taskbar. Set the toggle for Power to On. Open Taskbar settings You can check battery status by selecting the battery icon in the taskbar.

Select from the list: Always, hide labels. If you use multiple displays, you can make a different choice for your extra displays.

Select Off to return to the larger taskbar buttons. Open Taskbar settings Note: Badges aren't displayed on small taskbar buttons. Open Taskbar settings Move the mouse pointer over or press and hold the far-right edge of the taskbar to see the desktop. Need more help? Join the discussion. Was this information helpful? Yes No. Thank you! Any more feedback?