Start or Task Bar Missing

If we have a task bar missing from Windows, what causes this? how can we get it back?

Reasons for a lost task bar

The most common reason for a start menu missing is the simple fact it’s off the screen, to rectify this put your cursor to the bottom of the screen and it will change to a vertical double ended arrow, now click and while holding move the cursor upwards, now you will hopefully see the lost task bar

Another reason we experience a task bar missing is when the monitors resolution is too small for the screen, when this happens many screens will still use the resolution, but that will mean the image will move or scroll when the cursor reaches the edge, to fix this right click on the desktop and lower the screens resolution.

The next reason we may find the task bar missing is the settings, if you find the task bar seems to move up when you move the cursor near to it and then vanishes when you move the cursor away this can be fixed by moving the cursor onto the task bar, when it pops up > right click > select properties > Look for the option Auto-hide the taskbar and make sure this is not ticked.

The task bar can be moved to any edge of the screen and as such it can be easy to move this without realising how it’s done and can then be a pain to move back into place.
So if you find your task bar in the wrong place, you’ll need to click and hold in the small area between the start menu button and the quick launch group, click and hold in this area and you’ll be able to move the taskbar to wherever you wish.

By clicking holding and dragging on the area represented by the vertical red line on the above image the Task Bar can be move to any side of the screen.

If your finding that the Taskbar is not moving no matter what you try, check that its not locked in position, Right click on the task bar > make sure Lock the Taskbar is not ticked.

Notes
All of the above also applies if you have the Start Menu missing as well, as this is part of the usual task bar missing problem

Task bar missing
Find out about system restore if all else fails fixing your lost task bar

Windows Problems and fixes
For more on Windows problems fixes and how to guides

If the Task bar is not missing but frozen and you cannot get any response from clicking on it, usually giving it a few minutes will return it to normal, this can happen when one of the applications in the notification area is either busy or not loading. Go into task manager by hitting CTRL – ALT – DEL keys together, now look at the processes to see which is causing the problem, or which application is not responding.
Applications which update frequently or run themselves such as spyware, antivirus or maintenance apps are the most usual suspects, and my take even longer if they are unable to carry out a task such as updating.

Can't Find What you're Looking for?
Checkout our Custom Site Search..

computer adviser home page

computer adviser task bar missing article