The issue of the Windows 10 taskbar not working has emerged as an irritable problem among the users in recent days. It has been observed that after Microsoft upgraded the simpler interface of the taskbar to a fancier one, problems about its growing unresponsiveness have been witnessed among a significant section of Windows 10 users.
There are several fixes available that will help you solve the Windows 10 bottom taskbar not working. Let’s plunge into the world of fixes and troubleshooting to get back our smoother and faster workflow.
Fixes To Windows 10 Taskbar Not Working
#1: Hide The Unnecessary Icons Or Junk Present On The Taskbar
The Windows 10 taskbar often looks crowded with several app icons, which creates clutter all over this little space of the taskbar. Obviously, there will be some app icons that you won’t use frequently, so it’s better to hide those apps to give the taskbar a clean appearance.
You can hide the elongated search bar present in the taskbar because you can enjoy the function of searching even by going to the Start button or pressing the Win button. Just right-click on the search bar and then select Search>Show search icon to make the search box take the shape of just a magnifying glass. Else, you can also click Hidden to hide the search box completely.
You may also hide the Cortana button as it is no longer much used by most of the users of Windows 10. Apart from all these, there are often several apps that are not much used but stay pinned to the taskbar. So, what you can do to decrease the load on the taskbar is just hide the least frequently used apps.
Often, it has been witnessed that clearing the taskbar of unimportant app icons decreases the load on it and enables it to function smoothly.
#2: Start The Explorer Process Again
Restarting the explorer.exe process is an excellent fix to the Windows 10 taskbar search not working. Since it controls the entire taskbar and Start Menu, restarting the Explorer resolves the taskbar problem.
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc and the Task Manager will be opened instantly. If you see just a window with not many options, click on More Details located at the bottom. Go to the Processes Tab and find out the Windows Explorer. Right-click on it and click on Restart.
The taskbar will now disappear for a few moments. But don’t worry, it will come back quickly. It is expected that from this time onwards it will start working properly.
Still, if the problem of the Windows 10 bottom taskbar not working doesn’t get solved, try restarting the machine.
#3: Look For Updates In The Windows And Driver
The prime cause behind the taskbar not working is often the drivers that have become outdated. So, it is advisable that you check for updates and install them immediately if you get any.
Besides, it is also essential for you to ensure if you have installed all the updates of Windows. Go to Settings>Update & Security>Windows Update. Download the available updates. Hopefully, the problem in your taskbar will now be solved.
#4: Fix To Missing Icons In The Windows 10 Taskbar
You might face the problem of the icons missing in the taskbar and the problem of the disappearance of the clock and other features at the lower right corner of the System Tray. The solution lies in delving deep into the command prompt.
To do this, press Win + X that will launch the Power User Menu. You can use it to launch the Command Prompt or Windows Powershell. Use either of these to fix the problem.
First, enter the command of sfc / scannow and then reboot the machine once the command entered has been completed. If this still doesn’t solve your issue, try running this another command.
Enter the command of DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, and you can expect the icons to appear again in the taskbar after you have rebooted the machine.
Also Read: How to Take Screenshot in Windows 10
#5: Fix to Windows 10 Taskbar Frozen
Has your taskbar frozen? Are you unable to click on anything? The solution lies in trying out the PowerShell fixes. Let’s see how it can be done.
Enter PowerShell in the start menu. Right-click on its entry and then select Run as administrator.
Enter the following command to register all the apps again.
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
After executing this command, move to:
Local Disk C>Users>[Username]>AppData>Local.
Look for the TileDataLayer named folder and then delete it. Spare a minute or two, and you will be able to click on the icons in the taskbar again, and the problem will be solved. The issue of Windows 10 right-click on taskbar not working may also be solved by applying this solution.
Conclusion
The fixes and solutions to Windows 10 Taskbar Not Working might seem a bit complex and intimidating initially, but if you give a proper reading of the steps, you will find this way too simple.
Entering the command in the command prompt is very easy. Just be sure if you are entering the correct command code with due punctuation and spaces as mentioned.
Stay worry-free if you witness abnormal behavior of your taskbar next time. Know that you can quickly solve the issue by wielding the remedies we suggested to you.
Hopefully, your problems related to the taskbar will be solved then! Good Luck!
