To change the taskbar size in Windows 11, open Settings, select Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, and set Taskbar size to Small. The taskbar gets shorter and its icons shrink. If you don’t see Taskbar size, your PC doesn’t have the update that adds it yet, and changing the display Scale is the supported fallback.
Applies to: Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2 and 26H1 with the August or September 2026 updates or later. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
What you need before you start
Windows 11 originally shipped without any taskbar size control. Microsoft added the Taskbar size setting in 2026, so whether you have it depends on which update is installed:
| Windows 11 version | Update that adds Taskbar size | OS build |
|---|---|---|
| 24H2 | KB5120998 (August 27, 2026) | 26100.9278 or later |
| 25H2 | KB5120998 (August 27, 2026) | 26200.9278 or later |
| 26H1 | KB5124006 (September 22, 2026) | 28000.3086 or later |
To see which version you have, right-click Start, choose Settings, select System, and then select About. Your edition and version are listed under Windows specifications.
Microsoft describes this feature as a gradual rollout. That means a PC can have the right update installed and still wait a while before the setting appears. Nothing is wrong with your PC if that happens.
How to change the taskbar size in Windows 11
- Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings. The Settings app opens on the Personalization > Taskbar page. You can also get there by opening Settings and selecting Personalization, then Taskbar.
- Scroll down to Taskbar behaviors. On updated PCs this section is already expanded. If it’s collapsed, select it to open it.
- Find Taskbar size and open its menu.
- Select Small. Both the icons and the height of the taskbar get smaller, which frees up a little room for your apps. Start, Search, and the system tray (the area with the clock and status icons) stay on the taskbar.
- Close Settings and look at the taskbar to check the new size.
Microsoft’s support notes for this feature are in the KB5120998 update article, and the rest of the page is covered in Customize the taskbar in Windows.
What the Small setting does and doesn’t do
Windows 11 gives you two taskbar sizes: the standard one and Small. Microsoft built the smaller option to save screen space on smaller devices. If you are shrinking the taskbar to recreate the older look, our guide to making the Windows 11 taskbar look like Windows 10 covers the other settings to change.
- It changes two things together. Icon size and taskbar height shrink as a pair. You can’t shrink one without the other.
- There’s no size larger than standard. Microsoft’s documentation describes only a smaller option. To make the taskbar bigger, use display scaling, covered below.
- You can’t drag the edge. Windows 10 let you unlock the taskbar and drag its edge to resize it. Microsoft’s Windows 11 documentation describes only the setting in the Settings app. If you’re on the older system, see how to make the taskbar bigger or smaller in Windows 10.
- It works only at the top or bottom. The same updates add a Taskbar position setting that can put the taskbar at the bottom, top, left, or right of the screen. Microsoft says the smaller taskbar is currently supported only for the top and bottom positions.
Make the taskbar bigger (or smaller) with display scaling
Use this method if you want a larger taskbar, or if your PC doesn’t have Taskbar size yet. Scaling isn’t a taskbar setting. It changes the size of text, apps, and other items across Windows, and the taskbar changes along with them.
- Open Settings and select System, then Display.
- Go to the Scale & layout section.
- Select Scale and choose a percentage. A higher number makes the taskbar and everything else bigger. A lower number makes them smaller. The option Windows suggests for your screen is marked (Recommended).
- Look at the taskbar and at an app you use often, and check that text is still comfortable to read.
Leave Display resolution on its (Recommended) value. Microsoft notes that a resolution that isn’t your screen’s native one can make text look less sharp, so it’s a poor way to resize the taskbar.
If the icons are your real concern, our guide on making taskbar icons bigger in Windows 11 goes further into scaling.
Free up screen space without resizing the taskbar
If the taskbar is covering the bottom of your windows, two other settings on the same page may solve the problem better than a size change.
Hide the taskbar until you need it
- Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
- Select Taskbar behaviors.
- Select Automatically hide the taskbar. The taskbar slides out of view.
- To bring it back, move your mouse to the bottom edge of the screen, or touch that edge on a touchscreen.
Use the tablet-optimized taskbar on a 2-in-1
On a 2-in-1 device, Windows switches to a tablet-optimized taskbar when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard. It has two states, collapsed and expanded. The setting that controls it is Optimize taskbar for touch interactions when this device is used as a tablet, under Taskbar behaviors. If your taskbar changes size on its own when you detach the keyboard, this is the reason.
Remove items you don’t use
On the Taskbar settings page, you can turn off Widgets and Task view, and set Search to Search icon only or Hide. To remove an app, right-click its icon on the taskbar and select Unpin from taskbar. None of this changes the taskbar’s height, but it leaves more room for the apps you have open.
How to confirm the change or undo it
After you choose Small, the taskbar should be visibly shorter and its icons smaller. If you have more than one monitor and Show my taskbar on all displays is turned on, check the other screens too.
To undo it, go back to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size and pick the standard-size option instead of Small. To undo a scaling change, return to Settings > System > Display and set Scale back to the value marked (Recommended).
Troubleshooting
Taskbar size isn’t in Settings
Your PC either doesn’t have the update or hasn’t received the feature yet.
- Select Start > Settings > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
- If updates are available, select Download & install, and restart when Windows asks you to.
- Open Taskbar settings again and look under Taskbar behaviors.
If the update from the table above is installed and the setting still isn’t there, restart the PC once. Microsoft noted during preview testing that some PCs needed a restart before the taskbar improvements showed up. After that it’s a matter of waiting for the gradual rollout to reach your device. Use display scaling in the meantime.
The taskbar stays the same size after you choose Small
Check Taskbar position in the same section. The smaller taskbar is supported only when the taskbar is at the top or bottom of the screen, so move it there first if it’s on the left or right.
The taskbar suddenly looks huge or tiny
This usually comes from a display change, not a taskbar setting. After you connect a different monitor, a TV, or a dock, open Settings > System > Display and confirm that Scale and Display resolution are both on their (Recommended) values. On a 2-in-1, also check the tablet setting described above.
You’re on a work or school PC
Organizations can manage taskbar settings on the devices they own through policy. If the option is missing or you can’t change it on a managed PC, ask your IT administrator.
An older tutorial tells you to edit the Registry
Before Microsoft added this setting, many guides relied on Registry edits or add-on apps to resize the taskbar. Microsoft’s documentation describes only the Settings option, so those workarounds aren’t supported and can stop working or cause layout problems after an update. Use the built-in setting or display scaling instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the Windows 11 taskbar smaller without third-party software?
Yes. On a PC with the 2026 updates listed above, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors and set Taskbar size to Small.
Can I make the Windows 11 taskbar taller?
Not with a taskbar setting. Microsoft documents only a smaller option. Raising Scale under Settings > System > Display makes the taskbar larger, along with everything else on screen.
Does the Small setting make only the icons smaller?
No. According to Microsoft, when the setting is Small, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller.
Why don’t I have the Taskbar size option when my friend does?
The feature arrived with specific 2026 updates and is rolling out gradually, so two up-to-date PCs can differ for a while. Check for updates, restart, and look again later.
Can I move the taskbar and shrink it at the same time?
Yes, as long as it’s at the top or bottom. The smaller taskbar isn’t currently supported when Taskbar position is set to the left or right side.
Will changing the scale affect my apps?
Yes. Scale changes the size of text and apps across Windows, not only the taskbar. Pick it when you want everything larger or smaller, and use Taskbar size when you only want a slimmer taskbar.
Once the taskbar is the size you want, the same Taskbar behaviors section is the place to set its position and alignment.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.