How to Fix the Windows Taskbar Not Working Issue

While using a Windows PC, the first thing you interact with is either your Desktop or Taskbar. The thin bar, usually at the bottom of your screen (by default), holds icons for applications and your start menu.

The Taskbar is a built-in Windows utility that makes finding and running applications easy. It can also be used to simplify PC usage by pinning the most regularly used applications.

However, as crucial as this utility is, you may encounter several errors while using it. Some of these errors include the Windows Taskbar not working or freezing, etc.

If you are familiar with such issues or have faced them firsthand, you know exactly what we are discussing. Generally, a simple restart resolves the problems. However, if they keep coming back, what can be done? How can the Windows Taskbar not working issue on your PC be fixed?

That is exactly the question we will answer in this post.

Common Taskbar Issue on Windows

To understand these errors, you must first understand why these errors appear. There are two possible reasons behind such situations –

• One, the application you are trying to run is facing an issue.
• Secondly, the Taskbar cannot process the request due to some errors.

If the issue is related to a particular application, other components of the Taskbar respond properly. However, if it doesn’t, the error lies with the Taskbar. So what can be the error in a Taskbar? Here is a list of situations you can count as a Taskbar error –

Windows Taskbar is not responding – One of the most common issues users encounter is the not responding error on Windows. It usually occurs with File Explorer. However, it is also a problem that bothers the Taskbar often

Taskbar is unable to open applications –The issue is similar to the situation mentioned above. When you click on a pinned application, there is no response, and the process goes into an unknown zone. The app is not open.

Frozen Taskbar error on Windows 10/11 – The Taskbar on Windows 11/10, in particular, often freezes. It is similar to the Windows Taskbar not responding. However, you do not have the option to end the task as you often get when the Taskbar stops working.

Unable to pin applications to the Taskbar – Have you ever come across an issue where you have selected an application to pin on the Taskbar, but it won’t show on it? If yes, then do not panic, as it is a genuine issue users have faced in the past

Taskbar auto hide/show not working on Windows – Many users prefer the auto hide/show feature of the Taskbar as it allows them to utilize the screen to its fullest. But, sometimes, the feature becomes an issue when it stops working due to a Taskbar error.

Unable to access the jump list from the Taskbar – A jump list is another handy feature that comes with the Taskbar. You might have seen a slide-up list where you can see your recently opened file in an application or folders visited in Explorer. If you are unable to access this list, chances are that your Taskbar has issues that require attention.

The Taskbar Widgets not working on Windows 11/10 – In the latest versions of Windows (11 and 10), a dedicated search bar is added as a widget. You have other widget options, too. But sometimes, the Windows taskbar does not show icons, and an error appears. This is because these widgets can malfunction and hamper your overall experience.

All these issues fall in the category of the taskbar not showing to its full capacity. The issues may appear differently. However, the resolutions for these can be similar. In the next section, you will find 5 solutions you can apply if you have any of these issues.  

Must Read: How to Find Existing Driver Versions on Your Windows PC

Ways to Fix Windows Taskbar Not Working Issue

1. Restart Your Windows Explorer Process

If troubleshooting did not resolve the issue, try restarting the explorer process using your Taskbar. Here’s how to do it – 

• Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager. 
• Look for the processes in the Task Manager window and find Windows Explorer.
  
• Right-click on it and then click on Restart to stop the process and start again.

Restarting the explorer closes all the Windows applications, including the Taskbar, and reboots it from scratch. Restarting a PC or any application often fixes all the issues. Hence you should try it before trying any other fix. If this works, good for you. However, if it doesn’t, do not worry, as we have also explained other ways!

2. Start Windows Troubleshooter

After the restarting fails, you should try to run basic troubleshooting to identify and resolve the error.

• Press Windows + I to open settings.
• Scroll down to find the Troubleshoot option.
• Click on it to explore various troubleshooting options.
• Click on Other Troubleshooters.
• Scroll down to find Windows Store Apps troubleshooter and click on Run. 
• Once you click run, follow the prompts on your screen and let the process finish. 

Once the process is complete, let the changes sync. It should resolve the issue if it is a basic one, however, if it doesn’t check out the next fix. 

3. Check for Windows & Driver Updates

Sometimes when a Windows service (like the Taskbar) starts showing an error, it is due to missing Windows updates or outdated system drivers. To be sure that the same is not causing the error, go to your Windows settings and check for Windows updates on your PC. 

To look for the latest updates, follow these steps – 

• Go to Windows settings. (use the Windows+I shortcut for quick access)
• In the left panel, look for Windows Updates, and click on it to open. 
• Click on check for updates and make sure you are connected to the internet.
• The system will connect to the Windows server to look for the latest updates.
  
• If the updates find an update that you have not installed yet, click on download and install to update your PC.

Usually, these Windows updates also bring crucial driver updates along them. However, when they do not, you may require an external driver updater. That is where the Advanced Driver Updater might come in handy. 

The application is truly the best available alternative to find, fetch, and install the latest driver updates easily on your PC. You can use the application instantly once you have downloaded it. 

The smooth scanning process and auto driver download make it convenient to get the latest driver updates. Try the Advanced Driver Updater yourself to realize what we mean by sheer convenience. 

4. Use PowerShell to Fix the Taskbar (Advanced)

Now, if updating the drivers does not solve the problem, you might need to take the level of fixes up a notch. You can fix the Taskbar that keeps freezing or Taskbar auto hide/show not working using the PowerShell utility on your Windows PC. Keep in mind that this requires advanced knowledge of the PC and hence follow the steps given carefully. 

• Go to your Start Menu and search for Windows PowerShell
• Once you get the result open it as administrator. 
• In the Windows PowerShell, Use the command.
  

– Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}

• Simply copy the above-mentioned command, paste it in the PowerShell and hit enter.
• The command will run and your screen will look something like this.
• Once the command has run successfully, close the PowerShell and go to the appdata folder on your PC. Use the destination address as – 
  

  C:/Users/your_username/AppData/Local/

• In the opened folder look for a subfolder named TileDataLayer. 
• Select the folder and delete it from the destination.

It works as an invasive fix that allows the PowerShell to remove the freezing and not responding properties of the Taskbar. The approach is effective for Taskbar issues on Windows. Keep in mind that if you do not remove any other folder else, you might lose your crucial data.

5. Initiate Application Identity Service on Windows Using Services

Another way to handle issues related to the Windows Taskbar not showing properly on Windows is to start the Application Identity Service on your PC. Here’s how you do it – 

• Press Windows + R to open the Run search
• In the run search, use command services. msc and hit enter. 
• This will open the list of available services on the Windows OS.
• Find the Application Identity service and right-click on it to start the service.

Starting this service determines any issues with the Windows services including your Taskbar. This service makes sure that if an App locker is bothering the use of the Taskbar, it is closed instantly and the issue is resolved. 

6. Run DISM to Restore Taskbar Health

If everything you have tried so far is not working, you should try to restore your PC’s health by running the ultimate troubleshooting command. The DISM command is usually applied when your PC is not acting properly and keeps showing errors related to Windows utility apps, like the Taskbar.

Here are the steps you need to follow – 

Step 1 – Go to the Start menu and find Command Prompt. Launch it as administrator.

Step 2 – In the opened command prompt Window, use the following command and hit enter – dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Step 3 – Once the command has run successfully, exit the command prompt and restart your PC to check if the Taskbar is working properly or not.

With this health restore, you can practically bring back the performance of your PC to its peak, from where it began deteriorating.

7. Uninstall Security Update

Also, if you believe that the error appeared after you recently installed a security update on your PC, you can try to uninstall the same to revert. This will help you get your previous working state back to normal. Here’s how you uninstall it –

Step 1 – Press Win+I to open System Settings
Step 2 – From the left pane, select Windows Updates.
Step 3 – Go to Update History in Windows Update and then scroll down to find Uninstall Updates.

Step 4 – Find the list of updates that can be uninstalled. Check the most recent and select.

Step 5 – Click on the Uninstall button to initiate the process.

Once you have uninstalled the updates, restart your PC and check if the Windows Taskbar not working issue is resolved.

Windows Taskbar Issues Fixed Instantly!

No matter what sort of issue you are facing from the mentioned list, the above fixes can assist you to fix the laptop Taskbar not working properly on your Windows 11/10 PC. Use all of them and you will see a difference. Other than these fixes, if you still struggle with the issue, you might require to reset your PC and reinstall your operating system.

That is all for this post, hope the fixes are enough to give you a better experience with your Taskbar. If you have any confusion or queries, feel free to use the comments section to drop them. Good luck

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