Taskbar is being laid behind tabs

Lucy LostWord 0 Reputation points
2026-10-05T18:34:05.66+00:00

Hello! Since I registered today to hop on another question that I also had, I might as well write one of my own for a problem I have been having for a while that is driving me up the wall.

It's about my arch-nemesis, the taskbar, which, to be fair, I have had a love-hate relationship well before it started doing this, but this really gets me mad. For whatever cursed reason, when I put my cursor on the bottom of the screen to pull up the taskbar, it WILL NOT APPEAR unless I fidget around with the tab (i.e. moving it around while not fully maximized), and I discovered that, it does this because it is, and I don't know why, behind the tabs. That is not how the taskbar works. If this is an intentional feature, then what a stupid feature it is, but if it's a bug, I'd like it fixed because it has stressed me out for so long now.

And, to help any kind souls wishing to assist me with this, here are some pictures.

What it should be doing:Screenshot (1587)

And what it should NOT be doing:Screenshot (1586)

Thank you for your help.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Task Bar
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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-05T18:34:29.8666667+00:00

    This is not expected taskbar behavior in Windows 11. A practical first path is:

    1. Confirm auto-hide is the setting involved
      Go to Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors.
      Check whether Automatically hide the taskbar is enabled.
    2. Toggle auto-hide off and back on
      In the same Taskbar behaviors section, clear Automatically hide the taskbar, then enable it again.
      This resets the behavior Windows uses to reveal the taskbar.
    3. Check whether the problem happens only with certain apps or windows
      Some windows, especially fullscreen-style or borderless windows, can affect whether the taskbar stays visible. If it only happens with specific apps, that points to the app window behavior rather than the taskbar setting itself.
    4. If using more than one display, review multiple-display taskbar behavior
      In Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, expand the multiple display options and verify the taskbar settings there, since multi-monitor handling can affect taskbar behavior.
    5. Restart Windows Explorer
      Open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click it, and select Restart.
      This refreshes the shell that controls the taskbar and can correct cases where the taskbar appears behind windows.

    The screenshots and description match reports where the taskbar behaves as though it is behind open windows instead of appearing when the pointer reaches the bottom edge. The supported settings available in Windows 11 are mainly under Taskbar behaviors, especially Automatically hide the taskbar.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Norah-L 11,430 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-07T09:23:35.3066667+00:00

    Hi Lucy LostWord,

    Thank you for sharing the screenshot.

    From what you described, I understand that when you open a window, it covers the taskbar instead of appearing in front of them.

    I found several reports describing similar behavior, where open windows appear in front of the taskbar. However, I could not find an official Microsoft confirmation that this is a known Windows bug.

    As a possible workaround, you can review this post from GitHub: RudeWindowFixer: fix Windows taskbar always-on-top issues which is designed to keep the Windows taskbar above open windows. Please note that this method recommends a third-party utility, so please review its GitHub page carefully and create a restore point before using it.

    Optional method: If you are using NVIDIA’s In-Game Overlay, please temporarily disable it and check whether the taskbar behaves normally.

    If the issue continues, press Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter. Please share the Windows version and OS build shown there. Also let me know whether the taskbar is hidden behind every window or only when opening pictures or browser tabs.

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