two task bars showing

Hughie Thomas 0 Reputation points
2026-10-29T03:38:59.8566667+00:00

I have two task bars at the bottom of my home screen. How do I get rid of the extra one?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Task Bar
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  1. Emma1-N 14,925 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-31T04:49:16.56+00:00

    Welcome Hughie Thomas,

    Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that two taskbars are showing at the bottom of your screen and you would like to remove the extra one.

    To help narrow this down, could you please share:

    • Does the second taskbar look exactly like the normal one, with the Start button and the same pinned icons, or does it look different?
    • Did this start after a Windows update, a driver update or a new app installation?

    Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following:

    1, Toggle the taskbar auto-hide setting to refresh its position

    • Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
    • Expand Taskbar behaviors and check Automatically hide the taskbar.
    • Wait a few seconds, then uncheck it again.

    2, Update the display driver

    • Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
    • Expand Display adapters, right-click your graphics adapter and select Update driver, then choose Search automatically for drivers.

    3, Test with a new user account

    • Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users and select Add account.
    • Select I don't have this person's sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
    • Sign in to the new account. If only one taskbar appears there, the issue is likely tied to your current user profile.

    4, Perform a clean boot to check for background app conflicts

    • Press Windows + R, type msconfig and press Enter.
    • On the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all.
    • On the Startup tab, select Open Task Manager and disable each startup item.
    • Restart the PC. If the extra taskbar is gone, re-enable the items one at a time to find the cause. Afterward, return to msconfig and select Normal startup.

    Looking forward to your update.

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  2. Ivan B 127.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-29T04:10:52.06+00:00

    Hi,

    If possible, could you take a screenshot showing both taskbars, in case the steps provided by Q&A Assist didn't work?

    Thanks

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-29T03:42:57.4566667+00:00

    Restart Windows Explorer first to redraw the Windows 11 desktop and remove a duplicated taskbar display without deleting files or applications.

    Restart Windows Explorer

    1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.^1^
    2. On the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer.
    3. Right-click Windows Explorer, and select Restart.
    4. The desktop and both taskbars may disappear briefly; wait for the desktop to reload.

    If Windows Explorer is not listed:

    1. In Task Manager, select Run new task.
    2. Enter explorer.exe.
    3. Select OK.

    Microsoft’s available guidance does not identify a specific cause or dedicated setting for two identical taskbars stacked on one monitor, so this is a low-risk shell-reload attempt rather than a confirmed symptom-specific fix.

    If both taskbars remain

    1. Restart the PC: Select Start > Power > Restart.
    2. After signing back in, go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. Install available updates and restart when requested.^2^
    3. If any taskbar-modification utility is installed, such as a classic Start-menu or taskbar replacement, disable or uninstall that utility through Settings > Apps > Installed apps, and then restart. Do this only if such software is present.

    The Show my taskbar on all displays option controls taskbars on separate monitors, not two bars stacked on one monitor. If Windows incorrectly detects another display, open Settings > System > Display and check the monitor diagram first. Otherwise, changing this option is unlikely to address the reported layout. The normal control is under Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviors > Show my taskbar on all displays.^3^

    Repair Windows components if the problem persists

    These commands require administrator credentials:

    1. Search for Command Prompt.
    2. Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
    3. Run DISM first, followed by System File Checker:
    DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
sfc /scannow

    Allow each command to finish; do not close the window before SFC reaches 100%. Restart Windows afterward. DISM repairs the Windows component image, and SFC checks and replaces damaged protected system files.^4^

    References

    1. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/accessibility/windows/use-a-screen-reader-to-navigate-windows-support-tools#task-manager)
    2. Fix File Explorer if it won't open or start | Microsoft Support
    3. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/experience/personalization/customize-the-taskbar-in-windows)
    4. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files | Microsoft Support
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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