Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
The task bar can appear hidden if it's configured to auto-hide, or if the size has been configured to be too small.
The task bar on my windows XP machine has become hidden, how do I get it back?
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The taskbar is very configurable as I discussed in a previous article: My TaskBar is too small to be useful, what can I do?, and the accompanying video out at Lockergnome. You might want to review that to see if perhaps it got configured to auto-hide or have zero size.
CTRL+ESC will always bring up the start menu. On that you might also check Settings, Taskbar and Start Menu, and make sure that Auto-hide is turned off and the taskbar is unlocked.
Then if the size did in fact get set to zero height then you may see a small, thin bar where your task bar used to be. You should be able to click, hold, and drag that up to make it bigger.
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Article C1977 - June 2, 2004 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
January 14, 2011 11:42 PM
Thanks for the tip about the line ...it work i have posted a question to you about admin logon if you have the time to answer such a newbie question // and I am the newest of the newest newbie with the oldest of oldest computers.....lol thanks Yoyo
May 16, 2011 6:51 AM
It's still hidden. Neither Ctrl+Esc or the Windows button do anything. I can get to task manager and run Explorer, etc. It looks like it may be slowly assuming the crash position...
October 17, 2011 8:20 AM
I don't have XP but I have Vista. Not a single site I looked at for help of my missing task bar ever mentioned a function key. I didn't have the locked or auto hide task bar option selected. I had hit the "F11" function key some how! Any way, the "F11" key brought back my task bar so you might add that in your answer. Thanks :o)
July 10, 2012 7:14 AM
My task bar is on the side instead of bottom, how to I get it back to the bottom
July 10, 2012 12:46 PM
@Jim
Here is a video from Leo on how to do exactly that. Basically what happened is that you accidentally dragged it up, now you have to (on purpose) drag it back down. If it's locked you might have to unlock it.
How do I move my taskbar back to the bottom of the screen