In this tutorial, learn how to customize your taskbar with TaskbarX.
Have you grown tired of your taskbar? Do you want to give Windows 10 a new lease on life? It’s time to personalize TaskbarX!
The taskbar in Windows is an important part of the operating system. You may fill it with your favorite apps for quick access or leave it empty for a minimalist look. The Windows 10 taskbar does not allow you to move it around. You can’t, at the very least, relocate the taskbar to the center of your screen.
A third-party taskbar solution, like TaskbarX, is required if you want a central app center comparable to macOS.
See more: How to Get Windows 11-Style Centered Taskbar Icons on Windows 10
What Is the Windows Taskbar?
The taskbar in Windows is the horizontal bar that runs across the bottom of your screen. The Windows 10 logo, which is the Start Menu button, may be found on one end. You may also see options for Cortana, the Windows 10 speech assistant, depending on your taskbar configuration.
App icons are located next to the Start Menu. You can add or remove shortcuts to apps on your PC in this section.
The default taskbar in Windows 10 can be moved to four different screen positions: top, bottom, left, and right. The taskbar’s position is determined by these coordinates. However, you can’t move the programs around on the taskbar. Along with the Start Menu button, the icons always return to their default location.
This is fine for the most part. However, you’ll need a third-party modification tool to customize the Windows 10 taskbar and relocate the taskbar apps to the center.
What Is TaskbarX?
TaskbarX is an open-source taskbar customization program that allows you to customize the icons that appear on your taskbar. You can relocate the taskbar icons to the middle of your monitor with TaskbarX installed.
A transparent, fuzzy, or acrylic taskbar style, animations for programs and icons, and the ability to hide the Start Menu icon are all included in the tool.
How to Install TaskbarX
There are three versions of TaskbarX available. I’m going to choose the Portable Zip option for this tutorial because it has all of the relevant files in one bundle. TaskbarX is available for $1.09 on the Microsoft Store if you like. You’ll have to pay a $1 for the Microsoft Store version, but you’ll get an easier installation and automatic updates in return. The TaskbarX skin is also available as a Rainmeter skin.
- To begin, go to TaskbarX homepage and download the most recent version. Unpack the archive by right-clicking the downloaded file. 7Zip > Extract to “Taskbar X,” for example.
- Run the exe file from the TaskbarX folder. Your taskbar icons will relocate to the center of the taskbar by themselves!
How to Configure TaskbarX
Another utility in the TaskbarX subdirectory is the TaskbarX Configurator. The Configurator is exactly what it says it is: a TaskbarX setup tool. It has simple controls for all of TaskbarX’s styles. There are five different types of categories:
- Style
- Animation
- Position
- Taskschedule
- Extra
Style
The Style menu determines how transparent or colored your taskbar is. You have five options to pick from. Select an option, then click the Apply button in the bottom right corner.
The sliders can be used to change the color of the taskbar. Alternatively, select a color from anywhere on your screen by clicking the color-picker button. After you hit Apply, the color is put to the taskbar, but you may adjust the style using the other options, such as Transparent Gradient, Opaque, and Blur. Those effects are created using your custom color as the foundation.
The image above, for example, shows various Transparent Gradients, while the image below shows the color-picker option in action.
Animation
When you open a new app, animations show how the taskbar icons change. There are over 40 TaskbarX animations to choose from, so you’ll have to experiment to discover your favorite.
The success of the animation option is also determined by the taskbar icon options in Windows 10. You won’t see any movement if you have stacked app icons, like the ones in my sample taskbar images. The animation style will change if you choose numerous taskbar entries per app or huge taskbar entries.
Position
After the taskbar icons have been placed in the center, you may use the Position option to move them around. You can use a positive or negative amount of pixels to offset the icons, for instance (where a negative number will offset towards the Start Menu, and positive towards the system tray).
Another useful option in the Position menu is Don’t center taskbar. If you wish to modify the taskbar with styles without shifting your icons to the center, choose this option. Your taskbar icons, as well as the Start Menu, will return to their former positions.
Taskschedule
TaskbarX does not start up with Windows 10 by default. To resolve this problem, go to the Taskschedule menu, enter a time delay (in seconds), then Create, then Apply.
Extra
There are a few other TaskbarX settings in the Extra menu, such as for multi-monitor setups. Let’s say you just want the taskbar to be centered on one of your monitors. There’s a way to do it. Or if you want the system tray area on your secondary monitor to be hidden? That’s something TaskbarX can accomplish as well.
About
I’ll just quickly mention the About menu.
This option can be used to verify that TaskbarX is running the most recent version. If you don’t have the current version, you can download it and start using it right away. TaskbarX updates are released by developer Chris Andriessen to address bugs and improve features. After a significant Windows 10 upgrade, you should always check for updates, as Microsoft has a reputation of breaking other developers’ apps (without meaning too, of course).
How to Uninstall TaskbarX
TaskbarX is also simple to uninstall from your computer.
Select Stop TaskbarX in the TaskbarX Configurator. Go to the Uninstall tab and choose Uninstall. It’s as simple as that.
Customize Your Taskbar with TaskbarX
Customizing Windows 10 isn’t always straightforward. Along the way, you may ruin things, rendering parts of Windows 10 unusable. You may modify your taskbar using a tool like TaskbarX without fear of harming something in the process.
If you love the software, as with other open-source projects, consider making a donation to the creator so that the project can continue.
