How To Make Windows 11 Taskbar Smaller

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Ready to reclaim some screen real estate and shrink that taskbar in Windows 11? It's a pretty straightforward process, though the options aren't quite as obvious as they used to be. Let's dive in and get your taskbar looking just the way you want it!

Step 1: Accessing the Registry Editor (Proceed with Caution!)

This first step involves tweaking the Windows Registry. It's crucial to follow these instructions precisely, as incorrect modifications can lead to system instability. If you're not comfortable with this, you might want to consider the limitations of the built-in settings first (which, unfortunately, don't offer direct size adjustments). However, if you're feeling adventurous and want more control, let's proceed!

Open the Run dialog: Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard. This will bring up a small window in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
Type 'regedit': In the Run dialog box, type regedit (without the quotes).
Click 'OK' or press Enter: This will open the Registry Editor. You might see a User Account Control (UAC) prompt asking if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device. Click 'Yes'.

Important Note: Before making any changes in the Registry Editor, it's highly recommended to create a backup of the registry. To do this, go to File > Export... at the top of the Registry Editor window. Choose a location to save the backup, give it a name, and click 'Save'. This will allow you to restore the registry if anything goes wrong.

Step 2: Navigating to the Explorer Key

Now that you have the Registry Editor open, you need to navigate to a specific key (which is like a folder) that controls various Explorer settings, including the taskbar size.

Expand 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER': In the left-hand pane of the Registry Editor, you'll see a list of folders. Double-click on the folder labeled 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' to expand it.
Expand 'Software': Scroll down within the expanded 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' folder and double-click on the folder named 'Software'.
Expand 'Microsoft': Continue scrolling down in the 'Software' folder and double-click on the folder labeled 'Microsoft'.
Expand 'Windows': Find and double-click on the 'Windows' folder.
Expand 'CurrentVersion': Next, double-click on the 'CurrentVersion' folder.
Select 'Explorer': Finally, scroll down and click on the 'Explorer' folder. Do not double-click it; just single-click to select it.

Step 3: Creating the 'Advanced' Subkey

Within the 'Explorer' key, you might need to create a new subkey called 'Advanced' if it doesn't already exist. This is where we'll make the change to the taskbar size.

Right-click on 'Explorer': In the left-hand pane, right-click on the 'Explorer' folder that you selected in the previous step.
Select 'New': From the context menu that appears, hover over 'New'.
Click 'Key': In the submenu that appears, click on 'Key'.
Name the new key 'Advanced': A new folder (key) will appear under 'Explorer'. Rename this new key exactly as 'Advanced' (case-sensitive).

Step 4: Creating the 'TaskbarSi' DWORD Value

Now that you're in the 'Advanced' subkey, you need to create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value that will control the taskbar size.

Right-click in the right-hand pane: In the empty area of the right-hand pane of the Registry Editor (within the 'Advanced' key), right-click.
Select 'New': From the context menu, hover over 'New'.
Click 'DWORD (32-bit) Value': In the submenu, click on 'DWORD (32-bit) Value'.
Name the new value 'TaskbarSi': A new entry will appear in the right-hand pane with a default name. Rename this entry exactly as 'TaskbarSi' (case-sensitive).

Step 5: Modifying the 'TaskbarSi' Value

This is where you'll actually set the size of your taskbar. The 'TaskbarSi' value accepts three different data values:

0: This will make your taskbar the smallest size.
1: This will set the taskbar to the medium (default) size.
2: This will make your taskbar the largest size.

Follow these steps to modify the value:

Double-click on 'TaskbarSi': In the right-hand pane, double-click on the 'TaskbarSi' entry you just created.
Change the 'Value data': A small dialog box will appear. In the 'Value data' field, enter the number corresponding to the size you want:
- Type '0' for the smallest taskbar.
- Type '2' for the largest taskbar (if you accidentally made it too big and want to go back).
Ensure 'Base' is set to 'Hexadecimal': In the same dialog box, make sure the 'Base' option is set to 'Hexadecimal'. This is usually the default.
Click 'OK': Once you've entered the desired value, click 'OK'.

Step 6: Restarting Explorer

For the changes to take effect, you need to restart the Windows Explorer process. This will refresh the taskbar and apply the new size.

Open Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
Find 'Windows Explorer': In the 'Processes' tab (or the 'Details' tab on Windows 11), scroll down until you find 'Windows Explorer'.
Right-click on 'Windows Explorer': Right-click on the 'Windows Explorer' entry.
Click 'Restart': From the context menu, click on 'Restart'. Your screen might flicker briefly as Explorer restarts.

After Explorer restarts, you should see your taskbar resized according to the value you entered in the Registry Editor. If you don't see the change, double-check that you followed all the steps correctly and that the 'TaskbarSi' value is set as intended. You might also need to restart your computer in some cases.

Step 7: Adjusting Icon Sizes (Optional)

While the above steps change the overall height of the taskbar, you might also want to adjust the size of the icons displayed on it for a more consistent look. Unfortunately, Windows 11 doesn't offer a direct setting for this. However, you can indirectly influence icon size by adjusting the display scaling settings:

Open Settings: Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
Go to 'System': In the Settings app, click on 'System'.
Select 'Display': In the 'System' menu, click on 'Display'.
Adjust 'Scale': Under the 'Scale & layout' section, you'll see a dropdown menu for 'Scale'. Lowering the percentage here will make everything on your screen smaller, including the taskbar icons. Experiment with different percentages to find a size that you find comfortable.

Note: Changing the display scale will affect the size of all elements on your screen, not just the taskbar icons. Choose a scale that works well for your overall display.

Step 8: Reverting Changes (If Needed)

If you're not happy with the new taskbar size or encounter any issues, you can easily revert back to the default settings.

Open Registry Editor: Follow the steps in 'Step 1' to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to 'Advanced' key: Follow the steps in 'Step 2' and 'Step 3' to navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced key.
Delete 'TaskbarSi': In the right-hand pane, right-click on the 'TaskbarSi' value and select 'Delete'. Click 'Yes' to confirm.
Restart Explorer: Follow the steps in 'Step 6' to restart Windows Explorer.

This will remove the custom 'TaskbarSi' value, and Windows will revert to the default taskbar size. If you made a registry backup in 'Step 1', you can also restore the entire registry from that backup if you encounter more serious issues.

How to... Frequently Asked Questions

How to know if I'm in the right place in the Registry Editor?

Carefully check the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window. It should read: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.

How to create a new key in the Registry Editor?

Right-click on the parent key (in this case, 'Explorer'), hover over 'New', and click 'Key'. Then, type the desired name for the new key.

How to create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value?

Right-click in the right-hand pane of the Registry Editor, hover over 'New', and click 'DWORD (32-bit) Value'. Then, type the desired name for the new value.

How to change the value of a Registry key?

Double-click on the key's name in the right-hand pane. A dialog box will appear where you can enter the new 'Value data'.

How to restart Windows Explorer using Task Manager?

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, find 'Windows Explorer' in the 'Processes' or 'Details' tab, right-click on it, and select 'Restart'.

How to go back to the default taskbar size?

Delete the 'TaskbarSi' DWORD value from the Registry Editor (as described in 'Step 8') and restart Explorer.

How to make the taskbar icons smaller without changing the overall taskbar height?

Unfortunately, Windows 11 doesn't offer a direct way to only shrink the taskbar icons. Adjusting the display scale (as in 'Step 7') will affect the size of all screen elements.

How to pin and unpin apps from the taskbar?

To pin, right-click on an open app or its shortcut and select 'Pin to taskbar'. To unpin, right-click on a pinned app on the taskbar and select 'Unpin from taskbar'.

How to hide the taskbar automatically?

Open Settings (Windows key + I), go to 'Personalization', then 'Taskbar'. Expand 'Taskbar behaviors' and check the box next to 'Automatically hide the taskbar'.

How to change the position of the taskbar in Windows 11?

As of the current version of Windows 11, the taskbar can only be positioned at the bottom of the screen. This is a change from previous versions of Windows.

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