This tutorial will show you how to change how your icons are positioned on the taskbar for your account in Windows 11.
Icons on the taskbar are center aligned by default in Windows 11 instead of to the left like in previous Windows.
You can choose icon alignment for every taskbar position. Top-aligned or centered when the taskbar is on the left or right, and left-aligned or centered when the taskbar is on the top or bottom.
Contents
- Option One: Change Taskbar Icon Alignment in Settings
- Option Two: Change Taskbar Icon Alignment using REG file
- Option Three: Change Taskbar Icon Alignment in Registry Editor
1 Open Settings (WIn+I).
2 Click/tap on Personalization on the left side, and click/tap on Taskbar on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Taskbar behaviors on the right side to expand it open. (see screenshots below step 5)
4 If the taskbar position is Bottom or Top, select Left or Center (default) for the icon alignment you want. (see screenshots below step 5)
5 If the taskbar position is Left or Right, select Top or Center (default) for the icon alignment you want. (see screenshots below)
6 You can now close Settings if you like.
This option will not work when Administrator protection is turned on.
1 Do step 2 (left) or step 3 (center) below for what you would like to do.
2 Change Taskbar Icon Alignment to Left or Top
If the taskbar position is Bottom or Top, then icon alignment will be Left.
If the taskbar position is Left or Right, then icon alignment will be Top.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Left_or_Top_taskbar_icon_alignment.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"TaskbarAl"=dword:000000003 Change Taskbar Icon Alignment to Center
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Center_taskbar_icon_alignment.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"TaskbarAl"=dword:000000014 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
1 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).
2 Navigate to the key location below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below step 3)
HKEY_USERS\<SID>\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Substitute <SID> in the key path above with the actual SID for the account you want to apply this to.
For example:
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2498639629-3946114050-4100787084-1001\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3 In the right pane of the Advanced key, double click/tap on the TaskbarAl DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below)
4 Enter 0 (left or top) or 1 (center - default) for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
If the taskbar position is Bottom or Top, then icon alignment will be Left with 0.
If the taskbar position is Left or Right, then icon alignment will be Top with 0.
5 You can now close Registry Editor if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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- Change Taskbar Position on Screen in Windows 11
- Always or Never Combine Taskbar buttons and Hide Labels in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Show Labels on Taskbar Pins in Windows 11
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- Change Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11
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