{"id":344342,"date":"2025-12-14T08:56:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T08:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/344342\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T08:56:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T08:56:14","slug":"how-to-get-windows-11s-smaller-taskbar-icons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/344342\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get Windows 11’s smaller taskbar icons"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Windows 11<\/a>, you can now switch to smaller Taskbar icons, and in this guide, I’ll explain how the feature works and how to enable it.<\/p>\n

Earlier versions of the operating system offered a “Use small Taskbar buttons” setting, but that option disappeared when Windows 11 launched. Microsoft has now brought the feature back, though its behavior has changed. Previously, enabling small icons also reduced the Taskbar’s height. On Windows 11, only the icon size changes, and the Taskbar remains the same height.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This update isn’t designed to free up vertical space. Instead, it helps you fit more apps on the Taskbar before they spill into the overflow menu. Smaller icons allow the bar to hold more pinned or running apps, which is especially useful on systems with limited screen width or for users who keep many apps open.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

In this how-to guide<\/a>, I’ll outline a new, easy way to change the size of icons in the Taskbar.<\/p>\n

How to enable smaller icons in the Taskbar on Windows 11<\/p>\n

To show smaller app icons in the Taskbar, use these steps:<\/p>\n

Open Settings.Click on Personalization.Click the Taskbar page on the right side.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Windows\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)Click the Taskbar behaviors setting.(Option 1) Select the “Always” option in the “Show smaller taskbar buttons” setting to show smaller icons.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Enable\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)(Option 2) Select the “When taskbar is full” option to continue using the original size, but then make the icons smaller when there’s enough space in the Taskbar.(Option 3) Select the Never option to show regular-size icons in the Taskbar.<\/p>\n

After you complete the steps, the Taskbar will display smaller application icons depending on your configuration.<\/p>\n

\n

\"IMages
\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: MMicrosoft | Future | Edited with Gemini)FAQs about using smaller icons in the Taskbar<\/p>\n

These are common questions regarding the option to set smaller icons in the Taskbar.<\/p>\n

What are smaller Taskbar icons on Windows 11?<\/p>\n

The option that lets you reduce the size of app buttons on the Taskbar, helping you fit more apps before they spill into the overflow menu.<\/p>\n

Does enabling smaller icons make the Taskbar shorter?<\/p>\n

No. Unlike older versions of the operating system, Windows 11 keeps the Taskbar at the same height. Only the icon size changes.<\/p>\n

Why would I want to use smaller Taskbar icons?<\/p>\n

Smaller icons let you fit more pinned or open apps in the Taskbar’s available space, which is helpful on smaller screens or when working with many apps at once.<\/p>\n

Where is the setting to enable smaller Taskbar icons?<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find it in Settings under Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. The “Show smaller taskbar buttons” dropdown controls the feature.<\/p>\n

Does this feature improve screen real estate?<\/p>\n

Not vertically. The Taskbar height stays the same. The benefit is horizontal efficiency by fitting more apps.<\/p>\n

Can I switch back to regular icons at any time?<\/p>\n

Yes. Change the setting back to “Never” in the same Taskbar behaviors menu.<\/p>\n

Does this change affect Taskbar overflow behavior?<\/p>\n

Yes. Smaller icons delay the point at which the operating system pushes extra apps into the overflow menu, letting you keep more apps visible.<\/p>\n

More resources<\/p>\n

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Windows Central on Google News<\/a> to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On Windows 11, you can now switch to smaller Taskbar icons, and in this guide, I’ll explain how…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":344343,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[49,48,61],"class_list":["post-344342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=344342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344342\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/344343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=344342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=344342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=344342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}