microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys

Taskbar Controller – Fully Hide/Show Windows Taskbar

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#47,260 1 comment 2 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
Needs-Triage Product-General
Dominant language
C
Stars
139k
Forks
8.6k
PR merge metrics
PR metrics pending

Description

### Description of the new feature / enhancement

Add a new standalone utility to Microsoft PowerToys that allows users to completely hide and restore the Windows taskbar. Unlike the current Windows auto-hide feature, this tool would fully disable the taskbar so it does not appear when hovering over the screen edge. The utility should include a simple toggle (hotkey and/or tray option) to hide and show the taskbar instantly.

### Scenario when this would be used?

When playing games where the taskbar accidentally appears and breaks immersion
When using full-screen applications or development environments
For users who want a clean, distraction-free or minimalist desktop
When presenting or screen recording to avoid UI interruptions
Multi-monitor setups where the taskbar may interfere on secondary screens

### Supporting information

Windows currently only offers auto-hide, which still triggers on mouse hover and cannot be fully disabled
Some third-party tools attempt this, but they are not always reliable or well-integrated
This feature could be implemented by controlling the taskbar window (e.g., Shell_TrayWnd) without restarting Explorer
A safety mechanism (such as a global hotkey) would ensure users can always restore the taskbar
Could optionally integrate with other PowerToys features like Command Palette or per-app triggers in the future

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by investigating the Windows taskbar window identified as Shell_TrayWnd and how Explorer exposes it; the issue does not name repository files or tests. Define the utility's hotkey or tray entry, hide/show behavior, multi-monitor scope, and safety restore path, then verify the taskbar can be reliably restored without restarting Explorer.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
desktop, operating-systems, tooling
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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