How to Disable Taskbar on Second Monitor in Windows 11

If you use a dual-monitor setup, Windows 11 normally shows a taskbar on every display. This guide walks you through the exact settings to turn off the taskbar on your secondary monitor, so it only appears on your primary screen. This is a simple settings change that takes about a minute and requires no extra software.

What You’ll Need

• A Windows 11 PC with two or more monitors connected and detected.
• Administrator access to your user account (standard accounts can usually change this setting, but some managed work or school PCs may block it).

Step-by-Step

1. Open Settings. Press Windows + I on your keyboard, or click the Start button and select the gear icon.
2. Go to Personalization. In the left sidebar of the Settings window, click Personalization.
3. Select Taskbar. In the Personalization section, click Taskbar in the list of options on the right side of the window.
4. Expand the Taskbar behaviors section. Scroll down the Taskbar settings page until you see Taskbar behaviors. Click the arrow or the row itself to expand it.
5. Find the “Show my taskbar on all displays” checkbox. Inside the expanded section, look for the option labeled Show my taskbar on all displays. It will have a checkbox next to it.
6. Uncheck the box. Click the checkbox to remove the checkmark. The taskbar on your secondary monitor(s) should disappear immediately.
7. Close Settings. You can close the Settings window. The change is saved automatically.

If you later want the taskbar back on the second screen, simply repeat these steps and check the box again.

Common Mistakes

• Looking in the wrong place: The option is under Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, not under System > Display or System > Multitasking. Many users search there first and get confused.
• Disabling the taskbar entirely: Unchecking “Show my taskbar on all displays” only removes it from secondary screens. The main taskbar on your primary monitor stays. Don’t confuse this with the “Automatically hide the taskbar” toggle, which hides it everywhere.
• Not knowing which monitor is primary: The taskbar remains on your primary monitor. If you uncheck the box and the taskbar disappears from the screen you consider your “main” one, that means that display is set as secondary in Windows. You can change your primary display under System > Display > Multiple displays.
• Clicking the wrong checkbox: The section contains several checkboxes like “Show badges on taskbar buttons” or “Show taskbar on top”. Make sure you are toggling the correct one.

Tips

• Use it with auto-hide: You can combine this with the “Automatically hide the taskbar” option. This way, the taskbar is hidden on all screens but still appears when you hover over the bottom edge of your primary monitor.
• Quick toggle for presentation: If you often present from your laptop, turning off the taskbar on the projector or external display keeps the view clean for your audience.
• Keyboard shortcut alternative: There is no direct keyboard shortcut for this setting, but you can press Windows + I and type “taskbar” in the Settings search box to jump straight to the relevant page.
• Remember your primary monitor: If you want the taskbar on your left monitor but it’s currently on your right one, change the primary display first. The taskbar always follows the primary monitor.

Troubleshooting

The checkbox is grayed out or missing. This usually happens if your monitors are not properly detected or if your PC is in “Duplicate” display mode. Go to System > Display and set the display mode to “Extend these displays”. If the option is still grayed out, try restarting your PC or updating your graphics driver.

The taskbar still shows on the second monitor after unchecking. First, double-check that you actually unchecked the box and that the Settings window didn’t scroll back up. If it persists, try restarting File Explorer: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find “Windows Explorer” in the list, right-click it, and choose “Restart”. This refreshes the desktop without a full reboot.

The taskbar disappeared from the wrong monitor. This means your primary display is not the one you expected. Go to System > Display, scroll to “Multiple displays”, and click the monitor you want as your main one. Then check the box “Make this my main display”. After that, re-check the “Show my taskbar on all displays” option and then uncheck it again if needed.

The setting resets after a reboot. This is rare but can happen with some third-party display management tools or older graphics drivers. Try updating your GPU drivers from the manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel). If you use a tool like DisplayFusion or UltraMon, try disabling it temporarily to see if it’s overriding Windows settings.

You have more than two monitors. The setting applies to all secondary displays at once. You cannot choose to keep the taskbar on monitor #2 but remove it from monitor #3. If you need per-monitor control, you’ll need third-party software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does this remove the taskbar from all monitors or just one?
A: It removes it from every display except your primary monitor. The taskbar on the primary monitor stays fully visible and functional.

Q: Can I have the taskbar only on the second monitor instead?
A: No, not with built-in Windows settings. The taskbar always appears on the primary monitor. To have it only on the second screen, you would need to make that second screen your primary display in Display settings.

Q: Will this affect my open windows or pinned apps?
A: No. Your open windows, pinned apps, and system tray icons remain exactly as they are. Only the taskbar bar itself is hidden from the secondary display.

Q: Is there a way to temporarily hide the taskbar on the second monitor with a hotkey?
A: Not with a built-in hotkey. You would need third-party software like DisplayFusion to assign a custom shortcut for toggling taskbar visibility per monitor.

Q: Why is my taskbar on the second monitor showing a different set of icons?
A: By default, Windows shows all open windows on every taskbar. If you see different icons, you may have enabled “Show taskbar on all displays” combined with the setting “Show taskbar buttons on” set to “Taskbar where window is open”. You can change this in the same Taskbar behaviors section.

Q: Does this work on Windows 10 as well?
A: The steps are similar but not identical. In Windows 10, the option is under Settings > System > Multitasking > Taskbar, or by right-clicking the taskbar and going to Taskbar settings. The checkbox is named the same: “Show taskbar on all displays”.

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