Forum Discussion
Whose idea was it to make the full-screen button hide the taskbar forever?
I find it frustrating that clicking the full-screen button makes the Windows taskbar disappear completely, even when I want to switch between applications or quickly check notifications. I understand that full-screen mode is supposed to reduce distractions, but hiding the taskbar without an obvious way to access it feels inconvenient, especially when I need to multitask. Is there a setting to keep the taskbar visible while using full-screen applications?
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Full-screen mode and a maximized window are different. Full-screen deliberately uses the display area for the application; maximizing a normal window is usually the better choice when you want the taskbar available while multitasking.
First leave full-screen using the application’s own control. In Microsoft Edge, F11 toggles full-screen off and on; other applications can use different shortcuts or a windowed mode setting. Then maximize the window, for example with Windows+Up, and check Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. Clear Automatically hide the taskbar if you want it visible during ordinary desktop use.
While an app is full-screen, Alt+Tab can switch applications and Windows+N opens notification center. The auto-hide setting is not a universal override for an application’s full-screen presentation. If the taskbar stays missing after leaving full-screen, that is a separate issue: identify the application and whether it happens with other apps before changing Windows settings further.
