Windows 10: Cannot access desktop/taskbar or Restore Down windows

I cannot find my taskbar (it's not hidden, no) and the back button doesn't do anything. I've restarted my computer. I've been looking for a solution for over 2 hours and I've found nothing similar to this.
All the windows I've opened since this happened (last night) cannot be made any smaller, they're all maxed out across my screen and can only be minimized into nothing.

I don't recall doing anything, I just closed my laptop to do something for a bit and when I opened it, it was like this. I also could not use my keyboard at all, until I restarted.

:)

 

Multiple issues with Windows 10

Nothing happens when I click on Start or Cortana, and I cannot access the Start screen with the Windows button on my keyboard. I cannot uninstall Windows 10 to revert to Windows 8.1 because I cannot access Settings. I cannot select multiple emails to move
or delete through the new Mail app. I cannot restore down or change the size of any of my windows, because they are all fullscreen. I cannot lock more than two windows on my screen side by side, and if I open a new window, it goes fullscreen and I have to
relock windows onto my screen. None of the keyboard shortcuts work, and I cannot create or switch between virtual desktops. Now I also cannot change the brightness of my screen using Fn+Left/Right. I also cannot access my Action Center to see notifications
or updates because nothing happens when I click on it. I cannot open any program that is not on my taskbar because I cannot access it.

I did not have a lot of these issues a day or two after upgrading to Windows 10 but since then I've only had increasing issues and I cannot report these issues through Cortana because I cannot access it. Because I could not access Settings to revert back
to Windows 8.1, I went to Control Panel (which I only had access to because I lock it to my taskbar) to restore my computer to before the latest Windows update. Nothing has happened. Please help me. I start school tomorrow and I need to be able to access more
programs. I just want to revert to 8.1 so I won't have to deal with this during school.

 

How do I prevent a window from popping to the top when I click on it?

as soon as you click on a window, it is given focus and comes to the front.

to get to icons on the desktop, choices.

1) close the windows when you have finished with them.

2) minimise to the taskbar rather than stack the open windows

3) right click on taskbar and select show desktop (minimizes all open windows to the taskbar), after accessing your icon you can restore them by clicking the icons in the taskbar (in order).

4) open (yet another window) file explorer, navigate to desktop, you will see your desktop items in a window which you can minimise to the taskbar and restore when needed.

I am sure there are others such as using virtual desktops etc. but hopefully that has given you some ideas.

 

??? I closed my laptop cos I was frustrated with it and when I opened it back up, it was right again. I still don't know what happened, but it's fixed. For now.

 

Hi px0Cal, welcome to tenforums.com! *Smile

I think you were in Tablet Mode,

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...dows-10-a.html