Windows 10: Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar in Windows

How to: Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar in Windows

How to Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar in Windows


Windows includes a special application desktop toolbar called the taskbar that shows on the bottom of a display screen by default. The taskbar allows you to find, see, open, and switch between your apps. You can also see the specify how taskbar buttons group together when you have more than one window open.

You can also add toolbars to the taskbar. The default toolbars include Address, Links, Desktop, and any new toolbars (custom) added by the user or an application.

If you have more than one main display by default.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the ability to drag and drop toolbars to arrange on the taskbar for specific or all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

*Warning You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable rearranging toolbars.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar in Local Group Policy Editor
• Option Two: Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar for All Users using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Toolbars on taskbar disabled









OPTION ONE [/i] Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar in Local Group Policy Editor

*note In Windows 7, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.

In Windows 8, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Pro and Enterprise editions.

In Windows 10, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two.
1. Open the all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start Menu and Taskbar. (see screenshot below)



3. In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Prevent users from rearranging toolbars policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5. To Enable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar
A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

*note Not Configured is the default setting.

6. To Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




7. When finished, you can close Local Group Policy Editor if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Enable or Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar for All Users using a REG file

*note The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

TaskbarNoDragToolbar DWORD

(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable

1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Enable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar for All Users
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_rearranging_toolbars_on_taskbar.reg

Download

3. To Disable Rearranging Toolbars on Taskbar for All Users
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_rearranging_toolbars_on_taskbar.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. restart the computer to apply.

8. You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Enable or Disable Toolbars on Taskbar in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Adding and Removing Toolbars on Taskbar in Windows
• How to Add Toolbars on the Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Control Panel All Tasks Toolbar in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Quick Launch toolbar in Windows 10
• How to Remove Toolbars on the Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Backup and Restore Taskbar Toolbars in Windows 10
• How to Reset and Clear Taskbar Toolbars in Windows 10

:)

 

Toolbars on taskbar showing bits of folders

I find that the easiest way to avoid that is to adjust the widths you have allowed for each Taskbar Toolbar name using this procedure -

1 Right-click on any spare Taskbar area and click on lock the taskbar to deselect it [to unlock it]
2 Right-click on the name of each Toolbar & untick both Show text & Show title
3 For each Toolbar, drag its pair of double ¦¦ thingies as close together as they will go
4 Right-click on a bit of spare space where the toolbar name would be if it was showing [it is a bit awkward but you can find a spare space in that area, try low down just to the left of the >> symbol], select Show title
5 Right-click on any spare Taskbar area and click on lock the taskbar to select it [to lock it]

The Taskbar Toolbars should now show their names completely but none of their contents.



The TenForumsTutorials about Taskbar Toolbars are

[table][tr][td]Taskbar Toolbars - Reset and Clear in Windows 10 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Denis

 

Enabled Scroll Ability for Taskbar Toolbar Menus?

QTTabBar

 

Desktop Toolbar - Registry Hacking?

I use Quick Launch Toolbar rather than Desktop Toolbar. You may add or subtract icons as you please; for example, the Recycle Bin.

 

Enable Back Taskbar

Possibly you are referring to
Enable or Disable Pinned Apps on Taskbar in Windows
Enable or Disable Pin and Unpin Apps on Taskbar in Windows

A searchable list is useful to bookmark:
Windows 10 Tutorial Index

Also note that most tutorials have a list of related tutorials immediately following the main text. Thus if you find one on 'taskbar' you can go the the list in that tutorial and find relevant ones quickly.

 

Toolbars missing from Taskbar in Windows 10 v1803

My original thread on May 17 2018 is locked.

Toolbars missing from Taskbar in Windows 10 v1803



However here is a solution:

Remove the Language Toolbar from the Taskbar by unticking (unchecking) it in the list of Toolbars. It will then float and will not show up in your Toolbars list or on the Taskbar.

Logoffs, Restarts and full Shutdown/Poweroff/Startup will all retain the Toolbars as set.

Hope this helps someone.

.