How to the Change Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11

How to Change Taskbar Icon Size Using Settings

You can change taskbar icon size in Windows 11 through the main Settings app ⚙️ by switching to a compact view. This built-in method does not require any advanced tools or registry edits. Open Settings by pressing Win+I, click Personalization, select Taskbar, and look for the option to make your taskbar 🖥️ buttons smaller.

1. Open Settings ⚙️ by pressing Win + I on your keyboard.
2. Click on Personalization on the left side, then select Taskbar on the right.
3. Scroll down and click Taskbar behaviors to expand it.
4. Find the drop-down menu labeled Show smaller taskbar buttons. Choose one of these:

   • Always – icons stay small all the time.
   • Never – icons stay the original size.
   • When taskbar is full – icons shrink only when taskbar runs out of space.
5. Close Settings. Your changes will apply right away.

Open Taskbar Settings directly

Change Taskbar Icon Size Using the Registry (Advanced)

Registry Editor lets you change taskbar icon size in Windows 11 by adding a specific system value that forces icons to stay permanently small. This advanced method works well if the standard settings menu does not give you the exact display results you want on your screen.

Specific values within the Registry control icon sizing:

Always show smaller icons:

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v IconSizePreference /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Never show smaller icons:

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v IconSizePreference /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Show smaller icons only when taskbar is full (default):

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v IconSizePreference /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f

How to edit the Registry manually:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Find IconSizePreference on the right. If it doesn't exist, right-click and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value with that name.
4. Double-click IconSizePreference and set the value to:

   • 0 for always small
   • 1 for never small
   • 2 for small only when full
5. Click OK and close Registry Editor.
6. Sign out and back in, or restart your PC to see the changes.

You can edit the registry manually to change taskbar icon size in Windows 11 by opening the Registry Editor and modifying a key in the Explorer folder. This hands-on approach requires you to type a specific command and adjust a DWORD value to force smaller buttons on your screen.

Change Taskbar Icon Size for All or Specific Users (Using Local Group Policy Editor)

Local Group Policy Editor lets you change taskbar icon size in Windows 11 for all user accounts on a single computer at the same time. This administrative tool helps you enforce uniform taskbar settings across different profiles without changing each account individually.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor:

   • Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. To apply for all users: Go to Computer Configuration › Administrative Templates › Start Menu and Taskbar
3. To apply for specific users: Go to User Configuration › Administrative Templates › Start Menu and Taskbar
4. In the right pane, double-click Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior.
5. Choose one of the following:

   • Not Configured: lets users choose their own size (default).
   • Enabled: then pick "Always", "Never", or "When taskbar is full" from the dropdown.
6. Click OK.
7. Restart your PC or sign out and sign back in to apply changes.

Summary

Windows 11 gives you a few different ways to change taskbar icon size depending on your skill level and needs. You can use the basic Settings app for quick adjustments, or dive into the Registry Editor and Local Group Policy Editor for permanent system-wide changes.

• You have choices: Use Settings for simple changes, or Registry/Group Policy for advanced control.
• Flexible options: Keep icons normal size, always small, or only small when the taskbar is crowded.
• User-friendly: Easy to do with just a few clicks in Settings.
• Save screen space: Smaller icons help fit more apps on your taskbar.
• Customize your PC: Make your Windows 11 look and work the way you like.

Enjoy the personalized taskbar.