How to the Change Size of Taskbar Icons in Windows 11

How to Change Taskbar Icon Size Using Settings

The Settings ⚙️ app offers a built-in way to change taskbar icon size in Windows 11. Look for the ‘Show smaller taskbar buttons’ option in the taskbar settings to make icons consistently smaller. This approach avoids advanced tools entirely.

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)

Users comfortable with advanced system settings can change taskbar icon size in Windows 11 by editing the Registry. This method sets icons to always appear smaller by creating a specific value within the database. Technical approaches ensure taskbar icons stay consistently small.

Specific values within the Registry control icon sizing:

Always show smaller icons:

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.

Manual registry edits for taskbar icon size require opening the Registry Editor first. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigation leads to the target path where the 'IconSizePreference' setting changes taskbar icon dimensions.

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

Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education users employ the Local Group Policy Editor to alter taskbar icon size for all users or specific accounts. Management tools enforce consistent taskbar icon sizes across different profiles on a single computer.

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 provides multiple ways to adjust taskbar icon size. Quick changes happen in the Settings menu, while the Registry Editor or Local Group Policy Editor grant deeper control. Configurations maintain normal dimensions, permanent reduction, or conditional shrinking when the taskbar fills up.

• 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.