How to Show Windows 11 Taskbar on All Displays

Windows 11 can put a taskbar on every monitor you have connected. That makes multitasking across several screens easier, because you can open and switch apps from whichever display you are working on.

Why change these settings?

Moving the mouse back to the main monitor just to switch apps gets old quickly on a multi-screen desk. With the taskbar 🖥️ on every screen, you can launch and switch programs where you are already working. That saves a few seconds each time, and those seconds add up over a busy day.

What happens when done?

With the Windows 11 taskbar multiple displays settings, a taskbar appears on every connected monitor. You can see your open apps and switch windows no matter which screen you are looking at. You also decide how program icons are spread out. You can show them on all screens, or only on the display where the app is currently running. The setting is available on Home, Pro and the other editions, and you don’t need administrator rights to change it.

By default, the Windows 11 taskbar shows the Start menu ⊞, Search, Task View, Widgets, Teams Chat, File Explorer 📁, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Store buttons. These are what you will see copied to your other screens.

The options below only appear when Windows detects more than one display. Then follow these steps:

1. Open Settings by pressing Win+I. You can also click Start and then the Settings gear icon. The Settings ⚙️ window opens.
2. In the menu on the left, click Personalization.
3. On the right side of the window, click Taskbar. You will see the taskbar settings page, with sections such as Taskbar items and Taskbar behaviors.

4. Scroll down and click Taskbar behaviors to expand the section. A list of options and checkboxes opens.
5. Check the box next to Show my taskbar on all displays. A taskbar should appear on your other monitors right away.

Open Settings › System › Display and check that every monitor is listed. If one is missing, click Detect under the multiple displays section. Also check the cable and the monitor's input setting.

6. In the same section, find the setting When using multiple displays, show my taskbar apps on. It becomes available once the checkbox above is on.
7. Open the dropdown menu and choose the option you prefer:

   • All taskbars: Shows your pinned and open apps on every screen.
   • Main taskbar and taskbar where the window is open: Shows pinned apps only on the main screen, but open apps appear on the screen where you are using them.
   • Taskbar where the window is open: Shows pinned apps only on the main screen and open apps only on the screen they are currently on.

If you are not sure which to pick, start with All taskbars. It is the simplest to use. Switch to one of the other two if the extra icons make your secondary screens feel cluttered.

Windows applies each change as soon as you make it. You don't need to click a Save button or restart the PC, and you can simply close the Settings window when you are done. To undo everything, return to the same page and uncheck Show my taskbar on all displays. The extra taskbars disappear and only the main one remains.

Summary

• Why: To improve your workflow and stop jumping between screens to find your open apps.
• What: You get a taskbar on every monitor, with your own rules for how apps appear.
• Customization: You can show all apps everywhere, or keep your taskbars cleaner by showing only active programs.
• Efficiency: These settings make a multi-monitor setup much easier to work with day to day.

Configuring the Windows 11 taskbar multiple displays options adds a taskbar to every monitor, so you no longer jump between screens to find open apps. You also set the rules for how your programs appear. You can show all apps everywhere, or keep your taskbars cleaner by showing only active programs on the screen where they run.