How to Change Which Taskbar Shows Apps on Multiple Screens in Windows 11

Multiple Displays and Taskbars

The multiple monitors taskbar settings control how Windows 11 spreads your open programs across screens. Showing a taskbar on every display makes it simpler to keep track of the windows you are working in. The two kinds of display behave differently:

• Main display: This is the screen that carries the clock and the system tray (the icons in the corner of the taskbar).
• Other displays: These can show their own taskbars, but they are simplified. They usually don’t have the clock or corner icons, though newer Windows 11 builds may add the clock to them.

Before you pick a layout, check which screen is set as your main display. Every option below depends on that screen.

Say you want your laptop to be the screen where everything opens and where the taskbar holds all the icons, not the second monitor. Open Settings › System › Display and click the laptop’s screen in the preview at the top. Scroll to Multiple displays and tick Make this my main display. The clock and system tray should move to that screen.

How to Choose Where Your Taskbar Shows Apps

Windows 11 gives you three choices for where running programs appear. You can show all open apps on every screen, limit them to the main monitor plus the screen where the app is open, or show them only on the taskbar where the window sits.

• All taskbars: Apps you pinned or opened appear on every taskbar on all screens. This is the default and the simplest to understand.
• Main taskbar and taskbar where the app is open: Pinned apps only show on the main taskbar. Open apps show on the main taskbar and also on the screen where the app is open.
• Taskbar where the app is open: Pinned apps only show on the main taskbar. Open apps only show on the screen where the app is open. This gives the cleanest second screen, but you can’t see on the main taskbar what is open elsewhere.

If you are not sure which to pick, try the second option first. It keeps one complete list of open apps on your main screen and still shows each window’s icon on the screen where it lives.

If you want all your apps on one screen, with no taskbar on the others, turn off Show my taskbar on all displays instead. That setting is covered in the steps below. With it off, the taskbar appears only on the main display.

Option 1Change Taskbar App Display Using Windows Settings

1. Press Win+I to open Settings.
2. Click Personalization in the left menu.
3. Select Taskbar on the right. You should now see the taskbar🖥️ options, such as taskbar items and corner icons.
4. Scroll down and click Taskbar behaviors to expand it. A list of checkboxes and dropdowns opens.
5. Turn on Show my taskbar on all displays. If it is off, the multiple-displays dropdown in the next step is greyed out. Leave it off if you want the taskbar🖥️ only on your main display.
6. Find the dropdown next to When using multiple displays, show my taskbar apps on and click it.
7. Choose one of the three options described above: All taskbars, Main taskbar and taskbar where window is open, or Taskbar where window is open. The icons on your taskbars should change right away.
8. Close Settings when you are done.

That’s it. Your taskbars now show apps the way you chose, and you don’t need to restart. To undo the change, open the same dropdown and pick your previous option.

This method works through the normal Settings app. You open Personalization, expand Taskbar behaviors, and switch between all three display choices. It needs no scripts, and it works on both Windows 11 Home and Pro. Use it if you only change this setting now and then, or if you would rather not run any scripts.

Windows 11 also lets you place the taskbar at the bottom, top, left or right under Settings › Personalization › Taskbar › Taskbar behaviors › Taskbar position. Microsoft is rolling this out gradually, so it may not appear on every PC yet. If you don’t see it, check Windows Update and try again later.

If the second screen still shows no taskbar, or the toggle itself is greyed out, check that Windows sees both monitors. Open Settings › System › Display, click Detect if a screen is missing, and set Multiple displays to Extend these displays. In duplicate mode both screens show the same image, so there is only one taskbar. On a work or school PC, an administrator may also control these settings.

Option 2Change Taskbar App Display Using a Batch File

Before you run any script, read it so you know what it changes. These scripts write registry values (the settings database Windows reads) and force-close Explorer, so take a backup first. Create a restore point like this:

1. Click Start, type Create a restore point, and open the result. The System Properties window opens on the System Protection tab.
2. Select your Windows drive. If protection shows as Off, click Configure, choose Turn on system protection, and click OK.
3. Click Create, type a name such as “Before taskbar scripts”, and click Create again.
4. Wait for the message that the restore point was created, then click Close.

You should now have a restore point you can roll back to. If you prefer, you can instead export the registry key the script changes using Registry Editor and File › Export.

Save your work first. Each script kills explorer.exe, the process that draws the taskbar and desktop. The taskbar and desktop disappear for a few seconds and then come back. Any file copy running in a File Explorer window may stop or close, so let it finish before you run a script.

If the taskbar doesn’t update right away afterwards, sign out and back in. You can always go back to the Settings method above and reset the dropdown.

Show apps on All taskbars:

REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V MMTaskbarEnabled /T REG_DWORD /D 1 /F
REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V MMTaskbarMode /T REG_DWORD /D 0 /F

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

Show pinned apps on main taskbar, open apps on main and open window taskbar:

REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V MMTaskbarEnabled /T REG_DWORD /D 1 /F
REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V MMTaskbarMode /T REG_DWORD /D 1 /F

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

Show pinned apps on main taskbar, open apps only on taskbar where window is open:

Taskbar batch script multiple monitors automation lets you change your app display preferences instantly. You can set pinned apps to stay on your main screen while active programs show only on their respective displays by running a simple .bat file. This saves you from digging through the standard Settings app every time you want a different layout.

Summary

• Multiple Display OptionsYou can pick how and where taskbar apps show when you use more than one screen.
• Settings AccessYou can change this at any time in Windows Settings under Personalization › Taskbar.
• Quick Changes with ScriptsBatch files let you switch settings fast if you prefer. Back up first.
• Better WorkflowAdjusting taskbar behavior keeps your workspace organized and clear to use.
• Consistent LookYou can make your taskbars look and act the way you want on all screens.

You can set taskbars to appear on every screen, change the behavior through the Personalization menu, or use batch scripts for quick adjustments. A tidy multi-monitor setup keeps your open programs organised and makes working across several screens much smoother. If a change doesn't suit you, switch the dropdown back and carry on.