Enable or Disable Show Desktop Windows 11 Taskbar

This article explains how to turn on or turn off the Show Desktop button. It’s that small area at the far right corner of your taskbar in Windows 11.

Why would you want this? The Show Desktop button lets you hide all your open windows instantly and see your desktop. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + D to do the same thing.

What happens when you use it? Click the far right corner of your taskbar and all your open windows disappear. Click it again and they come back.

Windows 11 has this feature, but it’s turned off by default. Turning it on gives you quick access to your desktop. Turning it off prevents you from accidentally clicking it and hiding all your work.

Method 1: Use the Settings App

The easiest way is to use Windows Settings.

1. Open the Settings app. Click the Start menu and select Settings. Or press Windows key + I.
2. Click Personalization on the left side.

3. Find and click the Taskbar option on the right side.

4. Click Taskbar behavior to expand that section.
5. Look for the checkbox that says “Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop.”
6. Check the box to turn it on. Uncheck the box to turn it off.

7. Close the Settings app when you’re done.

Method 2: Use the Registry Editor

This method is for advanced users. The Registry Editor lets you change how Windows works by editing system files.

⚠️ Admin Privileges Required: You need administrator access to use the Registry Editor.

1. Open the Registry Editor. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to this folder path:
   

   Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Look for the entry named TaskbarSd in the right pane. Double-click it.
4. Enter 1 to turn the feature on. Enter 0 to turn it off.

5. If you don’t see TaskbarSd, right-click in the blank area on the right pane. Select New and then DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name it TaskbarSd.
7. Double-click it and enter your value (1 for on, 0 for off).
8. Click OK to save.
9. Close the Registry Editor.
10. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Summary

The Show Desktop button is a handy feature in Windows 11 that lets you quickly hide all open windows and see your desktop. By default, it’s turned off. You can turn it on or off using two methods: the Settings app (easy) or the Registry Editor (advanced). Choose whichever method works best for you. Once enabled, simply click the far right corner of your taskbar to show or hide your desktop instantly.