The Windows taskbar is a mainstay of the operating system. You can load it with your favorite apps for easy access or keep it clean and clear for a minimalist look. One thing you cannot do with the Windows 10 taskbar is move it around. At least, you cannot move the taskbar to the center of your screen.
If you want a central app hub similar to macOS, you need a third-party taskbar tool, like TaskbarX.
What Is the Windows Taskbar?
The Windows taskbar is the bar that runs along the bottom of your screen. At one end, you’ll see the Windows 10 logo, which is the Start Menu button. Depending on your taskbar configuration, you might also see options for Cortana, Windows 10 voice assistant.
Alongside the Start Menu are app icons. These are shortcuts to apps on your computer, which you can add to or remove.
The standard Windows 10 taskbar can move into four screen positions: top, bottom, left, and right. These locations define the position of the taskbar. But you cannot move the location of the apps along the taskbar. The icons always move to the default location alongside the Start Menu button.
For the most part, this is fine. But if you want to customize the Windows 10 taskbar and move the taskbar apps to the center, you need a third-party customization tool.
What Is TaskbarX?
TaskbarX is an open-source taskbar customization tool that gives you control over your taskbar icons. With TaskbarX installed, you can move the taskbar icons to the center point of your monitor.
The tool also includes some handy extras, such as a transparent, blurred, or acrylic taskbar style, animations for apps and icons, and an option to hide the Start Menu icon.
How to Install TaskbarX
TaskbarX comes in three different versions. For this tutorial, I’m using the Portable Zip option, which includes all the necessary files in a single archive. If you prefer to use the Microsoft Store, you can buy TaskbarX for $1.09. The Microsoft Store version requires you to spend a dollar, but you get an easier installation and automatic updates in exchange. Alternatively, TaskbarX is available as a Rainmeter skin.
- First up, head to the TaskbarX homepage and download the latest version. Right-click the downloaded file and unpack the archive. For example, 7Zip > Extract to “Taskbar X”.
- Open the TaskbarX folder and run the exe file. Your taskbar icons will auto-magically move to the middle of the taskbar!
How to Configure TaskbarX
The same TaskbarX folder contains another tool, the TaskbarX Configurator. The Configurator is as it sounds: a configuration tool for TaskbarX. It includes easy to use options for all of TaskbarX’s styles. There are five categories:
- Style
- Animation
- Position
- Taskschedule
- Extra
Style
The Style menu controls the transparency level or color of your taskbar. There are five options you can choose from. Choose an option, then select Apply in the bottom right.
You can use the sliders to create a taskbar color. Alternatively, click the color-picker icon to select a color from anywhere on your screen. The color is applied to the taskbar after hitting Apply, but the style changes using the other options, such as Transparent Gradient, Opaque, and Blur. Those options use your custom color as the base for the effect.
For example, the above image shows different Transparent Gradients, while the following image shows the color-picker option in action.
Animation
Animations detail how the taskbar icons move when you open a new app. There are over 40 different TaskbarX animations to select, so you’ll have to play around to find your favorite option.
The success of the animation option also depends on your Windows 10 taskbar icon options. If you have stacked app icons, like my example taskbar images, you won’t see any animation, regardless of your choice. If you opt for multiple taskbar entries per app or large taskbar entries, you will see a change in the animation style.
Position
The Position menu allows you to adjust the position of the taskbar icons once they are in the center. For example, you can offset the icons using a positive or negative number of pixels (where a negative number will offset towards the Start Menu, and positive towards the system tray).
The Position menu includes another handy option: Don’t center taskbar. Select this option if you want to customize the taskbar with the styles without moving your icons to the middle. Your taskbar icons will head back to the original position, alongside the Start Menu.
Taskschedule
TaskbarX doesn’t automatically run during Windows 10 startup. To fix this issue, head to the Taskschedule menu, input a time delay (in seconds), then hit Create, then Apply.
Extra
The Extra menu contains a few additional TaskbarX settings, such as for multi-monitor setups. Say, for example, you only want to center the taskbar on one of your monitors? There’s an option for that. Or if you want to hide the system tray area on your secondary monitor? TaskbarX can do that, too.
About
I’ll just mention the About menu quickly.
You can use this menu to check TaskbarX is running the latest version. If not, you can download and begin using the latest version. Developer, Chris Andriessen, releases TaskbarX updates to fix bugs and improve features. You should always check for updates after a major Windows 10 update, as Microsoft does have a habit of breaking other developer’s applications (without meaning too, of course).
How to Uninstall TaskbarX
TaskbarX is easy to remove from your computer, too.
Open the TaskbarX Configurator and select Stop TaskbarX. Head to the Uninstall tab, then select Uninstall. That’s all there is to it.
Customize Your Taskbar with TaskbarX
Windows 10 customization isn’t always easy. You can break things along the way, rendering parts of Windows 10 unusable. However, with a tool like TaskbarX, you can customize your taskbar without worrying about destroying something in the process.
As with all open-source projects, if you enjoy the app, consider donating to the developer so they can keep the project alive.