Hide the taskbar using a keyboard shortcut, with Taskbar Control


The Windows taskbar may distract when you need to pay attention to a project or just to stare at this new great wallpaper, or simply uses a space you need when you are on small screens. Taskbar Control is a light and free (without limitations) utility that will let you hide the taskbar as long as you need, easily, just by pressing a keyboard shortcut. Using the same shortcut once more you can show / unhide the taskbar again, whenever you want.

This way using or avoiding the Taskbar becomes easy and pleasant as a game. You can make it reappear instantly, e.g. to just see what time it is, without having to move your mouse or change system options — just with a keyboard shortcut. Taskbar Control hides the taskbar without impeding the keyboard’s Start / Windows key; this way you can still use the Start Menu to open your programs, search for files, configure your system, etc.

When you run the Taskbar Control it will place an icon in the system tray, a brown and orange square. You can right click this icon to change the shortcut key (the default is Ctrl+Alt+i). Taskbar Control does not use the registry; it will create just an ini (simple text) file in the same folder with the executable, to store your shortcut key preference (this folder needs write permission).

There is now an updated version of Taskbar Control for Windows 10 and 11. This version introduces also two options, to hide/unhide the taskbar using your mouse, when you click on its icon or when you select the relevant option in the right click tray menu. Download and enjoy!

* Get more power tools, and also check Taskbar Labels, a free utility that lets you turn on or off the text beside the taskbar icons using a shortcut key. Don’t miss the best free Laptop utilities.

To ensure a trouble-free installation, right-click the setup file and select the option “Run as administrator.” You need also to make sure after the installation is complete, that the program folder and files have write permissions. Finally, to avoid UAC prompts upon startup you can include the program in a whitelist of trusted applications.