Taskbar policy settings

This reference article outlines the policy settings available for customizing the Windows taskbar, using Configuration Service Provider (CSP) or group policy (GPO). For information about how to configure these settings, see Configure the Windows taskbar.

The settings are categorized and presented in alphabetical order to facilitate navigation and configuration.

1. Taskbar layout: settings to control the taskbar layout and appearance
2. Taskbar behaviors: settings to control the taskbar behaviors and the users' allowed actions

Select one of the tabs to see the list of available settings:

Taskbar layout

Setting Name	CSP	GPO
Allow widgets	✅	✅
Configure Start layout	✅	✅
Configures search on the taskbar	✅	✅
Do not display or track items in Jump Lists from remote locations	❌	✅
Hide recent jumplists	✅	✅
Hide the TaskView button	✅	✅
Remove Clock from the system notification area	❌	✅
Remove Notifications and Action Center	❌	✅
Remove pinned programs from the Taskbar	❌	✅
Remove Quick Settings	✅	✅
Show additional calendar	❌	✅
Simplify Quick Settings Layout	✅	✅
Turn off automatic promotion of notification icons to the taskbar	❌	✅

Setting Name	CSP	GPO
Allow widgets	✅	✅
Configure Start layout	✅	✅
Configures search on the taskbar	✅	✅
Do not display or track items in Jump Lists from remote locations	❌	✅
Hide recent jumplists	✅	✅
Hide the notification area	❌	✅
Remove Clock from the system notification area	❌	✅
Remove Notifications and Action Center	❌	✅
Remove pinned programs from the Taskbar	❌	✅
Remove the battery meter	❌	✅
Remove the Meet Now icon	❌	✅
Remove the networking icon	❌	✅
Remove the People Bar from the taskbar	✅	✅
Remove the volume control icon	❌	✅
Show additional calendar	❌	✅
Turn off automatic promotion of notification icons to the taskbar	❌	✅
Turn off notification area cleanup	❌	✅

Allow widgets

This policy specifies whether the widgets feature is allowed on the device.

• Widgets are turned on by default, unless you change this in your settings
• If you turn on this policy setting, widgets are enabled automatically, unless you turn it off in your settings

	Path
CSP	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/NewsAndInterests/AllowNewsAndInterests
GPO	Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets

Configure Start layout

This policy setting lets you specify the applications pinned to the taskbar. The layout that you specify has an XML format.

	Path
CSP	- ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/StartLayout/Configure start layout - ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/StartLayout/Configure start layout
GPO	Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

For more information, see Customize the taskbar pinned applications.

Configures search on the taskbar

This policy setting allows you to configure search on the taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting and set it to hide, search on taskbar is hidden by default. Users can't change it in Settings
• If you enable this policy setting and set it to search icon only, the search icon is displayed on the taskbar by default. Users can't change it in Settings
• If you enable this policy setting and set it to search icon and label, the search icon and label are displayed on the taskbar by default. Users can't change it in Settings
• If you enable this policy setting and set it to search box, the search box is displayed on the taskbar by default. Users can't change it in Settings
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, search on taskbar is configured according to the defaults for your Windows edition. Users can change search on taskbar in Settings

	Path
CSP	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Search/ConfigureSearchOnTaskbarMode
GPO	Computer Configuration > Windows Components > Search

Do not display or track items in Jump Lists from remote locations

This policy setting allows you to control displaying or tracking items in Jump Lists from remote locations. The Start Menu and Taskbar display Jump Lists off of programs. These menus include files, folders, websites, and other relevant items for that program. This helps users more easily reopen their most important documents and other tasks.

• If you enable this policy setting, the Start Menu and Taskbar only track the files that the user opens locally on this computer. Files that the user opens over the network from remote computers aren't tracked or shown in the Jump Lists. Use this setting to reduce network traffic, particularly over slow network connections
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, all files that the user opens appear in the menus, including files located remotely on another computer

Note

This setting doesn't prevent Windows from displaying remote files that the user has explicitly pinned to the Jump Lists.

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Hide the notification area

This setting affects the notification area (previously called the "system tray") on the taskbar. Description: The notification area is located at the far right end of the task bar and includes the icons for current notifications and the system clock. If this setting is enabled, the user?s entire notification area, including the notification icons, is hidden. The taskbar displays only the Start button, taskbar buttons, custom toolbars (if any), and the system clock. If this setting is disabled or isn't configured, the notification area is shown in the user's taskbar. Note: Enabling this setting overrides the "Turn off notification area cleanup" setting, because if the notification area is hidden, there's no need to clean up the icons.

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Hide recent jumplists

Prevents the operating system and installed programs from creating and displaying shortcuts to recently opened documents.

• If you enable this setting:
  • The system and apps don't create shortcuts to documents opened
  • The system empties the Recent Items menu on the Start menu, and apps don't display shortcuts at the bottom of the File menu
  • The Jump Lists in the Start Menu and Taskbar don't show lists of recently or frequently used files, folders, or websites
• If you disable or don't configure this setting, the system stores and displays shortcuts to recently and frequently used files, folders, and websites
• If you enable this setting but don't enable the Remove Recent Items menu from Start Menu setting, the Recent Items menu appears on the Start menu, but it's empty.
• If you enable this setting, but then later disable it or set it to Not Configured, the document shortcuts saved before the setting was enabled reappear in the Recent Items menu and program File menus, and Jump Lists. This setting doesn't hide or prevent the user from pinning files, folders, or websites to the Jump Lists. This setting doesn't hide document shortcuts displayed in the Open dialog box

	Path
CSP	- ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideRecentJumplists - ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideRecentJumplists
GPO	Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > don't keep history of recently opened documents User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > don't keep history of recently opened documents

Hide the TaskView button

This policy setting allows you to hide the TaskView button. If you enable this policy setting, the TaskView button is hidden and the Settings toggle disabled.

	Path
CSP	- ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideTaskViewButton - ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HideTaskViewButton
GPO	- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar - Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove Clock from the system notification area

• If you enable this policy setting, the clock isn't displayed in the system notification area
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the default behavior accur, and the clock appears in the notification area

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove Notifications and Action Center

This policy setting removes Notifications and Action Center from the notification area on the taskbar.

The notification area is located at the far right end of the taskbar, and includes icons for current notifications and the system clock.

• If this setting is enabled, Notifications and Action Center aren't displayed in the notification area. The user can read notifications when they appear, but they can't review any notifications they miss
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, Notification and Security and Maintenance are displayed on the taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove pinned programs from the Taskbar

This policy setting allows you to remove pinned programs from the taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, pinned programs are removed from the taskbar. Users can't pin programs to the taskbar
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can pin programs so that the program shortcuts stay on the taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar - Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove Quick Settings

This policy setting removes Quick Settings from the bottom right area on the taskbar. The Quick Settings area is located at the left of the clock in the taskbar and includes icons for current network and volume.

If this setting is enabled, Quick Settings isn't displayed in the Quick Settings area.

Note

A reboot is required for this policy setting to take effect.

	Path
CSP	./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/DisableControlCenter
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove the battery meter

With this policy setting you can remove the battery meter from the system control area.

• If you enable this policy setting, the battery meter isn't displayed in the system notification area
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the battery meter is displayed in the system notification area

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove the Meet Now icon

With this policy setting allows you can remove the Meet Now icon from the system control area.

• If you enable this policy setting, the Meet Now icon isn't displayed in the system notification area
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the Meet Now icon is displayed in the system notification area

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove the networking icon

With this policy setting you can remove the networking icon from the system control area.

• If you enable this policy setting, the networking icon isn't displayed in the system notification area
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the networking icon is displayed in the system notification area

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove the People Bar from the taskbar

With this policy allows you can remove the People Bar from the taskbar and disables the My People experience. If you enable this policy setting, the people icon is removed from the taskbar, the corresponding settings toggle is removed from the taskbar settings page, and users can't pin people to the taskbar.

	Path
CSP	./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/HidePeopleBar
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove the volume control icon

With this policy setting you can remove the volume control icon from the system control area.

• If you enable this policy setting, the volume control icon isn't displayed in the system notification area
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the volume control icon is displayed in the system notification area

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Show additional calendar

By default, the calendar is set according to the locale of the operating system, and users can show an additional calendar.

• For zh-CN and zh-SG locales, an additional calendar shows the lunar month and date and holiday names in Simplified Chinese (Lunar) by default

• For zh-TW, zh-HK, and zh-MO locales, an additional calendar shows the lunar month and date and holiday names in Traditional Chinese (Lunar) by default

• If you enable this policy setting, users can show an additional calendar in either Simplified Chinese (Lunar) or Traditional Chinese (Lunar), regardless of the locale

• If you disable this policy setting, users can't show an additional calendar, regardless of the locale

• If you don't configure this policy setting, the calendar will be set according to the default logic

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Simplify Quick Settings Layout

• If you enable this policy, Quick Settings is reduced to only having the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Accessibility, and VPN buttons. The brightness slider, volume slider, and battery indicator and link to the Settings app
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the regular Quick Settings layout appears whenever Quick Settings is invoked

	Path
CSP	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/SimplifyQuickSettings
GPO	Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Turn off automatic promotion of notification icons to the taskbar

With this policy setting you can turn off automatic promotion of notification icons to the taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, newly added notification icons aren't temporarily promoted to the Taskbar. Users can still configure icons to be shown or hidden in the Notification Control Panel.
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, newly added notification icons are temporarily promoted to the Taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Turn off notification area cleanup

This setting affects the notification area, also called the system tray. The notification area is located in the task bar, generally at the bottom of the screen, and it includes the clock and current notifications.

This setting determines whether the items are always expanded or always collapsed. By default, notifications are collapsed. The notification cleanup << icon can be referred to as the notification chevron.

• If you enable this setting, the system notification area expands to show all of the notifications that use this area
• If you disable this setting, the system notification area always collapses notifications
• If you don't configure it, the user can choose if they want notifications collapsed or expanded

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Taskbar behaviors

Setting Name	CSP	GPO
Disable editing Quick Settings	✅	✅
Do not allow pinning items in Jump Lists	❌	✅
Do not allow pinning programs to the Taskbar	✅	✅
Do not allow pinning Store app to the Taskbar	❌	✅
Do not allow taskbars on more than one display	❌	✅
Prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings	❌	✅
Prevent grouping of taskbar items	❌	✅
Remove access to the context menus for the taskbar	❌	✅

Setting Name	CSP	GPO
Do not allow pinning items in Jump Lists	❌	✅
Do not allow pinning programs to the Taskbar	✅	✅
Do not allow pinning Store app to the Taskbar	❌	✅
Lock all taskbar settings	❌	✅
Lock the Taskbar	❌	✅
Prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings	❌	✅
Prevent grouping of taskbar items	❌	✅
Prevent users from adding or removing toolbars	❌	✅
Prevent users from moving taskbar to another screen dock location	❌	✅
Prevent users from rearranging toolbars	❌	✅
Prevent users from resizing the taskbar	❌	✅
Remove access to the context menus for the taskbar	❌	✅
Turn off notification area cleanup	❌	✅

Disable editing Quick Settings

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't modify Quick Settings
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can edit Quick Settings

	Path
CSP	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/DisableEditingQuickSettings
GPO	Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Disable editing quick settings

Do not allow pinning items in Jump Lists

With this policy setting you control the pinning of items in Jump Lists.

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't pin files, folders, websites, or other items to their Jump Lists in the Start Menu and Taskbar. Users can't unpin existing items pinned to their Jump Lists. Existing items already pinned to their Jump Lists continue to show
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can pin files, folders, websites, and other items to a program's Jump List so that the items are always present in this menu

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Do not allow pinning programs to the Taskbar

This policy setting allows you to control pinning programs to the Taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't change the programs currently pinned to the Taskbar. If any programs are already pinned to the Taskbar, these programs continue to show in the Taskbar. However, users can't unpin these programs already pinned to the Taskbar, and they can't pin new programs to the Taskbar
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can change the programs currently pinned to the Taskbar

	Path
CSP	./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Start/NoPinningToTaskbar
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Do not allow pinning Store app to the Taskbar

This policy setting allows you to control pinning the Store app to the Taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't pin the Store app to the Taskbar. If the Store app is already pinned to the Taskbar, it will be removed from the Taskbar on next sign in
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can pin the Store app to the Taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Do not allow taskbars on more than one display

This policy setting allows you to prevent taskbars from being displayed on more than one monitor. If you enable this policy setting, users aren't able to show taskbars on more than one display. The multiple display section is not enabled in the taskbar properties dialog. If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can show taskbars on more than one display.

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Lock all taskbar settings

With this policy setting you lock all taskbar settings.

• If you enable this policy setting, the user can't access the taskbar control panel. The user can't resize, move, or rearrange toolbars on their taskbar
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the user can set any taskbar setting that isn't prevented by another policy setting

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Lock the Taskbar

This setting affects the taskbar, which is used to switch between running applications. The taskbar includes the Start button, list of currently running tasks, and the notification area. By default, the taskbar is located at the bottom of the screen, but it can be dragged to any side of the screen. When it's locked, it can't be moved or resized. If you enable this setting, it prevents the user from moving or resizing the taskbar. While the taskbar is locked, autohide and other taskbar options are still available in Taskbar properties. If you disable this setting or don't configure it, the user can configure the taskbar position. Note: Enabling this setting also locks the QuickLaunch bar and any other toolbars that the user has on their taskbar. The toolbar's position is locked, and the user can't show and hide various toolbars using the taskbar context menu.

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings

With this policy setting you prevent changes to taskbar and Start settings.

• If you enable this policy setting, the user can't open the Taskbar properties dialog box. If the user right-clicks the taskbar and then selects Properties, a message appears explaining that a setting prevents the action
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the Taskbar and Start menu items are available from Settings on the Start menu

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar - Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Prevent grouping of taskbar items

Taskbar grouping consolidates similar applications when there's no room on the taskbar. It kicks in when the user's taskbar is full.

• If you enable this policy setting, it prevents the taskbar from grouping items that share the same program name. By default, this setting is always enabled
• If you disable or don't configure it, items on the taskbar that share the same program are grouped together. The users have the option to disable grouping if they choose

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Prevent users from adding or removing toolbars

With this policy setting you prevent users from adding or removing toolbars.

• If you enable this policy setting, the user isn't allowed to add or remove any toolbars to the taskbar. Applications can't add toolbars either
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the users and applications can add toolbars to the taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Prevent users from moving taskbar to another screen dock location

With this policy setting you prevent users from moving taskbar to another screen dock location.

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't drag their taskbar to another area of the monitor(s)
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can drag their taskbar to another area of the monitor, unless prevented by another policy setting

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Prevent users from rearranging toolbars

With this policy setting you prevent users from rearranging toolbars.

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't drag or drop toolbars to the taskbar
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can rearrange the toolbars on the taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Prevent users from resizing the taskbar

With this policy setting you prevent users from resizing the taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, users can't resize their taskbar
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, users can resize their taskbar, unless prevented by another setting

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Remove access to the context menus for the taskbar

With this policy setting you can remove access to the context menus for the taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, the menus that appear when you right-click the taskbar and items on the taskbar are hidden. For example the Start button, the clock, and the taskbar buttons.
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, the context menus for the taskbar are available

This policy setting doesn't prevent users from using other methods to issue the commands that appear on these menus.

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	- User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar - Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Turn off automatic promotion of notification icons to the taskbar

With this policy setting you can turn off automatic promotion of notification icons to the taskbar.

• If you enable this policy setting, newly added notification icons aren't temporarily promoted to the Taskbar. Users can still configure icons to be shown or hidden in the Notification Control Panel.
• If you disable or don't configure this policy setting, newly added notification icons are temporarily promoted to the Taskbar

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Turn off notification area cleanup

This setting affects the notification area, also called the system tray. The notification area is located in the task bar, generally at the bottom of the screen, and it includes the clock and current notifications.

This setting determines whether the items are always expanded or always collapsed. By default, notifications are collapsed. The notification cleanup << icon can be referred to as the notification chevron.

• If you enable this setting, the system notification area expands to show all of the notifications that use this area
• If you disable this setting, the system notification area always collapses notifications
• If you don't configure it, the user can choose if they want notifications collapsed or expanded

	Path
CSP	Not available.
GPO	User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar

Next steps

The configuration of pinned applications to the taskbar requires the use of an XML file that specifies their pinning order. To learn more about how to create and apply an XML file to configure pinned applications, see Configure the taskbar pinned applications.