The Windows taskbar is a great way to access your programs and crucial services like Bluetooth. By default, Windows 10 places the most important icons on the right, in the system tray, while you have all the space in the middle to pin your program icons. If you only have a few to pin, you can center them on the taskbar for a more aesthetic look.
This article will show you how to center your Windows 10 taskbar icons without any third-party software.
Why Center the Windows 10 Taskbar Icons?
There aren’t many reasons why you should move your quick access icons to the middle of the taskbar. The primary reason is aesthetics, making Windows 10 look a little bit tidier. Indeed, Microsoft agrees with this sentiment so much that the default Start menu and taskbar icon location in Windows 11 is the center.
But some people value aesthetics as well besides just having a powerful computer to boot resource-intensive programs. Besides, if you regularly switch between Mac and Windows, you also get some consistency in the location of taskbar (or dock in Mac) icons.
See, how to troubleshoot missing Taskbar icons on Windows 10 if you are facing that issue.
How Do I Center My Taskbar Icons?
By default, Windows 10 icons are left-aligned. You can change some basic taskbar settings to move your icons to the center.
- Right-click the Windows 10 taskbar.
- Select Taskbar settings, then uncheck Lock the taskbar.
- Next, set the taskbar location to the Bottom under taskbar location on screen.
- Under Combine taskbar icons, select Always, Hide labels.
- Right-click on the taskbar again, select Toolbars, and tap Links to toggle on.
- Once the links section is toggled on, you’ll see two vertical lines appear. Drag the right vertical line to the left past the icons.
- Taskbar icons will now appear on the right side of the taskbar. Drag the vertical line next to the icons to move the icons to an ideal center position on your taskbar.
- Once icons are centered, right-click on the taskbar and select Lock the taskbar from the pop-up menu.
To spark more life into your taskbar, use Taskbar X to customize your Windows 10 taskbar further with icon styling options, animations, and more. But if you’re shooting for something similar to Windows 11’s start menu, you can use Stardock’s Start11 tool.
While not free, it provides an easy way to access the new start menu if your PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s minimum requirements. However, if you’re the kind that loves tinkering with your devices, there’s a way to bypass Windows 11 minimum installation requirements. That way, you get to use the new start menu without using a third-party tool.
Customize the Windows 10 Taskbar Icon Position
Windows 10 taskbar left-aligns icons by default, and most users stick with this alignment. However, you can center the icons for a more aesthetic look without using any third-party software. Furthermore, you can use the same method to push the taskbar icons all the way to the right, alongside the system tray.