How to Enable or Disable the Windows Taskbar Settings

Customizing the Windows taskbar is sort of straightforward; nonetheless, it is irritating when others tweak the taskbar settings with out your permission.

Should you’re continually coming again to a special taskbar, here is how to cease others from messing with it in Windows.

How to Lock or Unlock the Taskbar Settings

One of the best ways to disable or allow the taskbar settings is by unlocking or locking the settings. To do that, you possibly can both use the Native Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor.

Utilizing the Native Group Policy Editor

We’ll first take a look at how the Native Group Policy Editor (LGPE) might help. That is an unimaginable Windows software that makes it straightforward to configure settings or troubleshoot system points. The LGPE may also assist you to forestall others from altering the Windows desktop background.

You possibly can entry this software on any Windows machine besides the House version. Nevertheless, there are some tips you possibly can apply to entry the LGPE on Windows House. Alternatively, should you’re utilizing Windows House, you possibly can skip straight to the “Registry Editor” methodology.

Now, listed here are the steps for locking or unlocking the taskbar settings utilizing the LGPE:

1. Press Win + R to open the Windows Run command dialog field.
2. Sort gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the LGPE.
3. Navigate to Consumer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Begin Menu and Taskbar.
4. Double-click on the Lock all taskbar settings possibility on the right-hand facet pane.

From there, choose Enabled within the top-left nook of the display. Lastly, press Apply after which press the OK button. This could lock (disable) the taskbar settings.

If you wish to unlock (allow) the taskbar settings, observe these steps:

1. Open the LGPE and navigate to the Begin Menu and Taskbar possibility by following the earlier steps.
2. Double-click on the Lock all taskbar settings possibility.
3. Choose Not Configured or Disabled from the choices. Lastly, press Apply after which press the OK button.

Utilizing the Registry Editor

Alternatively, you possibly can lock or unlock the taskbar settings utilizing the Registry Editor. This software additionally turns out to be useful everytime you need to tweak some settings or troubleshoot points in your PC.

Nevertheless, the Registry Editor is a delicate software that must be dealt with with care. So, it is advisable to again up the Registry first earlier than tweaking its keys.

Now, here is how to lock or unlock the taskbar settings utilizing the Registry Editor:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog field.
2. Sort Regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Subsequent, copy-paste the next command into the handle bar on the prime and press Enter:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows

Proper-click on the Windows key and choose New > Key. Subsequent, identify this key as Explorer after which press Enter.

From there, click on the Explorer key and right-click on a clean area on the right-hand facet. Subsequent, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Worth and identify the worth as TaskbarLockAll.

To lock the taskbar settings, double-click on the TaskbarLockAll worth and set the Worth information to 1. Lastly, press OK after which shut the Registry Editor while you end.

To unlock the taskbar settings, observe the earlier steps and set TaskbarLockAll’s Worth information to 0 (zero).

How to Forestall Others From Altering the Taskbar Settings (and the Begin Menu Settings)

As a substitute of locking the taskbar settings, you can prohibit others from making modifications to the settings. It is virtually the identical as locking these settings; nonetheless, this methodology may additionally forestall others from altering the Begin menu settings.

So, it is often best to use this methodology if locking the taskbar does not assist. Additionally, this methodology may very well be ultimate should you’ve been planning to forestall folks from making modifications to the Begin menu settings.

Utilizing the LGPE

This is how to forestall modifications to the taskbar settings utilizing the LGPE:

1. Press Win + R to open the Windows Run command dialog field.
2. Sort gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the LGPE.
3. Navigate to Consumer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Begin Menu and Taskbar.
4. Double-click on the Forestall modifications to Taskbar and Begin Menu Settings possibility on the right-hand facet pane.

From there, choose Enabled to forestall others from altering the taskbar settings. While you end, press Apply after which press OK. This could forestall modifications to each the taskbar and the Begin menu settings.

To alter these settings at a later stage, observe these steps:

1. Entry the LGPE and navigate to the Begin Menu and Taskbar possibility by making use of the earlier strategies. From there, double-click on the Forestall modifications to Taskbar and Begin Menu Settings possibility.
2. Within the subsequent display, choose both Not Configured or Disabled. Lastly, press Apply after which press OK.

Utilizing the Registry Editor

Alternatively, you need to use the Registry Editor to forestall others from altering your taskbar settings. Not like the “LGPE” methodology, there are probabilities that the “Registry Editor” methodology will not have an effect on the Begin menu settings.

Now, here is how to forestall modifications to the taskbar settings utilizing the Registry Editor:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run command dialog field.
2. Sort Regedit after which press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. From there, copy-paste the next command into the handle bar and press Enter:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindowsExplorer

Subsequent, right-click on a clean area on the right-hand facet and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Worth. Title this worth as NoSetTaskbar.

To stop others from altering the taskbar settings, double-click the NoSetTaskbar worth and set the Worth information to 1. Press OK after which shut the Registry Editor while you end.

To permit others to alter the taskbar settings, apply the earlier steps however set NoSetTaskbar’s Worth information to 0 (zero).

Allow or Disable the Windows Taskbar Settings Anytime

The Windows taskbar settings make it straightforward to customise the taskbar. If you don’t need anybody to tweak your taskbar settings, apply any of the strategies we have lined. And if these settings are instantly lacking, you possibly can restore them utilizing a few of the ideas we have lined.

Need to hide or present the taskbar rapidly? You possibly can arrange some shortcuts to mechanically hide or unhide the Windows taskbar.