Windows: Shrink the taskbar - here's how to do it

The size of all elements on the desktop is preset by Windows 10. However, in the default settings, some of the various elements, such as the taskbar, are quite large. Learn here what options you have to resize the taskbar in Windows 10.

How to shrink the taskbar in Windows 10

If the taskbar is too big for you, you can personalize the scaling via Windows 10's taskbar settings. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select the "Taskbar settings" menu item.
2. In the overview, activate the slider at the "Use small taskbar buttons" option. The taskbar is then reduced in size.

More options to reduce the size of the taskbar Windows 10 does not offer. However, you have the option to automatically hide the bar. This provides a little extra space, especially on smaller screens. To do so, simply activate the option "Automatically hide taskbar in desktop mode" in the taskbar settings. If the function is switched on, the taskbar is only shown again when you hover over it with the mouse.

Scale icons on the desktop

In the display options of Windows 10, you also have the option to adjust the size of elements on the desktop. Alternatively, you can also change the size of the elements using a keyboard shortcut. To do this, simply hold down the Ctrl key on the desktop and scroll down with the mouse wheel to make the icons smaller and up to make them larger.