Taskbar Overview

The task bar, which appears at the bottom of your screen, enables you to quickly and easily access programs such as Microsoft Word. Click here for details on how to add a program shortcut to the taskbar

The left side of the task bar appears as follows: 

1 Start button

Click to display the Start menu, which displays your list of applications, access to File Explorer, Windows settings, Power options such as restarting your computer, shutting down your computer, and locking and unlocking your computer, and using the Windows Tiles.

2 Search

Enter search word(s) to search your computer or the Web.

3 Task View button

Click on the Task View button to open Task View, which enables you to view all your open windows on your computer screen.

In Task View, you can create separate multiple “desktops”. Within each desktop you create, you can open a different set of programs and documents that you can use for different purposes, such as for work projects or classes.

Click here for more information about Task View

4 Unopened applications

These icons illustrate applications that are not currently open. Unopened applications on the task bar are distinguished by having no line under the app icon. Move your mouse over an icon of an unopened application to display a description of that application. 

5 Open applications

These icons show applications that are currently open. Opened applications are show with a line underneath each icon.

Move your mouse over an icon to view a thumbnail of each open window for that application. For example, you can view each open File Explorer window or Web browser window.