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Windows 11 does not offer a numeric taskbar-height field or an icon-width slider. On builds with the newer taskbar controls, you can use smaller taskbar buttons, let Windows reduce their size when the taskbar is crowded, or use display scaling to enlarge the entire interface.
Controls vary by Windows version, build, update channel, gradual feature rollout, and organization policy. Check your build first, and do not assume that an option shown in Insider documentation is available on every retail PC.
Check your Windows 11 version and build
Press Windows+R, type winver, and press Enter. The dialog shows your Windows version and OS build.
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You can also open Settings > System > About and look under Windows specifications. Windows 11 version 24H2 uses build 26100, while version 25H2 uses build 26200. Controls may still vary within a version because Microsoft rolls out some features gradually.
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To open the taskbar settings page directly, press Windows+R, enter ms-settings:taskbar, and press Enter.
Make the Windows 11 taskbar smaller
On builds that include the newer taskbar controls, use these steps:
- Right-click an empty part of the taskbar.
- Select Taskbar settings.
- Expand Taskbar behaviors.
- Find Show smaller taskbar buttons.
- Choose an option from the table.
| Option | Result |
|---|---|
| Always | Uses smaller taskbar buttons all the time. |
| When taskbar is full | Reduces button size automatically when space becomes limited. |
| Never | Uses the standard button size. |
In the current preview implementation, Always makes both the taskbar and its icons smaller, providing more vertical screen space. Earlier implementations focused mainly on icon and button scaling, so the result can depend on your build. Microsoft introduced the behavior to help fit more pinned or running apps on the taskbar.
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Windows 11 Insider Experimental build 26300.8758 introduced a separate Taskbar Size control. In applicable builds, look under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. It may appear instead of, or in addition to, Show smaller taskbar buttons.
The control was introduced in the Experimental channel and may be subject to gradual rollout or change. Its label and location can differ between builds; it is not a universal feature of every Windows 11 installation.
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What to do if “Show smaller taskbar buttons” is missing
The setting is not available on every Windows 11 PC. It may depend on your build, update channel, feature rollout, or organization policy.
- Run winver and record the version and OS build.
- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Check whether the computer is running an Insider build or a normal retail release.
- If it is a work or school computer, ask whether a taskbar policy is being applied.
Installing the latest update does not guarantee that the option will appear immediately. Microsoft can enable features gradually, and preview documentation does not mean the same control exists in retail Windows.
Can you make the Windows 11 taskbar taller?
Windows 11 has no supported built-in option for making the taskbar larger than its standard size. The current built-in control provides smaller or standard buttons, not a numeric height setting or a separate large-taskbar option.
If you need larger taskbar icons, the supported workaround is to increase Windows display scaling:
- Open Settings.
- Go to System > Display.
- Under Scale & layout, open Scale.
- Choose a larger value, such as 125% or 150%.
This enlarges more than the taskbar. Text, application windows, menus, and other interface elements also become larger, so it is not an independent taskbar-height control.
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Can you change taskbar icon width or spacing?
No. Windows 11 does not expose separate built-in controls for:
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- The width of each pinned-app button
- Horizontal spacing between taskbar icons
- Padding around individual icons
- Exact taskbar-button dimensions in pixels
Show smaller taskbar buttons changes the button-size behavior; it does not provide a width or spacing slider.
You can free horizontal space with related taskbar settings, but these do not resize individual icons:
- Under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, choose left or centered alignment where available.
- Under Taskbar items, change Search from a search box to a smaller icon or hide it.
- Hide taskbar items and system-tray icons you do not use.
- Use Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels to control grouping and labels, where available.
When the taskbar is crowded, Windows may move items into taskbar overflow or reduce button size if When taskbar is full is selected.
Why the old TaskbarSi Registry tweak should not be your first choice
Older Windows 11 guides often tell you to create this Registry value:
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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarSi
Those guides commonly assign 0 for small, 1 for default, and 2 for large. This was an undocumented workaround, not a supported Windows setting. It became unreliable after taskbar changes including the February 2023 update KB5022913.
On current builds, changing the value may do nothing, work only temporarily, or produce inconsistent results between taskbar sections. Common symptoms include a cropped clock or system-tray area, settings reverting after an update, and different behavior after changing display scaling or connecting another monitor.
A Registry value can still exist in the profile while the current Windows shell ignores it. Use the supported Taskbar settings control when your build provides it rather than relying on old TaskbarSi instructions.
When a work or school PC controls the taskbar
Administrators can enforce small-button behavior with the Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior policy. The documented policy path is:
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User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar > Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior
| Policy value | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 0 | Always use smaller buttons. |
| 1 | Use smaller buttons when the taskbar is full. |
| 2 | Never use smaller buttons. |
| 65535 | No enforced configuration; the user can choose where the UI supports it. |
When an administrator enables the policy, the user cannot change the corresponding setting in Windows Settings. This can explain why the option is disabled or why a selected value keeps returning after sign-in or a policy refresh. The Local Group Policy Editor policy applies to supported Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions; Windows Home does not include the Local Group Policy Editor.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Windows 11 taskbar sizing: what is possible?
| Goal | Supported method |
|---|---|
| Make icons smaller | Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviors > Show smaller taskbar buttons > Always, where available |
| Automatically shrink icons when crowded | Select When taskbar is full |
| Restore standard sizing | Select Never |
| Make the taskbar shorter | Use the smaller-taskbar implementation, if supported by your build |
| Make the taskbar taller than standard | No supported built-in control |
| Set an exact height in pixels | No supported built-in control |
| Set exact icon width or spacing | No supported built-in control |
| Make icons larger without scaling Windows generally | No supported built-in control |
| Make the whole interface larger | Settings > System > Display > Scale & layout > Scale |
| Use the old TaskbarSi Registry tweak | Outdated and unreliable on current builds |
| Enforce behavior on a managed PC | Use the Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior policy on supported editions |
FAQ
How do I make taskbar icons smaller in Windows 11?
Open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors, expand Show smaller taskbar buttons, and select Always. The option is available only on builds that include the newer taskbar controls.
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How do I increase the taskbar size in Windows 11?
There is no supported setting that makes only the taskbar larger. To enlarge the taskbar along with the rest of Windows, open Settings > System > Display and increase Scale.
Can I change the width of taskbar icons?
No. Windows 11 does not provide an independent icon-width, button-width, padding, or spacing control. The smaller-button setting uses Windows-defined size behavior.
Why can’t I find Show smaller taskbar buttons?
The control depends on your Windows version, OS build, update channel, gradual feature rollout, and possible workplace policies. Check winver, install available updates, and check whether the PC is managed.
Does the TaskbarSi Registry setting still work?
It is an outdated, undocumented workaround and is unreliable on current Windows 11 builds. It may be ignored, revert after updates, or cause inconsistent taskbar rendering.
The Bottom Line
For a smaller Windows 11 taskbar, use Show smaller taskbar buttons > Always, or choose When taskbar is full to reduce button size when space runs out. Windows 11 does not provide supported controls for a taller taskbar, exact pixel height, icon width, or icon spacing. Use display scaling only if enlarging the entire interface is acceptable.
