Nothing quite ruins the immersion of a PC game like the operating system reminding you it’s still there, in the form of a taskbar. If you keep finding your taskbar popping up in games, then we’ve got a few troubleshooting for you to try to get rid of it again.
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What Causes This Error?
A taskbar that keeps popping up has a few causes. Some major ones include:
- System notifications
- Graphical issues
- Another app running in the background
- A third-party overlay
- Problems with Windows Explorer
- The game not being full-screen
Stopping a Taskbar Popping Up in Games
If your taskbar pops up when playing game, here are a few fixes to try, addressing the issues above:
Disable Notifications
A major offender in the taskbar popping up is notifications, whether app- or system-related. To stop these nudges from disrupting your game experience:
Step 1. Open Settings (Win + I) and click “System.”
Step 2. In the main window, navigate to “Notifications” and click it.
Step 3. In the next menu, toggle “Notifications” to “Off.”
Step 4. If you don’t want to permanently disable notifications, either enable “Do not disturb” or select “When playing a game” under “Turn on do not disturb automatically.”
Step 5. Close Settings and see if the game runs normally.
Close Apps and Overlays
Sometimes, other apps running at the same time as the game might demand attention and cause the taskbar to appear. It might also be caused by overlays that you use to record or stream, which makes the taskbar pop up. Whatever the case, try disabling all other apps and third-party software and then running your game again. If it works, restart things one by one until you find the program causing the problem.
Update Your Graphics Driver
It’s highly unlikely, but your graphics driver could be to blame. To fix this, it’s a good idea to update your graphics driver. You can do this via your client software (like the Nvidia App) or head to Device Manager. Simply right-click your graphics card and choose “Update driver.” Click “Search automatically for drivers” and let your PC find the latest version.
Restart Explorer
If Windows Explorer is behaving erratically, then Windows may not refresh correctly, and taskbars may not hide. A quick restart can keep things fresh. Here’s how:
Step 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
Step 2. Click “Processes” in the sidebar, and navigate down the list until you find “Windows Explorer.”
Step 3. Click the process, then click the “Restart task” button at the top of the list.
Step 4. Explorer will reset. Try running the game again.
Check Full-Screen
If the taskbar stays visible in the game throughout startup and running, it might be that it isn’t running in full-screen mode at all. It might be that “Windowed Mode” is activated, or the resolution is set slightly below the optimal resolution. Whatever the case, head into your game settings and ensure any full-screen mode is enabled and the resolution matches.
