Chapter 10: Setting Up Your Start Menu and Taskbar

What Can Appear on the Taskbar?

The taskbar is a row of buttons and icons that usually appears at the bottom of the Windows desktop. As explained in Chapter 1, the taskbar has four parts: the Start button, the toolbar(s), the task buttons (one for each running application), and the notification area (with small icons for items that need your attention). You can customize your taskbar by moving it, changing its size, and changing what appears on it. You may also see arrows on the taskbar--click them to see buttons or other information that Windows has hidden to keep the taskbar uncluttered.

Five taskbar toolbars come with Windows:

• Quick Launch toolbar Usually contains three buttons, from left to right: Show Desktop (minimizes all open windows to reveal the desktop), Launch Internet Explorer Browser, and Windows Media Player. You can change which buttons appear on this toolbar. Here are the standard three buttons:

If you don't see the Quick Launch toolbar on the taskbar, see "Adding and Removing Toolbars from the Taskbar" later in this chapter.

• Address toolbar Contains a text box where you can type a URL to open a Web page or a file pathname to open a file. A drop-down list contains recently used URLs and pathnames, like this:

• Links toolbar Displays a button for each of the Web pages Microsoft would like you to visit (you can remove Microsoft Web pages and add your own favorite sites). This toolbar also appears in Internet Explorer. Click a button to open the Web page. Here is an example:

• Desktop toolbar Displays a button for each icon on the desktop. If a double arrow appears, click it to display the options that don't fit on the taskbar, like this:

• Language bar Displays buttons for all installed languages and keyboard or input options that you have added using the Regional And Language options available from the Control Panel. This toolbar doesn't appear as an option unless you have installed support for additional languages and keyboard layouts.

Older versions of Windows usually displayed the Quick Launch toolbar on the taskbar immediately to the right of the Start button. Windows XP doesn't by default, but you can add it to the taskbar or move it onto the desktop. You can also display other toolbars on the taskbar or on the desktop.