Tip: Enable or Disable Show Desktop Icon on Windows 11 Taskbar

This article will help you in enabling or disabling the “Show Desktop” icon or button in Windows 11 Taskbar notification area. If you want to restore the Show Desktop icon or want to get rid of the icon, the methods given in this article will assist you.

The Show Desktop icon helps Windows users in quickly minimizing all running program windows to the Taskbar and accessing the Desktop. By default, the icon remains invisible or hidden but you can access it by moving the mouse cursor to the extreme right end of the Taskbar. As soon as you hover the cursor over the far right corner of the Taskbar, a tiny vertical line or separator icon (pipe ‘|’ symbol) is displayed on the Taskbar.

Following screenshot shows the Show Desktop icon or button displaying in Windows 11 Taskbar notification area or system tray:

In previous Windows versions, the Show Desktop icon was shown as a small transparent rectangle button on the Taskbar. In good old Windows XP, the Show Desktop icon was available in quick launch toolbar.

Related: How to Get the Quick Launch Toolbar and Show Desktop Shortcut Back in Windows

In newer versions of Windows 11, Microsoft has removed the Show Desktop icon from the Taskbar in favor of the Copilot icon. Now Windows 11 displays the Copilot icon at the same place on the Taskbar where the Show Desktop icon was available.

Related: [Tip] How to Enable or Disable Copilot AI in Windows 11

Following screenshot shows Copilot icon replaced the Show Desktop icon on Windows 11 Taskbar:

Even if the user removes or disables Copilot icon, the Show Desktop icon doesn’t appear on the Taskbar. It has been turned off completely in Windows 11.

Many Windows 11 users might not like this change and want to bring back the Show Desktop icon on the Taskbar. Fortunately, Microsoft has provided an easy option to restore the missing Show Desktop icon on Windows 11 Taskbar.

If you also want to enable or disable Show Desktop icon in Windows 11 Taskbar notification area, following solutions will help you:

METHOD 1: Enable or Disable Show Desktop Icon Using Windows 11 Taskbar Settings

Windows 11 comes with a built-in option to quickly turn on/off the Show Desktop icon on the Taskbar. Following steps will help you in modifying this option:

STEP 1: Right-click on the empty area in Taskbar and select “Taskbar Settings” option. It’ll open Taskbar settings page.

Alternatively, you can open the same page using Settings app from Start Menu or by pressing WIN+I keys together and then go to “Personalization -> Taskbar” section.

STEP 2: On Taskbar settings page, look for “Taskbar Behaviors” section and click on the drop-down arrow button given next to the section name to expand the options list.

Scroll down to bottom and you’ll see a checkbox option “Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop“.

STEP 3: To restore the Show Desktop icon on the Taskbar, tick or enable the above mentioned option.

To remove the Show Desktop icon from the Taskbar, uncheck or disable the above mentioned option.

That’s it. Windows 11 will immediately start showing or hiding the Show Desktop icon on the Taskbar depending upon the status of the above mentioned option in your device.

METHOD 2: Direct Command to Access or Create Show Desktop Shortcut

There is a hidden secret command to direct access the Show Desktop feature in Windows operating system. You can use the command via RUN dialog box and all running windows will be minimized automatically.

The command is as following:

You can create a shortcut for this command and use it to access the Show Desktop feature directly.

METHOD 3: Manually Create the Old Classic Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows 11

Remember the classic Show Desktop icon present in the quick launch toolbar in Windows XP and older versions? You can manually create the same classic Show Desktop shortcut in Windows 11 as well.

Following article (posted in year 2008) contains instructions to manually create the Show Desktop shortcut and the method still works in Windows 11 operating system:

How to Restore “Show Desktop” Shortcut Icon in Quick Launch Toolbar in Windows?

METHOD 4: Keyboard Shortcuts or Hotkeys to Access Show Desktop Feature in Windows

You can also access the Show Desktop feature using keyboard. Just press WIN+D keys together and Windows will minimize all opened program windows to the Taskbar. Press the WIN+D hotkey again and Windows will restore the program windows on your computer screen.

Similarly, you can press WIN+M keys together to minimize all running program windows to the Taskbar.

Also Check:

How to Restore or Enable Classic Taskbar in Windows 11 (All Versions)

Disable or Remove Extra Icons and Buttons from Windows 11 Taskbar

[Tip] Customize Date and Time Appearance in Windows 11 Taskbar Clock