How To Hide Taskbar on Second Monitor

Using dual monitors nowadays is very common, especially among professional computer users – programmers, writers, researchers, and others. Also, a serious gaming rig is unimaginable without at least one additional monitor.

Sometimes, however, the taskbar on the second monitor might be in the way, especially if you want to maximize the available space. Let’s take a look at how to get it out of the way on Windows and Mac OS X systems.

Hiding the Taskbar on a Second Monitor in Windows

Please make note that by default, when you have “Show taskbar on all displays” set to Off, that it still displays the taskbar on your main monitor, unless otherwise specified in Windows. So, these steps will address the issue of hiding the taskbar on a second monitor.

Windows 10

In case you need to free up space on your second monitor for a full-screen presentation on your Windows 10 computer, you can do it via the ubiquitous Settings menu. Have in mind that this method is only applicable if the secondary screen or screens are running in the Extended mode.

Follow these steps to get the taskbar away:

1. Press the Windows button on your keyboard or click on the Windows icon to launch the Start menu and click on the Settings icon in the menu along the left edge of the screen. 
2. With the Windows Settings window open, click on the Personalization tab, you can also right-click your Desktop and Select Personalize.
3. There, from the menu on the left side of the window, select the Taskbar option.
4. Scroll down the Taskbar menu. When you reach the Multiple Displays section, click the switch below the “Show taskbar on all displays” option.

The Multiple Displays section of the Taskbar menu also allows you to set your preferences regarding the taskbar buttons. You can also opt to combine your taskbar buttons on other taskbars.

In case you’ve set up your second monitor in the Duplicate mode, you should use the Autohide option.

To do that, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Start menu from the Desktop and click on the little cog icon near the left edge of the screen. 
2. In the Windows Settings window, you should select the Personalization tab.
3. Next, pick the Taskbar section from the menu on the left side of the window.
4. Click on the switch beneath the option labeled “Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode.”

The switch should turn blue and the taskbar should disappear from all connected displays.

Windows 8

If you’re running a copy of Windows 8 on your multi-screen PC rig, you too can choose which will display the taskbar and which will not. Here’s how to hide the taskbar on the second monitor on a Windows 8 PC.

1. Right-click on the Taskbar.
2. From the pop-up menu, select the Properties option.
3. Once the Taskbar Properties window opens, navigate to the Taskbar tab.
4. There, uncheck the box in front of the option labeled “Show taskbar on all displays.” It is located in the Multiple Displays section of the tab.
   
5. Click the OK button to confirm.

Aside from toggling the taskbar on and off on the secondary display, you can also tweak other options. For example, you can choose where you want Windows to display taskbar buttons. Also, you can choose to combine the buttons on other taskbars or not.

Windows 7

Windows 7 users are out of luck when it comes to multiple monitors and taskbar customization. The perennial Win 7, while having the native support for multiple monitors, doesn’t allow the users to change the way it is displayed on the secondary monitor or monitors. Instead, Windows 7 users can rely on one of several third-party apps developed to facilitate the process of setting up multiple monitors and managing taskbars on them.

Actual Multiple Monitors is part of the Actual Tools series of programs developed by Actual Tools. It supports both 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and comes with a 30-day free trial. The best thing about the currently active 8.14 version is that even Windows 8 and Windows 10 users can use it.

Another option is Ultramon. Currently in the 3.4.1 version, Ultramon is developed by Realtime Soft. It offers multiple monitor customization options and the ability to set different taskbar preferences for different monitors. It works with all currently active Windows operating systems, including the 7.

Hiding the Taskbar on a Second Monitor in Mac OS X

In this section, we’ll take a look at how to turn off the Menu bar on the second monitor on a Mac.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Apple menu.
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Next, select the Mission Control panel.
4. Find the “Displays have separate spaces” option and uncheck it.
5. Log out of your account and log back in for the changes you’ve made to become visible. Optionally, you can reboot your Mac.

Second monitors on Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Capitan versions of OS X will work just fine but have in mind that the display lacking the Menu bar will have problems displaying apps in full screen. Therefore, you might want to reconsider your decision to toggle the Menu bar off for the second display.

On the other hand, if you’re sure you don’t want to revert to the default setting, you might want to consider setting the primary display once more. If you do so, Dock and Mac menu will appear on it. Also, the display you set as primary will be the one where alert dialogs and new windows will appear.

Here’s how to choose the primary display on Mac OS X.

1. Launch Apple menu.
2. Click the Display icon.
3. Go to the Arrangement section.
4. Click the white bar and hold it.
5. Drag it to the monitor you wish to set as the primary.
   
6. Exit the screen to save your settings.

Taskbar Away!

Even though the average size of computer monitors has increased significantly over the last 10 years, every square inch of space is important. This is especially true if you’re making an important presentation for school or work.

Do you use additional monitors? How do you like your taskbar displayed – on both, only on one, or Autohide on both? Tell us in the comments below.