The taskbar typically sits at the bottom of your screen, visible at all times. It includes the Start button and, by default, the Quick Launch bar.

Start at the beginning
Clicking the Start button displays the Start menu, which gives you access to your programs, system tools, Windows Help, and more. With the Find tool you can search for files on your computer. Favorites gives you instant access to all your favorite documents and Web pages. You can even rearrange programs on the Start menu any way you like. See Rearranging programs on the Start menu to learn how.

Quick Launch for fast access

The Quick Launch bar sits just to the right of the Start button. With the Quick Launch bar, you can open frequently used programs. Each icon on it represents a program or tool on your computer. For example, represents the tool that takes you to the desktop.  See Getting back to the desktop easily to learn more.

Keep track of your work
The taskbar also keeps track of all your open programs and documents. Each time you open a program, a corresponding button appears on the taskbar. To switch between programs, just click the button for the program you want. You can also minimize a window by clicking its button on the taskbar. Click once to minimize; click again to restore the window to your screen. See Closing several programs at once to learn how.

Set your clock
On the far right of the taskbar is an icon for Task Scheduler and a clock. Double-click the clock to open the Date/Time properties, where you can change the date,  time, and time zone. See Setting system date and time to learn how.

Move and size the taskbar
You can drag the taskbar to the top or either side of your desktop, or change its size by dragging its edges.

Terms:
icon: A small picture that typically represents a program or file. Double-clicking an icon opens the associated program or file.