Lock the Taskbar - Enable or Disable

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Enable or Disable Lock the Taskbar in Vista

Information

This will show you how to enable or disable the ability to check or uncheck the Lock the Taskbar option for all users on the computer to have the taskbar stay as it was last set to locked or unlocked.

Tip

To just lock or unlock the taskbar, see: How to Lock or Unlock the Taskbar in Vista

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Lock the Taskbar Enabled or Disabled in the Taskbar Context Menu
NOTE: Notice that Lock the Taskbar is grayed out when disabled.

Enabled_Menu.jpg Disabled_Menu.jpg

EXAMPLE: Lock the Taskbar Enabled or Disabled in Taskbar and Start Menu Properties
NOTE: Notice that Lock the Taskbar is grayed out when disabled.

Enabled_Properties.jpg Disabled_Properties.jpg

METHOD ONE:
Through the Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE

This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
3. Click Continue for the UAC prompt.
4. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Start Menu and Taskbar. (See screenshot below)
5. In the right pane, right click on Lock the Taskbar and click Properties.

Group_Policy.jpg

6. To Enable Lock the Taskbar -
A) Dot Disabled or Not Configured and click OK. (See screenshot below)
B) Go to step 8.

7. To Disable Lock theTaskbar -
A) Dot Enabled and click OK.

Properties.jpg

8. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.

METHOD TWO:
Through the Registry

NOTE

This method will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:
1. To Enable Lock the Taskbar -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Enable_Lock_Taskbar.reg file.
B) Go to step 3.

2. To Disable Lock the Taskbar -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Disable_Lock_Taskbar.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.
4. Right click the .reg (On Desktop) file and click Merge.
5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.
6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.
7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (On Desktop).

The Manual Way:
1. Open the Start Menu.
2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.
3. Click the Continue button for the UAC prompt.
4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Reg1.jpg

5. To Disable Lock the Taskbar -
A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. (See screenshot above)
B) Type LockTaskbar and press Enter.
C) Right click on LockTaskbar and click Modify. (See screenshot below)

Reg2.jpg
D) Type 1 and click OK. (See screenshot below)

Modify.jpg
E) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

Reg3.jpg
F) Go to step 7.

6. To Enable Lock the Taskbar -
A) In the right pane, right click on LockTaskbar and click Delete. (See screenshot above)
B) Click Yes to confirm deletion.

7. Close regedit.

That's it,
Shawn

cmanmohan · 3 Weeks Ago

the manual method suggested though apparently looking simple, I feel that changing the registry, would there not be any problems later?. Otherwise the explanation was lucid.

Thanks,
Manmohan

**Brink** · 3 Weeks Ago

Hello Manmohan,

As long as you only change what is in the tutorial, you will not have any problems. You might consider using the downloads to avoid any potential mistakes if you like. They do the exact same thing as the manual method.

Shawn

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3 Weeks Ago
cmanmohan Newbie	Re: Lock the Taskbar - Enable or Disable the manual method suggested though apparently looking simple, I feel that changing the registry, would there not be any problems later?. Otherwise the explanation was lucid. Thanks, Manmohan

3 Weeks Ago
Brink Administrator	Re: Lock the Taskbar - Enable or Disable Hello Manmohan, As long as you only change what is in the tutorial, you will not have any problems. You might consider using the downloads to avoid any potential mistakes if you like. They do the exact same thing as the manual method. Shawn