Additionally, there’s a special policy that can remove all pinned programs from the taskbar. You can configure the operating system to not allow pinning Store apps to the taskbar and/or to block pinning of programs. Windows 10 also offers two different policies for pinned icons. There are also dedicated policies to Prevent grouping of taskbar items, do not display any custom toolbars in the taskbar, and remove access to the context menus for the taskbar. Please contact your system administrator.” If the policy is enabled and you attempt to launch the taskbar properties, you get an error message reading “This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. The next policy is called Prevent changes to taskbar and Start Menu Settings, and enabling it does not allow you to access the properties screen of the taskbar. While the taskbar is locked, auto-hide and other taskbar options are still available in Taskbar properties,” the policy explains. “If you enable this setting, it prevents the user from moving or resizing the taskbar. As you could easily guess by simply reading its name, the purpose of this policy is to prevent others from moving the taskbar to a different position on the screen. In the right side of the screen, there are several policies that are specifically implemented to provide more advanced control over the taskbar, and the first one is called Lock the Taskbar.

Navigate to the following path in the Group Policy Editor: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar While at first glance it may be difficult to prevent taskbar changes, the Group Policy Editor in Windows 10 Pro provides you with several options to block unauthorized tweaks.įirst and foremost, in order to launch the Group Policy Editor, you just have to type gpedit.msc in the Start menu or when pressing the Windows key + R.

Windows 10 taskbar locked