How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Animation in Windows 11/10

 Discover how to easily enable or disable taskbar animation in Windows 11/10 with our step-by-step guide.

Taskbar animations are a visual representation of the actions you take on your Windows PC. Whether you are opening a new window, minimizing one, or switching between them, taskbar animations provide a visual cue that helps you keep track of your activities. However, not everyone likes taskbar animations, and sometimes they can be distracting or slow down your computer. If you are one of those people who want to enable or disable taskbar animations, this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Step 1: Open Windows Search

To get started, open the Windows search bar by clicking on the magnifying glass icon on your taskbar. Alternatively, you can use the Windows key + S keyboard shortcut to open the search bar. Once you have it open, type in "Adjust the appearance and performance" and hit enter.

Another way to open the Appearance and Performance window is by running the SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe file. To do this, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type in "SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe" and press enter.

Step 2: Tick or Uncheck the Checkbox

Once you are in the Performance Options window, look for the Animations checkbox. The checkbox is located under the Visual Effects tab. Tick or uncheck the checkbox depending on your preference. If you want to enable taskbar animations, make sure the checkbox is ticked. If you want to disable them, make sure the checkbox is unchecked.

Step 3: Troubleshoot Taskbar Animation Issues

If you are still having trouble with taskbar animation after following the above steps, try disabling and then re-enabling it using the same method mentioned earlier. If that doesn't work either, a registry hack might do the trick. However, before we get into that, let's take a look at some of the common issues people face when trying to enable or disable taskbar animations.

One of the most common issues people face is that the checkbox for animations is grayed out and cannot be ticked or unticked. This can happen if your PC is running on battery power. To fix this issue, connect your PC to a power source, and then try enabling or disabling taskbar animations again.

Another issue people face is that taskbar animations are not working even though they have been enabled. This can happen if you have disabled transparency effects on your PC. To fix this issue, go to Settings > Personalization > Colors and toggle on the "Transparency effects" switch.

Step 4: Create a New Administrator Account

If you have tried all the above steps and are still having trouble with taskbar animations, creating a new administrator account might do the trick. To use this method, you need to open the Settings app and add your email address to create a new administrator account. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I.

2. Click on the "Accounts" option.

3. Click on the "Family & other users" option.

4. Click on the "Add someone else to this PC" option under the "Other users" section.

5. Enter your email address and follow the prompts to create a new administrator account.

Once you have created the new account, log out of your current user account and sign into this new account.

Step 5: Export HKEY_CURRENT_USER Key

Next, you need to export the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key from the registry editor. Here's how to do it:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type in "regedit" and press enter.

3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel > Desktop.

4. Right-click on the "Desktop" folder and select "Export" from the menu.

5. Save the registry key to a location you can easily find it.

Step 6: Restart Your Computer

If an error message appears while opening your registry key file, select OK/Yes. Restart your computer to check if taskbar animation is working properly. If taskbar animation still doesn't work, try importing the registry key you just exported. To do this, go back to the registry editor, click on File > Import, and select the registry key you just exported.

Taskbar animations can be a useful visual aid when working on your Windows PC, but they can also be distracting or slow down your computer. If you want to enable or disable taskbar animations, this guide has provided you with step-by-step instructions to do so. If you are still having trouble with taskbar animation, try troubleshooting the issue using the steps outlined above. Remember that tinkering with the registry editor can be risky, so always back up your data and proceed with caution.