17 Ways to Fix Taskbar Overflow Not Working on Windows 11 24H2

Is the Taskbar Overflow ill-functioning on your Windows 11 device? Do not lose sleep over it mate as you are not alone to have encountered this issue. For those uninitiated, the Taskbar Overflow is designed to let you perfectly organize the excess app icons when space runs out. While this native feature does work like a charm, there are times when it misbehaves due to many factors including system glitches and wrong configuration. In this detailed guide, I’m going to discuss the 17 viable tips and tricks to fix the Windows 11 Taskbar Overflow not working issue. Read on…

How to Fix Windows 11 Taskbar Overflow Not Working

So, what makes the Taskbar Overflow go out of track? From what I have experienced, these are the prime villains that tend to crop up this frustrating Windows issue –

• Corrupt Cache
• Outdated Drivers
• Buggy Update
• Registry Errors
• Third-Party Apps
• Taskbar Settings
• Display Scaling
• Corrupt User Profile
• Insufficient RAM
• System File Corruption

Having faced this issue a few times on my PC, I know what it takes to nab the culprits who derail the functionality of the Taskbar Overflow. Hence, I’m pretty sure it won’t take long to get rid of the problem and restore the full functionality of this pivotal feature.

1. Restart Your PC

On quite a few occasions, I have managed to troubleshoot the Taskbar Overflow issue by just rebooting my Windows PC. Therefore, I’m going to bank on it to get the job done for you.

2. Check Taskbar Settings

It’s also important to mention that the botched-up Taskbar settings may prevent Overflow from working correctly. So, take a close look at the Taskbar settings and ensure that they are fine-tuned perfectly.

• Open the Settings app on your Windows PC > Personalization > Taskbar.
• Now, ensure all necessary toggles, like Taskbar corner overflow, are enabled.

3. Restart Windows Explorer

It’s worth pointing out that Windows Explorer has been endowed with the responsibility to manage the Taskbar, Start menu, and other UI components. As a result, restarting it often works wonders in fixing the Taskbar-related glitches.

• To get it done, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• After that, locate and right-click on Windows Explorer.
• Then, select Restart. Now, the Taskbar will disappear momentarily and then reappear, potentially fixing the Overflow issue on your Windows device.

4. Disable Third-Party Customization Tools

Bear in mind that the third-party Taskbar customization apps might also be interfering with the default Taskbar behavior, causing Overflow to ill-function. Therefore, either entirely disable the malicious apps or delete them all for good.

• To begin with, uninstall or temporarily disable any Taskbar enhancement tools like StartAllBack or ExplorerPatcher on your Windows device and then reboot it.

5. Change Taskbar Alignment

Note that the Overflow is optimized for the default-centered Taskbar alignment. Switching to left alignment and back allows you to reset the Overflow settings and flush out any lingering glitches.

• On your Windows PC, head over to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors.
• Now, change the Taskbar alignment to Left and then back to Center.
• Reboot your Windows device and check if the Overflow has returned to normal.

6. Adjust Display Scaling

Wrongly configured display scaling can impact the layout and functionality of the Taskbar, including Overflow.

• On your Windows 11 device, navigate to Settings > System > Display.
• Under Scale & layout, select the recommended scaling option and restart your computer.

7. Restart in Safe Mode

Safe Mode lets you reboot Windows with minimal drivers and services, thereby making it easier to identify culprits.

• Dive into the Settings > System > Recovery.
• Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.
• Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
• Choose Safe Mode with Networking.

8. Clear the Taskbar Icon Cache

Be warned that the corrupted Taskbar icon cache can prevent Overflow from functioning properly. But fret not! This is where cleaning up the Taskbar icon cache comes into the picture.

• Launch the File Explorer and navigate to:
  C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local
• Delete the file named IconCache.db and reboot your PC to rebuild the icon cache from scratch.

9. Run the System File Checker (SFC) and DISM Tools

If the Overflow has gone out of track due to corrupted system files, running the SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool) scans would be the right answer to this issue.

• To get going, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the SFC scan:
• In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

sfc /scannow

• Once the SFC is complete, go through the suggestions to eliminate the threats. If certain issues have not been resolved, Windows will ask you to run the DISM scan. To do so, run the following commands one by one:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• CheckHealth is designed to check if any corruption is detected.
• ScanHealth lets you perform a more detailed scan for corruption.
• RestoreHealth allows you to repair the Windows image using Windows Update. Keep in mind that it may take some time to complete. Thus, ensure that you’re connected to the internet for the RestoreHealth command.

10. Check for Windows Updates

Haven’t yet been able to bring the Taskbar Overflow back on track? Microsoft frequently rolls out updates to fix bugs and amp up the performance.

• Go to Settings on your PC > Windows Update.
• Now, click Check for updates and install any available updates > Then, restart your PC and find out if the luck has eventually prevailed.

11. Re-register Taskbar Components Using PowerShell

Re-registering Taskbar components often works well in getting rid of the glitches related to system apps and Overflow.

• Open PowerShell as Administrator > run the following command and restart your PC.

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

12. Create a New User Account

Be fully aware of the fact that the user profile corruption can affect Taskbar functionality, including Overflow.

• Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users.

• Click Add Account and follow the on-screen instructions to create an account.
• Next up, log in with the new account to figure out if Overflow works.

13. Perform a Clean Boot

It’s always a good idea to keep track of conflicting startup programs or services as they never miss a chance to trigger unexpected issues.

• Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Under the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.
• Go to the Startup tab > open Task Manager > Disable all startup items > restart your computer.

14. Update Graphics Drivers

Your outdated or incompatible graphics drivers might be at variance with the Overflow.

• Open Device Manager on your PC and expand Display adapters.
• Then, right-click your graphics card > select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers, and be sure to reboot your device once you have updated the driver.

15. Roll Back Graphics Drivers

Did the Taskbar Overflow problem come into being after the recent graphics drivers update? If the answer is yes, it would be apt to roll back the graphics drivers.

• Go to Device Manager > Expand the Display adapters section > Right-click on the graphics card > Properties.
• Inside the Driver tab, select Roll back driver and restart your PC.

16. Delete Taskbar Registry Key

If the basic tips have not yet yielded the desired result, delete the Taskbar Registry Key. But before going for this radical solution, be sure to fully back up the registry.

• Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
• Navigate to:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
• Locate the Taskbar key, right-click on it, and select Delete.
• Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. The Taskbar will reset to its default state.

17. Perform a System Restore

Should the problem still persist, perform a system restore. If the Overflow malfunction occurs after a recent change or update, there is a high chance that the system restore solution will resolve the issue.

• On your Windows device, head into the Control Panel > Recovery > Open System Restore.
• Select a restore point when Taskbar Overflow was working > run through the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Wrapping up…

And that’s about it, folks! I hope your Taskbar Overflow has begun to show love again. With so many trusted and tested solutions at your disposal, I don’t see any reason why the issue won’t go away. By the way, which one of the above tips has rescued the Overflow on your Windows device?