The Wasted Space
Windows 11 forces several icons onto your Taskbar by default, including the “Task View” button (a small icon that looks like overlapping transparent squares). This button is designed to open a timeline of your recent apps and allow you to manage virtual desktops. However, if you rely exclusively on the classic Alt + Tab keyboard shortcut to switch between windows, and you never use virtual desktops, this icon is completely useless. It consumes valuable horizontal space that could be used for pinned applications. You must aggressively remove it from the interface.
How to Remove the Task View Button
You can permanently delete the icon from the Taskbar via the Personalization settings.
- Right-click anywhere on an empty space on the Windows 11 Taskbar.
- Click on Taskbar settings (this will instantly open the Settings app to the correct page).
- At the top of the window, locate the “Taskbar items” section.
- Find the row labeled Task view.
- Toggle the switch next to it to the Off position.
A Minimalist Taskbar
The change takes effect instantly. Windows 11 will immediately destroy the Task View icon, shrinking the cluster of system icons and freeing up immediate horizontal space. The background rendering engine for the virtual desktop UI will not load when you click the Taskbar, resulting in a cleaner, more minimalist desktop experience tailored exactly to your workflow.