How to Center the Taskbar Icons in Windows 10

The icons in the taskbar of Windows are aligned to the left by default. This has been the practice for a long time. In fact, the taskbar in even the Windows 95 were left aligned. Nothing much has changed in the latest versions of Windows 10 in this regard. Mac computers on the other hand have always the icons in the center of the Dock (something similar to Taskbar in Windows). If you want to center align the taskbar icons in Windows to give them a Mac style look, then you can follow these simple instructions:

  1. Create a dummy folder somewhere in your hard drive. I have created a folder D:\Empty for example. The name of the folder and its location is not important.
  2. Right-click on the taskbar, select Toolbars → New Toolbar and then select this folder that you have just created. You will see a shortcut to the folder in the taskbar.Centered Align Taskbar Icons in Windows 10
  3. Repeat step 2. Now you have two shortcuts to your folder in the taskbar.
  4. Right-click on the taskbar, uncheck the Lock Taskbar to unlock the taskbar.Centered Align Taskbar Icons in Windows 10
  5. Drag one of the folder shotcuts to the extreme left next to the start button.
  6. Drag the icons holder (two horizontal lines) in the taskbar to center align them as you see fit.
  7. Right-click on both the folder shortcuts (one at a time) and uncheck Show Text and Show Title.Centered Align Taskbar Icons in Windows 10
  8. Right-click on the taskbar, check the Lock Taskbar to lock the taskbar.
  9. Now you have a taskbar with center aligned icons.Centered Align Taskbar Icons in Windows 10

If later you want to go back to the default look of Windows, then all you have to do is right-click on the taskbar, select Toolbars and then uncheck the folders you have used to create shortcuts in the taskbar.