Taskbar Hide vs TaskbarDock

Taskbar Hide is a free application for Windows 10 and 11 that hides and shows the taskbar. It provides a system tray icon and menu, as well as a command-line interface with start, show, hide, toggle, stop, help, and autostart commands. The app prevents multiple instances from running. Its project describes the executable as approximately 600 KB, self-contained, and built with static CRT linking. Downloads are available for Windows x64 and ARM64 as an MSI installer or a portable ZIP. The ZIP can be extracted and run without installation; the MSI configures PATH for command-line access. Autostart commands add or remove an entry in the current user's Windows Run registry key. The project says it is compatible with YASB and other custom status bars using the Shell_TrayWnd class name. One operational detail: CLI commands to show, hide, or stop the app require its GUI to be running. The repository is published under the MIT license.

TaskbarDock adds customization controls to the Windows 10 taskbar. It can center icons within the taskbar area or relative to the screen, switch icons between small and big sizes, and adjust taskbar transparency. The project also lists support for multiple monitors, including setups with more than two. After launch, the app sits in the system tray, where its context menu provides controls. It can remember settings and has an autorun option. Transparency may conflict with other tools, and restoring opacity may require locking and unlocking the taskbar through that menu. Taskbar positioning is not a listed capability. TaskbarDock is free, with a listed price of free, and is available for Windows. The project describes development as early and ongoing; its latest listed release is a prerelease marked as needing testing. It is offered under the MIT License, and the maker invites feedback through GitHub Issues and discussion through a Slack link in the README.