Introduction

Hello, I’m CathyAnne. In the last lesson, we finished exploring the Start Menu. Today, I’ll show you the ins and outs of the Windows Taskbar, Notification Area, and Task View.

Unless specified, everything you’ll learn in today’s lesson are Windows commands. Let’s get started!

The Taskbar

The Windows Taskbar is split into two sections. The Windows Start Button and other Windows tools are on the left. Pinned and open applications are on the right.

Windows tools on the left side of the Taskbar are configured in Windows settings.

The right side of the Taskbar can be managed directly in the Taskbar. You can pin your favorite applications and unpin those you don’t often use.

There are some default pinned applications. These vary depending upon who built your computer or if someone has customized the Taskbar.

Some default applications may be:

• • • File Explorer
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Microsoft Store

You can add and remove pinned Taskbar applications.

Open applications are also on the Taskbar. They are to the right of pinned applications.

Navigate The Taskbar

Focus on the Taskbar with a Windows keyboard accelerator. Press WINDOWS KEY-T to focus on the first pinned application.

Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to navigate pinned and open applications. Press ENTER to open or focus in a selected application.

Press ALT-F4 to close applications.

Press SHIFT-TAB to focus on the left side of the Taskbar. Press SHIFT-TAB and TAB to navigate pinned Windows tools. Press ENTER to activate a Windows tool.

These tools vary depending upon who built the computer or the region in which Windows 11 is released.

I have the following:

• • • Chat – This icon opens Microsoft Teams
    • Task View – Task View shows all open applications. More on this shortly
    • Search – Open Windows search. This Window has a search edit box and a search history
    • Start Button – Open the Start Menu

If you explored the pinned Windows tools, press TAB until focus is on the first pinned application.

Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to review pinned and open applications. Notice the circular navigation. When you navigate to the last opened or pinned application, focus returns to the first application.

You can’t get lost or move to another Windows element when you navigate pinned and open applications.

Press ENTER to open an application. Press ALT-F4 to close an application.

Return to the Taskbar at any time with WINDOWS KEY-T.

Taskbar Windows Keyboard Accelerators

Windows has keyboard accelerators that open or focus on Taskbar applications. The applications open in the order they are pinned or placed in the Windows Taskbar.

Pinned applications will always have the same keyboard accelerators. Open applications are on the right side of the Taskbar next to the pinned applications. These keyboard accelerators will change depending upon the opened/unpinned applications.

The Windows keyboard accelerators open the applications based on the their Windows Taskbar order.

To open or focus on an application:

• Activate the first Taskbar button WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 1
• Activate the second Taskbar button WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 2
• Activate the third Taskbar button WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 3

 

The fourth through tenth buttons are activated with WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 4 through WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 0.

When you execute one of these commands, the associated application is opened or focused.

You can have more than ten applications on the Windows Taskbar. The first ten are accessed with Windows keyboard accelerators.

Navigate Open Documents

Notice as you navigate open Taskbar applications, NVDA announces the number of running Windows?

If you have multiple application Windows open such as in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or a browser, navigate open documents with Windows Taskbar keyboard accelerators.

For example, if you have three Word documents open and Microsoft Word is the third Taskbar button:

• • • Press and hold the WINDOWS KEY and don’t let go
    • Tap NUMBER ROW 3 repeatedly until you hear the document title upon which you want to focus
    • Release all keys

Focus is placed on the selected document.

Review:

• • • Press WINDOWS KEY-T to focus on the Windows Taskbar
    • Press TAB and SHIFT-TAB to navigate between the Taskbar sides
      • The right side has pinned and open applications
      • The left side has Windows tools
    • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to navigate Taskbar buttons
    • Press ENTER to activate a Taskbar button
    • Press ALT-F4 to close applications
    • Open or focus on a Taskbar application WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 1 through WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 0
    • Select an application document
      • Press and hold WINDOWS KEY
      • Tap the associated Taskbar button (NUMBER ROW 1 through 0)
      • Focus cycles through open application documents
      • When focused on the document you want to access, release all keys

Jump Lists

Each Taskbar button has a Jump List. Jump List is the name used for the Windows Application Menu when using Taskbar buttons.

To open a Taskbar button Jump List:

• • • Press WINDOWS KEY-T to focus on the Taskbar
    • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to select a Taskbar button
    • Press the WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10
      • The WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY is the key to the left of the RIGHT CTRL KEY

The Jump List opens. Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate Jump List options.

Jump List options depend on the focused application.

If you focus on an application that has documents or a web page history,  the Jump List displays the history. If you focus on File Explorer, you’ll find a list of recently visited locations.

Press ENTER on a document or location to open the application and load the selected document or location.

If you focus on Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox and activate a Jump List web page, the browser opens with focus on the selected web page.

If you focus on an application with documents, such as Microsoft Word and activate a document, the application opens with focus on the document.

Open Jump Lists with Windows Keyboard Accelerators

As you know, you can activate a Taskbar button with WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 1 through WINDOWS KEY-NUMBER ROW 0.

Open application jump lists with additional Windows keyboard accelerators. Add ALT to these commands:

• • • Open the first Taskbar button Jump List WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 1
    • Open the second Taskbar button Jump List WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 2
    • Open the third Taskbar button Jump List WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 3
    • Open the fourth through tenth Taskbar button Jump Lists WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 4 through WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW-0

When you execute one of the these Jump List commands, the associated Jump List opens. Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate Jump List options.

Press ESCAPE at any time to close the Jump List.

You can have more than ten pinned and open Taskbar applications. The keyboard commands just access the first ten Taskbar buttons.

Review:

Open Jump Lists in the Windows Task Bar:

• • • Focus on the Windows Taskbar WINDOWS KEY-T
    • Select a Taskbar button RIGHT and LEFT ARROW
    • Open the Taskbar button Jump List WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY

Open Jump Lists anywhere in Windows

• • • Press WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 1 through WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 0

Pin and Unpin Items in Jump Lists

Jump list history items refresh depending upon your computer activity. Older documents drop from the list and new items are added.

As you navigate jump lists, you may find a document, web site, or location you visit on a regular basis.

You can pin documents or locations to the top of the Jump List. It stays pinned until you unpin it.

To pin a Jump List document or location:

• • • Open a Taskbar button Jump List
      • Focus on the Windows Taskbar (WINDOWS KEY-T)
      • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to select a Taskbar Button
      • Press WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10 to open the Jump List
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate jump list options
    • Select a Jump List history item
    • Open the Windows Application Menu (WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10)
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate menu options
    • Select and press ENTER on “Pin to this list”

The document or location is pinned to the top of the Jump List. Focus returns to the Jump List.

To launch pinned documents or locations:

• • • Open a Jump List with a pinned item
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to focus on a pinned item
    • Press ENTER

The document or location opens in the selected application.

To unpin a document from a Jump List:

• • • Open a Taskbar button Jump List with a pinned item
      • Focus on the Windows Taskbar (WINDOWS KEY-T)
      • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to select a Taskbar Button
      • Press WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10 to open the Jump List
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate jump list options
    • Select a pinned Jump List item
    • Open the Windows Application Menu (WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY)
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate menu options
    • Select and press ENTER on “Unpin from this list”

The document or location is unpinned from the Jump List

Remove a History Item from the Jump List

Remove a Jump List history item in a Jump List.

To open a Taskbar button Jump List, do one of the following:

• • • Use a Jump List Windows keyboard accelerator (WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 1 through WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 0)

or

• • • Focus on the Windows Taskbar (WINDOWS KEY-T)
    • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to select a Taskbar Button
    • Press WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10 to open the Jump List

After opening a Jump List:

• • • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate jump list options
    • Focus on a Jump List history item
    • Open the Windows Application Menu (WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10)
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate menu options
    • Select and press ENTER on “Remove from this list”

The history item is removed from the Jump List but remains on the computer. You’re merely removing it from the Jump List.

Review:

Pin History items to a Jump List

• • • Open a Taskbar Jump List
    • Focus on a History item you want to pin
    • Open the Windows Application Menu
    • Navigate to and activate one of the following:
      • Pin to this List – The history item is pinned to the top of the Jump List
      • Unpin from this list – The history item is unpinned from the top of the Jump List
      • Remove from this list – The history item is removed from the Jump List but remains on the computer
    • After activating an option, focus returns to the Jump List.

Manage Taskbar Buttons

Taskbar buttons include pinned and open applications. Each application is associated with a Taskbar button.

You can manage Taskbar buttons by pinning and unpinning applications.

You can’t easily rearrange Taskbar buttons with the keyboard. To re-arrange Taskbar buttons:

• • • Unpin all Taskbar buttons
    • Pin applications in the order you want them to appear on the Taskbar

Let’s discuss managing Taskbar buttons.

Unpin Taskbar Applications

To unpin applications from the Windows Taskbar:

Open a Taskbar button Jump List:

• • • In the Windows Taskbar
      • Focus on the Windows Taskbar (WINDOWS KEY-T)
      • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to select a Taskbar button
      • Open the Jump List (WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10)
    • With a Windows Keyboard Accelerator:
      • Press WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 1 through WINDOWS KEY-ALT-NUMBER ROW 0 to open the associated Taskbar button Jump List

With focus in a Jump List:

• • • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate the Jump List
    • Select and press ENTER on “Unpin from Taskbar”
    • The application is unpinned from the Taskbar

It’s still on the computer but removed from the Windows Taskbar

Pin Applications to the Windows Taskbar

Pin applications to the Windows Taskbar in the Start Menu.

To pin an application to the Taskbar:

• • • Open the Windows Start Menu (WINDOWS KEY or CTRL-ESCAPE)
    • Search for and select an application you want to add to the Windows Taskbar
    • Open the Windows Application Menu (WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10)
    • Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate the menu
    • Select and press ENTER on “Pin to Taskbar”

The application is pinned to the Windows Taskbar.

You can unpin all Taskbar applications and pin your favorites to personalize the Taskbar.

You can pin items to both the Start Menu and Taskbar.

The Windows Notification Area

The Windows Notification Area is in the bottom right corner of the Windows display. It’s to the right of the Taskbar buttons.

Press WINDOWS KEY-B to focus on the Notification Area or System Tray.

WINDOWS KEY-B focuses on the Notification Area (System Tray) from anywhere in Windows.

By default, focus is placed on a “Show Hidden Icons” button. Press ENTER to open a list of applications that run on Startup or are configured to run in the Notification Area.

To access applications in the “Show Hidden Icons”:

• • • Focus on the “Show Hidden Icons” buttton
    • Press ENTER
    • Press UP ARROW to navigate into the application list
    • Use ALL FOUR ARROW KEYS to navigate the list

You can take a couple actions on an application in the hidden icon list:

• • • Press ENTER to focus in the application
    • Open the Windows Application Menu to take an action associated with the application

Tap ESCAPE to return to the Notification Area.

Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to navigate Notification Area options.

Once again, focus moves in a circle. You can’t get lost.

You can take actions on the items in the Notification Area:

• • • Press ENTER to open the application interface
    • Open the Windows Application menu for options

You may find:

• • • Sound options
    • Network options
    • The System Clock

You can read the system clock with your screen reader.

Read the Clock

The clock is in the bottom right corner of the Windows Desktop display. Read the clock with NVDA.

• • • Read the time NVDA -F12
    • Read the date NVDA-F12 twice quickly

Navigate Open Applications

Navigate open applications with Windows keyboard accelerators or the Windows Task View.

Windows Keyboard Accelerators

Quickly navigate open applications with Windows keyboard accelerators.

ALT-TAB moves focus among open applications.

Press and hold ALT. Press TAB repeatedly to navigate open applications. Release all keys to focus on the selected application.

Add SHIFT to reverse navigation. In Windows, SHIFT reverses navigation.

To reverse navigation, press and hold ALT-SHIFT, press TAB repeatedly to navigate open applications in reverse. Release all keys to focus on the selected application.

You can quickly navigate open applications with ALT-TAB and ALT-SHIFT-TAB.

Task View

Task View opens a screen through which you can select an open application.

To navigate Task View:

• • • Press WINDOWS KEY-TAB to open Task View
    • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to navigate open applications.

Notice again that navigation is circular. You’ll end up back where you started.

• • • Press HOME to return to the first running application
    • Press END to move to the last running application

Press ENTER to focus on a running application.

Press ESCAPE at any time to close Task View.

Close Task View Applications

To close applications in Task View:

• • • Open Task View (WINDOWS KEY-TAB)
    • Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to navigate applications
    • Select an application you want to close
    • Press DELETE

If an application has an open unsaved document, you’ll hear an alert. The application won’t close until you save or abandon the document.

When you press DELETE on a Task View application, the application is closed and removed from Task View but is still on your computer.

It doesn’t uninstall an application; it just closes it. This is nice if, like me, you accidentally have a dozen open application Windows.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Windows Taskbar is a multifaceted interface through which you can quickly open and focus on applications. I use my Taskbar to focus on documents and open my favorite documents. While average users aer opening an application and going through the steps to open a document, I flip open a jump list and activate a pinned document. Jump Lists make my life easier!

What are your opinions of the Taskbar and Task View in particular? Did you learn something new today? I hope you’ll share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you found this video helpful, please like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. I’m CathyAnne. A recording transcript is available at www.cathyanne.com. Thanks for joining me. I’ll see you next time! Thanks George.