If the taskbar doesn’t hide during Windows Remote Desktop sessions, follow the steps below to fix the problem once and for all.
When you start a Remote Desktop session and switch to full-screen mode, the taskbar will automatically hide. However, under certain circumstances, the client-side taskbar will not hide during a Windows Remote Desktop session. Although this may not seem like a problem at first glance, it is quite annoying when you want to access the taskbar of a remote computer.
So, if the taskbar doesn’t hide in full-screen mode of a Windows Remote Desktop session, follow the steps below to quickly fix the problem.
There are two main reasons why the taskbar is not hidden. First, it could be a problem with Windows Explorer. Second, it’s possible that an application calls the MustBeSeen system flag. So follow the two methods shown below and see which one fixes the problem for you.
Restart Windows Explorer
Sometimes, Windows Explorer has problems. This prevents the taskbar from hiding in Remote Desktop sessions. To solve that, you need to restart Windows Explorer.
1. Right-click on the taskbar and select the Task Manager option.
2. In the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab, find and select the Windows Explorer process, and then click the Restart button.
This action will restart Windows Explorer. To be sure, restart the Remote Desktop session. After the reboot, see if the taskbar is automatically hidden. If not, follow the second method.
2. Remove the “MustBeSeen” system flag
Almost every user has some application running on the taskbar. You can see them on the right side of the taskbar, right next to the clock. These apps run in the background and provide some kind of functionality.
When one or more of these programs requires your attention, the system flag “MustBeSeen” appears. If this flag is active, the taskbar will not be hidden. In general, antivirus, backup, cloud storage, and notification-heavy programs will raise this flag quite often to get users’ attention.
Since the application calling the MustBeSeen flag is preventing the taskbar from automatically hiding, you need to find that application and see why it needs the user’s attention. When you’re finished, the “MustBeSeen” flag will be removed.
If you can’t find the app, close all the apps on the taskbar one by one and see if that fixes the problem. In general, always close any unwanted applications while you are remotely accessing another computer.
