Tech Tips

Locking And Unlocking Toolbars

Question: How can I move or resize the toolbars in Windows XP or Internet Explorer 6?

Answer: With Windows XP and Internet Explorer 6.0, Microsoft introduced the ability to "lock" toolbars in order to prevent them from being accidentally moved or resized. This includes the task bar and the tool bars in Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and the My Computer window. Unfortunately, this feature is turned on by default, which may be confusing to those used to earlier versions of Windows.

To "unlock" a toolbar or your the taskbar, click on it with your right mouse button and then click on "Unlock toolbars" (or "unlock taskbar" ) in the menu that appears. The handles that let you move/resize the toolbars should now appear - once you have arranged them to your liking, right-click on the toolbars again and select "lock toolbars."

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