Linkbar is a free, lightweight, open-source portable utility designed for Windows (Vista through Windows 11) that lets you add multiple, fully customizable secondary taskbars to your desktop. It is highly favored by power users who need quick shortcut access without cluttering their main Windows taskbar or desktop. 🚀 Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Because Linkbar is a portable application, it does not require a standard installation process.
Download and Extract: Download the official ZIP archive from trusted sources like Linkbar on GitHub or Linkbar on SourceForge. Extract the contents to a permanent folder on your PC.
Launch the Executable: Double-click either Linkbar.exe (32-bit) or Linkbar64.exe (64-bit) depending on your system architecture.
Configure User Scope: Select whether you want the new bar available “Only for me” (current user account) or “For all users”.
Create a Working Directory: The app will prompt you to select or create a system folder. This dedicated folder will house all the shortcuts and configuration files for your custom bar.
Initialize: Click “Create”. A blank panel will instantly attach itself to the edge of your screen. 🛠️ Core Features & Customization
Linkbar acts identically to a native OS shell expansion, boasting a robust array of features:
Drag-and-Drop Optimization: Seamlessly drag files, programs, URLs, or folder shortcuts directly from File Explorer and drop them onto the bar to instantly pin them.
Screen Placement Flexibility: You can drag and dock the bar to any of the four edges of your screen (Top, Bottom, Left, or Right).
System Resource Preservation: It features an ultra-low performance footprint, using almost unnoticeable amounts of CPU and RAM.
Advanced Context Menus & Jump Lists: Right-clicking an icon on the Linkbar pulls up the authentic Windows context menu or application Jump Lists (e.g., opening a new private window directly from a browser shortcut).
Aesthetic Theming: Fully supports dark themes, accent colors, opaque text backgrounds, transparency settings, and classic Aero Glass styles.
Sizing Control: Customize icon scales up to a crisp 256px with full high-DPI monitor awareness. You can choose to show or hide accompanying text labels.
Organized Layouts: Add visual separators to group apps into clean categories. Icons can also be automatically sorted alphabetically via the right-click settings menu. 💡 Advanced Configurations Enabling Autohide
To maximize your screen real estate, right-click an empty space on your Linkbar, choose Settings, and toggle on Autohide. The bar will stay completely hidden until you hover your mouse cursor over the designated edge of the screen. How to Enable Auto-Start on Boot
By default, portable apps do not boot automatically with Windows. To make Linkbar launch automatically when you turn on your PC:
Press Win + R, type shell:startup, and hit Enter to open the Windows Startup folder.
Right-click your extracted Linkbar64.exe file, select Copy, then right-click inside the Startup folder and select Paste shortcut. Running Multiple Instances
If you want distinct taskbars on different edges of your monitor (or across multiple screens), you can right-click the existing Linkbar and select New > Linkbar. Be sure to assign a different folder for the new bar if you want it to host a unique set of application shortcuts. How to Use the Taskbar in Windows 11
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