The 'Show Desktop' button in the Windows taskbar is a quick and convenient way to minimize all your open windows and get a clear view of your desktop. It can be useful when you want to find a file from the desktop, check your wallpaper, or minimize every app window to hide them in a jiffy.

However, if you've recently updated Windows 11 and the Show Desktop button seems to be missing, fret not! It's easy to get it back.

Why did the button disappear? The recent update of Windows 11 has shifted the Copilot button to the right end of the taskbar, which has led to the Show Desktop shortcut button going missing. However, it's not Copilot's fault.

Microsoft sometimes changes the default settings of the Windows taskbar with updates. In a recent Windows 11 update, the Show Desktop button may have been disabled by default. And it can be fixed with a simple dive into the Taskbar behavior settings.

Follow these steps to enable it:

  1. Locate an empty space on your Windows 11 taskbar and right-click on it.
  2. Choose 'Taskbar settings' from the context menu. You can also manually navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
  1. In the Taskbar settings window, scroll down and find the 'Taskbar behaviors' section. Then, click on it to expand it.
  1. Look for the option titled 'Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop'. Then, make sure that the option is checked.
  1. Once you've done it, you'll see a narrow, transparent sliver appear on the far right corner of your taskbar when you hover over it.
  1. If you still don't see the 'Show Desktop' button after following these steps, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

And that's it. You've successfully enabled the Show Desktop button on your PC. You can click on it to instantly minimize all open windows. Clicking the button again will restore the minimized applications too.

Alternatively, you can also use the keyboard shortcut Windows logo Key + D to instantly minimize and restore open windows if you don't want to change the settings.

You can easily get the handy Show Desktop button back on Windows 11 and streamline your workflow by following the simple steps outlined above.