Windows 11 でウィンドウを隠す 5 つの方法
You want an app out of sight on Windows 11 without closing it. There are five usual ways: Win+D, turning the tray icon off in Settings, auto-hiding the taskbar, switching to another virtual desktop, or a boss-key app. We tried all five on the same PC, with the same browser, chat app and Steam open, and looked at what each one leaves on the screen, on the taskbar and in the bottom-right corner.
The short version: the first four each solve only part of the problem. Here is each one.
1. Win+D: fastest, but only the windows go
Press Win+D and the desktop appears. The taskbar buttons are all still there, so are the tray icons for Discord, Steam and the rest, and one click on the taskbar brings the window back.
Good for: a quick look at the desktop.
2. Turning the tray icon off in Settings: it just moves
In Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Other system tray icons, switching an app off moves its icon from the corner into the overflow menu (^). Open the menu and the icon is still there; the window and its taskbar button are not affected at all. It is a lasting setting, not something you can flip with one key.
Good for: tidying a crowded tray for good.
3. Auto-hide the taskbar: the cleanest look, until your mouse touches the edge
Tick Automatically hide the taskbar under Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behaviors and the taskbar slides off-screen. The windows themselves stay open on screen, though, and the moment your mouse reaches the bottom edge the whole taskbar comes back, with every app button and tray icon on it.
Good for: more screen space, if you don't mind the taskbar popping up.
4. A second virtual desktop: closest to hiding, but the tray is shared
Press Ctrl+Win+D for a new desktop, leave the apps you want out of sight on the old one, and switch with Ctrl+Win+←/→. By default the taskbar only shows apps on the current desktop, so the windows and their taskbar buttons are gone.
Two gaps remain: the tray is shared by every desktop, so those icons stay in the corner; and Win+Tab opens Task View, which shows exactly what is open on the other desktop.
Good for: keeping work and play apart day to day.
5. A boss-key app: all three at once
gohide is the boss key we make. Tick the apps to hide in its main window and press Ctrl+Alt+H: their windows, taskbar buttons and tray icons disappear together, while the apps you didn't tick stay where they are. Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H brings everything back exactly where it was. A hidden app that opens a new window stays hidden, and you can mute it at the same time.
The free edition manages up to 3 apps on Windows 11 and 10. It is also on the Microsoft Store — search for gohide.
The five ways side by side
| Method | Windows | Taskbar buttons | Tray icons | One key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win+D | Gone | Still there | Still there | Yes |
| Tray icon off in Settings | Still there | Still there | Moved into the overflow menu | No |
| Auto-hide taskbar | Still there | Back when the mouse touches the edge | Back when the mouse touches the edge | No |
| Virtual desktop | Gone | Gone | Still there | Yes |
| gohide | Gone | Gone | Gone | Yes |
Which one to use
If you only need a window out of the way for a moment, Win+D is enough. If you want work and play apart, a second virtual desktop is a good habit. If the tray is just crowded, switch a few icons off in Settings. When the taskbar and the tray have to be clean too — before you share your screen, present or go live — the first four all fall short, and that is when a boss key earns its place.
Watch it
Related: Shortcut to hide all windows · Hide tray icons on Windows 11 · Boss key for Windows 11