Parts of Your Screen
A visual glossary of everything you see on your computer screen, named and explained
Your screen has a lot of stuff on it, and every piece has a name. Knowing these names makes it much easier to follow instructions, ask for help, or find things on your own. This guide names every major element you see on your desktop and tells you what it does.
Screenshot: macOS desktop showing menu bar at the top and Dock at the bottom
Menu bar – the thin strip across the very top of the screen. The left side shows the Apple logo and the current app's menus (File, Edit, View, and so on). The right side shows small icons for things like Wi-Fi, battery, clock, and volume. It is always visible no matter what app you are using.
Apple menu – click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the menu bar. This is where you find System Settings, Sleep, Restart, Shut Down, and Force Quit. It is always in the same place.
Desktop – the background area behind all your windows. You can put files and folders directly on the desktop. Click on any empty space to get back to it.
Dock – the row of app icons at the bottom of the screen (or the side, if you moved it). It shows your favorite apps and any apps that are currently open. A small dot under an icon means that app is running. You can drag apps to add or remove them.
Finder – the file manager app. Its icon is the blue-and-white smiley face that is always in the Dock. This is how you browse folders, find files, move things around, and manage storage. Think of it as the equivalent of a filing cabinet for your computer.
Notification Center – click the date and time in the top-right corner of the menu bar to open it. It shows your notifications (messages, reminders, alerts) and widgets like weather and calendar.
Control Center – click the icon that looks like two toggles (near the top-right of the menu bar) to open it. This gives you quick access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, brightness, volume, and AirDrop without digging through settings.
Menu bar icons (also called the system tray or status menus) – the small icons on the right side of the menu bar. They show the status of things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, battery, volume, Spotlight, and any background apps. Click any icon to see options or change settings.
Spotlight – a search bar that can find anything on your Mac. Press Cmd + Space to open it. Type an app name, file name, math equation, or search term. It is the fastest way to open apps and find files.
Apps (macOS 26+) / Launchpad (macOS 15 and earlier) – shows all your installed apps in a grid. On macOS 26, click the Apps icon in the Dock or open Spotlight and press Cmd + 1. On macOS 15 and earlier, click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, press F4, or pinch with four fingers on the trackpad.
Mission Control – a bird's-eye view of all your open windows and desktops. Press F3 or swipe up with three fingers on the trackpad. Useful when you have a lot of windows open and need to find one.
Screenshot: macOS Dock with app icons and a running app indicator dot
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does everything have a different name on Mac vs Windows vs Linux?▾
Each operating system was designed by a different company (or community) with its own ideas about how a computer should work. Apple, Microsoft, and the GNOME project all chose their own names for similar concepts. A Mac's Dock and Windows' Taskbar do roughly the same job, for example, but they look different and have different names. This guide is here to help you translate between them.
Where did my taskbar or dock go?▾
It is probably set to auto-hide. Move your mouse to the edge of the screen where it normally appears (usually the bottom) and wait a moment. It should slide back into view. To stop it from hiding: on Mac, go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock and turn off Automatically hide and show the Dock. On Windows, right-click the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, and turn off Automatically hide the taskbar. On GNOME with a visible dock, check your dock extension settings.
What is the difference between the desktop and the home screen?▾
On a computer, "desktop" means the background area behind all your windows. On a phone or tablet, people say "home screen" instead. They are essentially the same idea: the starting point where you see your icons and wallpaper. This guide uses "desktop" because it is the standard term on computers.
Can I rearrange or customize these elements?▾
Yes, to varying degrees. On Mac, you can move the Dock to the left, right, or bottom, and rearrange menu bar icons by holding Cmd and dragging them. On Windows, you can pin or unpin apps from the taskbar and choose which icons appear in the notification area. On GNOME, you can install extensions to change almost anything about the layout, including adding a permanent dock or moving the top bar.
I see a term in another guide I do not recognize. Should I come back here?▾
Yes, that is exactly what this article is for. Other guides on this site will link back here when they mention terms like Dock, Taskbar, Finder, or File Explorer so you can quickly look up what they mean.