It's quite interesting how a seemingly unrelated unread message about a Java update being available caused the taskbar to behave erratically on your screen. Sometimes, hidden or unread messages affecting system behavior can occur unexpectedly. Here are a couple of reasons why such an issue might have occurred: 1. System Notifications: Sometimes, certain system notifications or messages can inadvertently affect the behavior of other elements on the screen, such as the taskbar hiding or not hiding correctly. 2. Triggered Actions: Certain system messages or notifications may trigger system actions or responses that can inadvertently impact other user interface elements. In your case, clicking on the Java update notification might have inadvertently triggered a system action that corrected the taskbar behavior back to normal. If you encounter similar unexpected system behavior in the future, investigating any recent notifications or messages could potentially reveal the source of the issue, as you discovered in this instance. If you have any more unexpected system behaviors or issues, feel free to reach out for assistance!