First, if you like the panel to have summarized icons for each application open (just the icon instead of the large rectangle representing an open application, you can right click anywhere in a blank area of the bottom panel, then click on Show Alternatives...

Then you can select the Icons-only Task Manager. If it ends up that you don’t like that as much, you can switch back through the same process and select Task Manager which will be back to the default.

To Make the Panel Larger

1. Right click anywhere on a blank spot of the panel and select Edit Panel...
2. This will provide multiple options for customizing the panel.
3. The one we’ll focus on is where it says Panel height:

1. You can use the minus or plus symbols to make the panel taller or shorter. Many of the icons, including the clock on the right should adjust to match.

Back to Customization