How to Always, Sometimes, or Never Combine Taskbar Buttons in Windows 10
Windows includes a special application desktop toolbar called the taskbar that shows on the bottom of a display screen by default. The taskbar allows you to find, see, open, and switch between your apps. You can also see the date and time, system icons, and items running in the background on the notification area. You can make the taskbar look how you want, manage your calendar, pin your favorite apps to it, change the size, change location on screen, and specify how taskbar buttons group together when you have more than one window open.
If you have multiple displays, then you will be able to set button grouping separately for the main taskbar and other taskbars.
Taskbar Button Grouping Options:
- Always combine, hide labels - This is the default setting. Each app appears as a single, unlabeled button (icon), even when multiple windows for an app are open.
- Combine when taskbar is full - This setting shows each open window as an individual, labeled button. When the taskbar becomes crowded, apps with multiple open windows collapse into a single app button. Clicking the button displays a list of the windows that are open.
- Never combine - This setting shows each window as an individual, labeled button, and never combines them, no matter how many windows are open. As more apps and windows open, buttons get smaller, and eventually the buttons will scroll.
This tutorial will show you how to set taskbar buttons to always combine, combine when full, or never combine for your account in Windows 10.
Contents
- Option One: Change Buttons on Main Taskbar in Settings
- Option Two: Change Buttons on Other Taskbars in Settings
- Option Three: Change Buttons on Main Taskbar using a BAT file
- Option Four: Change Buttons on Other Taskbars using a BAT file
EXAMPLE: Taskbar Buttons set to always and never combine
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Personalization icon.
2 Click/tap on Taskbar on the left side, and select Always, hide labels, When taskbar is full, or Never in the Combine taskbar buttons drop menu for what you want under the Taskbar section on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Personalization icon.
2 Click/tap on Taskbar on the left side, and turn on Show taskbar on all displays under the Multiple displays section. (see screenshot below)
3 Select Always, hide labels, When taskbar is full, or Never in the Combine buttons on other taskbars drop menu for what you want. (see screenshot below)
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
The downloadable .bat files below will change the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
TaskbarGlomLevel DWORD
0 = Always combine, hide labels
1 = Combine when taskbar is full
2 = Never combine
1 Do step 2 (always), step 3 (full), or step 4 (never) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.
Main_Taskbar_Always_combine_hide_labels.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.
Main_Taskbar_Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.
Main_Taskbar_Never_combine.bat
Download
5 Save the .bat file to your desktop.
6 Unblock the .bat file.
7 Run the .bat file.
8 You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly opens and closes as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.
9 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.
The downloadable .bat files below are for the registry key and values below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
MMTaskbarEnabled DWORD
1 = Show taskbar on multiple displays
MMTaskbarGlomLevel DWORD
0 = Always combine, hide labels
1 = Combine when taskbar is full
2 = Never combine
1 Do step 2 (always), step 3 (full), or step 4 (never) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.
Other_Taskbars_Always_combine_hide_labels.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.
Other_Taskbars_Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.
Other_Taskbars_Never_combine.bat
Download
5 Save the .bat file to your desktop.
6 Unblock the .bat file.
7 Run the .bat file.
8 You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly opens and closes as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.
9 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
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