At present, I have disabled the option to combine taskbar buttons under Taskbar Settings.
I am considering if there is a way to merge only the pinned items, while leaving all other items unmerged.
This would result in a taskbar that appears similar to the one shown, even if there are multiple instances of pinned items open.
At the moment, when I click on a pinned item, its icon automatically expands to display the corresponding text, and any additional instances of the same item do not overlap one another:
I feel very annoyed as it undermines the very reason why I pinned the items initially.
Although it’s unlikely, I would be extremely thankful if someone could suggest a solution.
Thanks.
3 Answers
Introduction
The taskbar is an essential part of the Windows operating system that allows users to access frequently used applications and programs quickly. It is a bar that runs along the bottom of the screen, displaying icons of currently open applications, pinned applications and shortcuts to various settings. The taskbar also provides quick access to the Start menu, Cortana, and the notification area, among other features.
The taskbar settings in Windows 10 allow users to customize the taskbar to meet their specific needs. One of the options available is the ability to combine taskbar buttons. This option is useful for conserving space on the taskbar, especially when multiple instances of the same application are open.
However, some users prefer to keep their taskbar buttons separate, particularly when it comes to pinned items. In this blog post, we will explore how to merge only pinned items on the taskbar while leaving all other items unmerged.
The Combine Taskbar Buttons Option
The “Combine taskbar buttons” option in Windows 10 allows users to choose how taskbar buttons are displayed. The default setting is “Always, hide labels,” which means that taskbar buttons are combined into a single button, and the labels are hidden.
When this option is enabled, all open instances of the same application are grouped together under a single button. To access a specific instance of the application, users can hover over the button to see a thumbnail preview of each open instance. Users can then click on the thumbnail preview to switch to that instance.
The “Combine taskbar buttons” option is useful for conserving space on the taskbar, especially when multiple instances of the same application are open. However, some users prefer to keep their taskbar buttons separate, particularly when it comes to pinned items.
Disabling the “Combine Taskbar Buttons” Option
To disable the “Combine taskbar buttons” option in Windows 10, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the taskbar and select “Taskbar settings.”
2. Scroll down to the “Combine taskbar buttons” option.
3. Click on the drop-down menu and select “Never.”
4. Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
Once the “Combine taskbar buttons” option is disabled, all taskbar buttons will be displayed separately, regardless of whether they are pinned or open instances of the same application.
Merging Only Pinned Items on the Taskbar
To merge only pinned items on the taskbar, we need to make use of a third-party tool called 7+ Taskbar Tweaker. This tool allows users to customize the taskbar in various ways, including merging only pinned items.
Here’s how to merge only pinned items on the taskbar using 7+ Taskbar Tweaker:
1. Download and install 7+ Taskbar Tweaker from the official website.
2. Launch 7+ Taskbar Tweaker.
3. Click on “Advanced Options” and then “Mouse Button Control.”
4. Check the box next to “Combine grouped buttons on mouse hover” and select “Show labels” from the drop-down menu.
5. Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
Once this option is enabled, all pinned items on the taskbar will be merged into a single button, while all other items will remain separate. When the user hovers over the merged button, a thumbnail preview of each open instance of the pinned item will be displayed. Users can then click on the thumbnail preview to switch to that instance.
Advantages of Merging Only Pinned Items on the Taskbar
Merging only pinned items on the taskbar has several advantages:
1. It conserves space on the taskbar, making it less cluttered.
2. It allows users to access their pinned items quickly and easily.
3. It ensures that the labels of pinned items are always visible, making it easier to identify which item is which.
4. It maintains the integrity of the pinned items, ensuring that they are always separate from other open instances of the same application.
Conclusion
The taskbar is an essential part of the Windows operating system, providing quick access to frequently used applications and programs. The “Combine taskbar buttons” option in Windows 10 is useful for conserving space on the taskbar, but some users prefer to keep their taskbar buttons separate, particularly when it comes to pinned items.
By using a third-party tool like 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, users can merge only pinned items on the taskbar while leaving all other items unmerged. This option conserves space on the taskbar, allows users to access their pinned items quickly and easily, and ensures that the labels of pinned items are always visible.
It is not currently possible to combine only pinned items on the taskbar in Windows. The Combine taskbar buttons option is either on or off, and applies to all items on the taskbar.
However, there is a workaround that may help you achieve a similar effect. You can create a separate desktop and move the pinned items that you want to keep separate to that desktop. This will allow you to have a separate taskbar for those items, and you can switch between the two desktops as needed.
To create a new desktop, follow these steps:
- Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar and select “Taskbar settings”.
- Scroll down to the “Multiple displays” section and click on the “Add a desktop” button.
- A new desktop will be created, and you can switch between the two by using the Task View button on the taskbar (it looks like a rectangle with two overlapping squares inside).
You can then move the pinned items that you want to keep separate to the new desktop by right-clicking on the item and selecting “Move to” from the context menu. Select the new desktop from the list of options.
This workaround will allow you to keep the pinned items separate from other items on the taskbar, but it does require switching between the two desktops as needed.
It is not feasible to achieve this using the built-in features of Windows 10. Previously, a program called 7+ Taskbar Tweaker could accomplish this in Windows 7 and 8, but there were issues when used with Windows 10.
However, the latest version claims to support Windows 10, but I have not verified this personally.