Taskbar Button Grouping - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Button Grouping in Windows 7​

   Information

A taskbar button represents an open window on the desktop. These buttons appear on the taskbar as a horizontal bar or icon button.

This tutorial will show you how to have similar open window buttons to group to one button or separate buttons in Windows 7.

   Note

When you have more than one similar window open, say Notepad windows, you could set the taskbar to group the same Notepad taskbar buttons to just one button instead of multiple buttons. This can help organize the taskbar and save space when you have multiple windows open.

   Tip

Microsoft has made available a hotfix that will resolve a problem where the taskbar customizations are lost and reset to defaults when automatic logon is enabled in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

More details are available at FIX: The Taskbar is reset to the default settings when you use the "Automatically Log On" feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2.

EXAMPLE: Taskbar Buttons Grouped

EXAMPLE: Taskbar Buttons Not Grouped

OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Taskbar Button Grouping in Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

1. Right click on an empty area of the taskbar, and click/tap on Properties. (See screenshot below)

2. Click on the drop down arrow menu to the right of Taskbar buttons, and do step 3, 4, or 5 below for what you would like to do. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If this option is grayed out, then see this tutorial to "Allow" it: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/118986-taskbar-button-grouping-allow-prevent.html

3. To Always Group Taskbar Buttons
NOTE: Taskbar buttons for the same opened program or window will always be grouped to one icon button.
A) Click/tap on Always combine, hide labels to select it, and go to step 6 below. (See screenshot below step 3)
4. To Only Group Taskbar Buttons when the Taskbar is Full
NOTE: Taskbar bar buttons for the same opened program or window will be grouped to one icon button when the taskbar runs out space for the buttons.
A) Click/tap on Combine when taskbar is full to select it, and go to step 6 below. (See screenshot below step 3)
5. To Never Group Taskbar Buttons
NOTE: Open windows will remain as separate bar buttons on the taskbar and not be grouped together.
A) Click/tap on Never combine to select it, and go to step 6 below. (See screenshot below step 3)
6. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below step 3)

OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Taskbar Button Grouping using a BAT File

1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for how you would like your taskbar buttons set to do.

2. To Always Group Taskbar Buttons
NOTE: Taskbar buttons for the same opened program or window will always be grouped to one icon button.
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Always_combine_hide_labels.bat


Download


3. To Only Group Taskbar Buttons when the Taskbar is Full
NOTE: Taskbar bar buttons for the same opened program or window will be grouped to one icon button when the taskbar runs out space for the buttons.
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat

Download


4. To Never Group Taskbar Buttons
NOTE: Open windows will remain as separate bar buttons on the taskbar and not be grouped together.
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.
Never_combine.bat


Download


5. Save the .bat file to your Desktop.

6. Double click/tap on the downloaded .bat file to run it.

7. If prompted, click/tap on Run.
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Run prompt by unblocking the downloaded .bat file.

8. You will now notice your screen quckly flash as explorer is restarted.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Pin or Unpin a Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Use Small or Large Icons on the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Enable or Disable QuickLaunch in Windows 7
• How to Lock or Unlock the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Move the Windows 7 Taskbar Location on the Desktop
• How to Show or Hide the Windows 7 Taskbar with Auto-hide
• How to Change the Windows 7 Taskbar Icon Width Size
• How to Restore All Windows in a Windows 7 Grouped Taskbar Icon
• How to Change the Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold
• How to Enable or Disable Internet Explorer 8 Individual Tabbed Browsing Taskbar Preview Windows
• How to Pin or Unpin a Drive to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Allow or Prevent Taskbar Button Grouping in Windows 7
• How to "Pin to Taskbar" Transparent Invisible Icons for Programs in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Last Active Click in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[skunksmash]

just what i was looking for, thanks again Shawn........Great work!!

SK

 

[garysgold]

Nice. Thanks Shawn.

Gary

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Mitch and Gary.

 

[igorstaro]

Nice one thanks

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Igorstaro.

 

[fquist]

How do I keep Windows 7 from positioning all the Firefox buttons together? When I open a new Firefox window, I would like to button to appear at the right end of the taskbar. However, Win7 positions it with the other Firefox buttons and will not let me move an individual button; they all move as a group. Under Vista and XP I used a utility called Taskbar Shuffle that let me put each button where I wanted it. Win7 is almost there, but not quite. (Note: this doesn't just apply to Firefox, it will occur with all applications that allow multiple instances).

 

[Brink]

Hello Fquist, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm afraid that the individual buttons will move together when not grouped, or as one when group by default and cannot be changed.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[Tews]

Thanks for the tip Brink!!
Now if you could just tell me how to change the taksbar to that nice dark grey I'd be set!!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Tews,

These are the color settings that I used for the taskbar.

 

[copernicus]

I'm not seeing what the tutorial is for, isn't this the default settings for the taskbar?

 

[Orbital Shark]

I'm not seeing what the tutorial is for, isn't this the default settings for the taskbar?

I may be wrong but i believe the 'Buttons' have text & the 'Icons' don't, making them more condensed.

 

[copernicus]

So it's for people using the "xp style" taskbar then.

 

[Brink]

I'm not seeing what the tutorial is for, isn't this the default settings for the taskbar?

Hello Copernicus,

The buttons is to have the old Vista style taskbar with the open window Title text, and the icons is for the new default Windows 7 style taskbar that onle have the icons. You can see the example screenshots at the top of the tutorial to help get a better idea if each though.

Hope this helps,
Shaw

 

[nomadgamer13]

i cant see the pin to taskbar option when i right click the shortcut icon.... i cant move the shortcut icon to taskbar......the taskbar wont allow it.... i tried the download .zip file.... extracted it without error... still i cant find the pin to taskbar option.... theres no unblock in the properties/gen tab also.... so its already unblocked.... BTW.... i alread enabled the recent items on the start menu...

 

[Brink]

Hello Nomadgamer13,

What shortcut or tutorial is this for? :huh:

 

[hermones]

How do I keep Windows 7 from positioning all the Firefox buttons together? When I open a new Firefox window, I would like to button to appear at the right end of the taskbar. However, Win7 positions it with the other Firefox buttons and will not let me move an individual button; they all move as a group. Under Vista and XP I used a utility called Taskbar Shuffle that let me put each button where I wanted it. Win7 is almost there, but not quite. (Note: this doesn't just apply to Firefox, it will occur with all applications that allow multiple instances).

Google for "7 Taskbar Tweaker".

 

[Ritzpkr]

Number of programs grouped

Hi,

I'm tired of looking for this answer everywhere (maybe i'm not looking well)... Is there any way to change the taskbar so it shows the number of windows opened of an application (when programs are grouped) like on Windows Vista and XP taskbar?

thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Ritzpkr, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but not that I'm aware of.

You will have a extra edge on the pinned icon for each opened window you have for it. Plus, you can hover the mouse of the icon to see a thumbnail preview of the opened windows. You can see in the example below with 3 opened tabs (windows) of IE8.

 

[Hengehog]

I was wondering if there was a way to group unopened applications on the task bar?
to turn this:

Into this: