On version 20H2, the File Explorer on the taskbar often shows an active window with an Edge tab

[adrianghc]

On the Windows beta channel (version 20H2, build 19402.450), the File Explorer on the taskbar often shows an active window with an Edge tab. Clicking the explorer icon or the thumbnail that shows the Edge tab switches to that tab in Edge. Closing the tab makes the thumbnail disappear from the File Explorer icon and replaces it with another Edge tab. This can be repeated until all tabs have been closed, but at some point later this behavior will start again. This is surely related to the new feature where Alt + Tab works for Edge tabs, but I have that disabled and it's a bug in any case. Switching desktops seems to trigger this behavior very often, though not always. I'm running Edge Beta 85.0.564.30.

[#2]

@alex4998 I think this was solved in Insider builds months ago, so at worst I guess we'll have to wait until 21H2 is released.

[#3]

I tested with a 21H2 build and it was not solved.

[#4]

@Matman Well, I thought so, since the changelog for build 21277 says the following:

• We fixed an issue that could result in Microsoft Edge windows unexpectedly being grouped with File Explorer in the taskbar.

[#5]

@adrianghc 

Yes, I was fooled by that as well, but a conversation with a Microsoft employee on Reddit revealed that the issue was fixed for "regular Windows desktops" (an issue I never had) but that she was unsure if it had been resolved for virtual desktop users. As I mentioned, I only ever had this problem while using the Windows virtual desktop feature, and can confirm the issue persists beyond the 21277 update.

[#6]

Well, that sucks, I've never even had this appear without virtual desktops either. I can't say I'm shocked, unfortunately. Fingers crossed they'll still fix this in time for 21H2 but not holding my breath.

[#7]

@adrianghc 

yup exact same problem to the letter.

[#8]

College student here. The same problem's happening to me as well. I have 5 virtual desktops each for an individual course. The problem has been annoying me for an entire semester. And the explorer icon even shows edge tabs on other desktops as well. Sometimes I'll have to close those tabs from the taskbar and re-open them on the corresponding desktop. Multiple desktops is one of the biggest features to play against MacOS and for me to choose Windows. This bug is promoting me to swap from a Windows laptop to an M1 Macbook. Go and see Wintel, lol.

[#9]

@ez4bk Why would you want to change your computer when all you have to do is change your web browser to solve the problem?

[#10]

@adrianghc I am having the issue too. But it started with the latest major update from Windows last month or so. Hope they can fix this. I too use Virtual Desktop.

[#11 · Accepted solution]

Same problem around here since august 2020. Yesterday, I found the flag #edge-window-tab-manager. If you disable it, the problem goes away. There's is a nausty bug with the integration of edge chromium in windows.

[#12]

Seems like this solved the issue

[#13]

@jsgrrchg I too confirm that this removes the issue!

[#14]

Unfortunately it didn't resolve the issue in my case. Somehow it became even worse but I'm not quite sure about it. I'm always using 2 desktops and often switching between them back and forth. I have opened pages in Edge browser on both desktops. After that change, I don't know if that is a coincidence or not, I didn't restart the system second time yet, but everything looks fine on the first desktop however this issue is twice worse on the second desktop. I already have 8 edge browser windows under the file explorer when normally I didn't have more than 3. It is with about 15 total opened pages.

[#15]

Sounds like a great (theoretical) fix, if only that flag were actually available to me under edge://flags.

Same problem as everyone else here. On 20H2, heavy user of virtual desktops, running Edge Dev 91.0.845.2, yadda yadda yadda.

This has been going on for awhile, and it just eats up my taskbar real estate. Anyone know how I might gain access to that flag?

[#16]

Hm, might it have been removed with version 91? I'm on version 90 and have it. What do you get when you search for "manager" in the flags?

[#17]

@adrianghc 

I get zippity-doo-dah, nada, zilch.  I've already also tried searching for variations on that flag name in case they changed it slightly.

The flag does exist in my co-existing version of Edge (regular channel, not dev) version 89, so it looks like that flag disappeared in Dev version 91, which is stupid of them because disabling it in regular Edge 89 seems to fix the problem.  Didn't spend a ton of time testing it, though.

In fact, it's the only thing that fixed the problem, since--as has been suggested elsewhere--disabling the new 20H2 Alt-Tab "Show Edge Tabs" functionality didn't do a **bleep** thing.

So I guess I move to Edge regular and hope that when it hits version 91, it doesn't all fall apart again?  [Smiles weakly, rolls eyes]

tldr:   We are all unpaid beta testers for Windows 10.

[#18]

On reflection, my last sentence was maybe a little negative considering I am using Edge Dev as my main browser.

[#19]

Well, this bug is there for public and current versions of both Windows and Edge.

[#20]

But at least there's the flag disable fix available for the public version. It worked for me, though I'm aware another in this thread said it didn't help.

[#21]

What version of edge are you using? Try to disable the mentioned flag and also try to disable alt tab functionality under windows setting.