How to enable 'Never Combine taskbar buttons'. Windows 11 ?

[hoanglongson]

Hi @all
I did not find this function 'Never Combine taskbar buttons'. How can this function be found and enabled in windows 11?
I can't work with multi-tab on windows 11.

Thank you!

[#2]

@Ken_Hadden 

Hi of course I agree, but in MTC it is primarily user discussions, Microsoft employees also help, but this case is without a solution , because you can not in Windows11 -> restore this function!

To explain this, a response from Microsoft engineers is necessary :)

As far as I know, this rule resulted in the removal of this function:

What is Zero Trust and is it the Future of Cybersecurity? (microsoft.com)

[#3]

RE: "To explain this, a response from Microsoft engineers is necessary, which will not be."
Will not be what?

[#4]

I am fed up microsoft, please fix this. I reverted back to win 10 in 3 machines for this one single reason. 

[#5]

@hoanglongson In case anyone hasn't noticed "File Explorer" now has tabs available which may help with productivity,

It has improved things for me and as WPS office has tabs things are a bit better for me.

Never combine is still a way better solution as it works with all programs.

[#6]

Unbeliveable, as a power-user I'm usually managing 200 chrome tabs grouped in different windows.

I already had to use 7+ Taskbar Tweaker to enable taskbar icon drag re-ordering to continue my productivity.

After installing Windows 11, now even the "never group" option is removed. I understand the point behind it, not every user is a power user and default windows was always complex against the competition, they had to simplify it.

But this simplification should have been "optional" maybe by default enabled.

I tried to get used to it, I tried it but come on..
It feels like trying to use a Smart Phone with keyboard and mouse.

My productivity went from 100% to 10%, I'm spending most of the time trying to find the window I'm looking for. And everytime I switch to a window, I have to re-start the "searching" process from start.

Productivity was my only reason for sticking to Windows for the last 25 years.
And now it strongly feels like, Windows Operating System does not want power users to choose Windows for heavy multi-tasking.

Because as is, the productivity value of the current taskbar is not even funny.

I'm searching for a solution on the internet, but all the solutions are 3rd party.
I'm having hard time to accept how Microsoft was able to let this happen to a flagship OS.

[#7]

@eyyildiz 

They really don't seem to care about power users or productivity. The taskbar was 100% implemented in a "form follows DESIGN" fashion - not even a compromise for productivity (or optional settings to increase productivity).

Hard to believe, but evidently true

[#8]

We all have been shouting for quite some time, no reply from Microsoft. I agree, atleast make it optional than becoming harsh. Ultimately you need more people using the OS. I use windows for productivity boot and this is the deal breaker.

[#9]

@eyyildiz 

Well said! Windows 11 killed my productivity. I really thought the features would at least be available on Win 11 Pro but they stripped that down too. Really not looking forward to doing a downgrade but I think I might have to. 

[#10]

I just revert to Window 10 because of that missing feature.
I have 2+ Chrome open (all combine ) + the debugger tools that show as a separate one but with the same icon without text... How can it be productive to use that ?

[#11]

Yesterday I moved two computers to Windows 11 and discovered this issue. Tonight I move them both back to Windows 10. I need direct task bar access to many folders/window instances as part of my workflow and I'm not comfortable with a third party solution. Trying to locate a particular browser window or folder in a dynamic pop-up menu is just incredibly inefficient.

While I'm on the subject I'd love to know how this design decision was made. Did Product Design never talk to customers or did they intentionally select customers who agreed with their stated intent? Did they decide it would be too hard to support their design change while still supporting the current method for those who need it? Was this a casualty of trying to develop a single interface that can work across all devices? I'm kidding of course - I don't ever expect to get the answers to these questions.

[#12]

Yeah I'm going back to Windows 10 after months of waiting for this feature.  This is nonsensical.

[#13]

Probably this project started during Pandemic and they had Mac to compare with ;)

[#14]

@webcolorin 

Maybe because Windows11 is definitely cheaper!

[#15]

@hoanglongson install this fix everything u need https://www.androidauthority.com/ungroup-icons-taskbar-windows-11-3149488/

[#16]

I can't install third party software like that on my company computer.

[#17]

@Ken_Hadden  :)

Yes, it is obvious that the administrator in the organization blocks changes in the registry that undo the changes after installing Windows11.

The designers, creating the new version of Windows11, also blocked the user and applications from direct and unrestricted access to system tasks -> only for system security reasons, to minimize possible attack and the ability to change attributes!

[#18]

@Mousefluff Thank you for this. I manually added the keys to the registry and restarted Explorer and it worked.

Interestingly, I rarely get any Outlook meeting notifications as of Windows 11. After this fix, two meeting notifications that were almost two days old randomly popped up. I'm thinking they have been "combined" with the outlook task icon and therefor never show up. Hopefully this is an added benefit for others as well.

As it turns out, like others found out this disables my Start Menu and the ability to open any Explorer windows. I had to install someone else's more complete patch to circumvent these issues. That being said, the outlook meeting notifications is still a major issue with the always combined labels.

If Microsoft is paying any attention, the taskbar issue is the sole reason I have never upgraded at home. As a developer who sometimes has 13 of any given window open at once, it makes it impossible to work and consumes so much extra time trying to find the correct window.

[#19]

Tried the registry settings script above. And while it did change the appearance and ungroup icons, it completely disabled the start menu. The icon for it is on the taskbar, but clicking it does nothing. Also explorer.exe crashes as soon as it starts. It seems the "UndockingDisabled" is the culprit. If I set that one key back to 0x0, then the start menu works again but icons are back to being grouped.
This is on Win 11 pro for workstations.

[#20]

I signed up just to join this discussion. I looked everywhere to find out how to turn off the bundle setting and that brought me here. Very frustrating. I just bough this laptop complete with 11 and feel stuck! Please bring back unbundle!! I didn't upgrade my previous laptop for fear of bs like this!

[#21]

The only reason me and many of my friends don't upgrade to Windows 11 is because it doesn't: Never Combine