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]

The explorer patch worked for a year but became incompatible after the most recent Win 11 update on my desktop PC, causing screen to flash after login. Solved by uninstalling the patch.

[#3]

@schwartzllc Hi

explorer patcher caused problem also for me after last Windows update, I had to uninstall it too. But they have fixed it, I am using it now. 

[#4]

Except... oh, yeah... look at the date on your post and now look at today's real date. DID NOT HAPPEN.

[#5]

@Jim_T1405 

  The author of this thread wrote in 2021:

"

I have talked to Microsoft support, they said there will be an official update to fix this problem, enable 'Combine taskbar buttons' Windows 11

I hope that update comes soon "

[#6]

@RyanNE021  Same happened to me, no fix and had to do a re-installation of windows

[#7]

@hoanglongsonWow.  I've seen 5-year olds with better command of English than the fake chat you posted in that screenshot: https://www.mediafire.com/view/5nokaqkxkrec5ut/Indira-Microsoft_support.png/file

That is just laughably bad and you should be shamed for misleading other posters.

For anyone else, looking for an actual solution (and not a lie about a fix that hasn't materialized in over 2 years), check out the following utility that restores Windows 10 functionality: https://www.startallback.com/

[#8]

The problem is that people need a solution that they can implement. Installing a utility is NOT an option for most people using Windows 11 in a work environment. Most IT departments have locked down the ability to install utilities or edit registries. It opens up security vulnerabilities, screws up machines when idiots don't know what they are doing, and creates work for the IT people. This NEEDS to become a standard Windows option again. I don't understand how Microsoft employees haven't gone insane with their own OS. I can't tell you how many calendar reminders that I've missed because they hid behind my Outlook icon. Hovering over an icon, to make the previews appear, to guess at the right window (because you have to wait for the thumbnails to generate ((which is slow in Autocad)), then squint at the thumbnails), to pull up the correct window is mind bogglingly slow.

[#9]

@timmyjoe42 

Obviously I agree with you regarding the moronic changes MS have made with W11 and I can fully understand how management and IT will not allow the plebs to alter the registry or install something like explorer patcher.

However if you presented to management the issue of the loss of productivity and how cheap a reliable fix that start all back or start 11 is I could not believe they would not instruct IT to check these or other programs like these for actual, not perceived, vulnerabilities and if none are found install them. The productivity saving far outweighs their cost. It is all about the bottom line. These programs are not free so they also come with warranties.

Of course MS should fix it, but that appears to not to be going to happen, even though it is an easy fix. If third party software can make it work then MS can just make it work.  Which begs the question: who at Microsoft has shares in Start 11 and Start All Back, the $ value of these companies must be on the rise now they are needed just to have a simple function returned. 

[#10]

I asked Chinese and Russian hackers to fix it for me. Secure and fast solution, which vendor cannot provide.

[#11]

Another patch Tuesday has passed and the option to never combine is still not here. So disappointed. 

[#12]

This weekend I rolled-back to Windows 10 in order to resolve multiple Windows 11 productivity issues. The missing "Never combine taskbar windows" option impacted my workflow dramatically. There are multiple other Windows 11 changes that make my day longer but this is the only one I can't get past eventually without installing 3rd party solution (not an option for me). Dell's Support Assistant software made the move back to Windows 10 relatively straightforward, though definitely not easy. The overall rollback effort was very large (copying files, reinstalling and reconfiguring applications, fixing a driver issue). 

This Dell is about 5 years old. I missed the opportunity to buy a new computer before the Microsoft mandate that all new computers must ship with Windows 11 from January forward. I will either need to live with the performance issues or buy a new Windows 11 Dell and reimage it with Windows 10, after confirming there are also Windows 10 drivers for everything, and then deal with driver update issues until I can move to Windows 11. 

My comments after 30+ hours spent dealing with this:

- Did Microsoft really believe that users don't rely on features that have been in Windows for over 30 years? 

- Who wanted this change? What customer asked Microsoft to remove this option? 

- I don't blame the engineers who built this. They did not hire themselves and they don't make product decisions. Likewise, design teams only propose design changes; they don't make these decisions. A decision like this was reviewed by a Program Manager (or Product Manager) and approved by the business, and the decision is consistent with Microsoft's long term plans.

- This whole experience tells me that Microsoft is now an 'echo chamber', where the business only hears what they want to hear. Long term I can't rely on Windows to support my business needs, or even my personal computer means.  

- I hope Windows 11 goes the way of Windows ME, a similar failure from many years ago. Beyond that, I hope Windows 12 is much better.

[#13]

@claysthename 

Hi,

Unfortunately this problem persists not also in Windows 11 but also in Linux Gnome desktop environment. Only reason I can think for this grouping of icons is to enforce the use of touchpad more effectively.  I can not understand any other reason than this. By the way, I also use the "explorer pathcher", but  these touchpad gestures may be helpful, 

Three-finger gestures on the touchpad seem to be a temporary solution. Specifically, 

Swipe three fingers up         --> Show thumbnails of your currently running apps in Task View
Swipe three fingers down -->  Show the desktop
Swipe three fingers either left or right --> Switch between your open apps
Swipe four fingers either left or right --> Switch between virtual desktops

[#14]

I use a KVM switch that connects three computers to a single monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Only one of those computers is a laptop and I always use the external keyboard, which doesn't have a touchpad. Even if it did, the differences between Explorer windows, or browser windows, are often very subtle. I'm not able to identify the correct window based on a tiny thumbnail and the insufficient text that appears above it. If I am working with multiple Explorer windows in Windows 10 I just remember their relative position on the taskbar and can click directly on the desired window, moving between windows quickly in a way that allows me to focus entirely on the task at hand.

I suspect you are right when you say the change is an attempt by Microsoft to support a consistent interface across very different devices. I could build a "tricycle fire engine" but children wouldn't be able to drive it and firemen would laugh at me.

[#15]

@claysthename 

>> Beyond that, I hope Windows 12 is much better.

Forget it! :(

There are screenshots around of Windows 12 that clearly show: They didn´t get it. It seems to be the next step in a greater move to make Windows more of a tablet OS.

I fully agree with you perspective on corporate decision processes Someone had the clever idea to give Windows a desktop & tablet UI again (didn´t learn from Win 8, obviously) and now they are feeding us this in small bits. The tanker is on it´s way and I doubt it will turn within the next years So we will have to work with this **** or move away from Windows, I´m afraid

Also agree with the tricyle picture. I didn´t invest in 4K screens, good mouse and keyboard to be limited to the usability of a smartphone. It´s so crazy: Years ago we used to be limited in hardware, which was expensive and less powerful. And now devices of all sizes are available and we are more and more limited by the lack of software - which is cheap to distribute and already written!

Btw: Privately I now use a touchscreen notebook with KDE for desktop scenarios and Gnome for mobile and touchscreen use. Different tools for different tasks!

Imagine that, Microsoft!

[#16]

@ChristianG_ 

windows have engaged on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/omersayli/status/1630659602848133120?s=46&t=3LVxCl6jMK9xcI8WszQm5g

[#17]

its coming back

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/a-highly-requested-classic-taskbar-feature-is-coming-to-windows-11-soon-heres-a-first-look

[#18]

Finally! Please bring back the Quick Launch Bar next. It's incredibly handy to have a possibility to Pin frequently asked application to a dedicated place, especially an huge screens where there is absolutely no reason to mess up your taskbar with this. One click opens App X... Wheter 0 or 10 instances are already open. So simple, so good.

[#19]

i dont know if i understand that correctly, but if u wanna open a new app already opened, click with ur middle mouse button, the one with the scroll

[#20]

In this case, I advise you to open start and search for feedback and open the Feedback Hub app and report this issue.

[#21]

Thx for the hint. Appreciated.

But a dedicated Quick Launch bar is still better since icons don't move when ungrouped tasks are opened, you can have more icons without cluttering the task bar and - very important - you can as well have links to ressources. From your corporate canteens daily menu to frequently used Sharepoint- or web sites.