How to let windows 11 "never combine taskbar buttons"?

[huali1405]

How to let windows 11 "never combine taskbar buttons"?

[#2]

@CassRT I agree totally, MS do it every time, they never consider the productivity loss of having to learn where they have hidden some settings this time. As an example, I like many people use an open source DNS and every incarnation has a different way of locating the settings. 

MS The Multiple Sclerosis of operating systems.

I keep telling myself I need to invest the time into setting up one PC on Linux to see if I should just move on.

[#3]

@Richard Duggan 
Totally agree, no small icons in taskbar makes the taskbar consume to much space of the screen.
With fewer lines of code visible as a result.  :( 

[#4]

Yeah, this is really pathetic. It's taken Microsoft YEARS to address this, and they STILL didn't include the smaller taskbar buttons. I'm not migrating to an OS that insists on doubling the amount of space it wastes on my screen. Not to mention all the other glaring problems in 11.

Oh well, just another example of Microsoft absolutely fumbling every alternating Windows release. Hopefully 12 will be more sane. If not, then hopefully Linux gaming actually becomes reasonable before they EOL windows 10.

[#5]

For second time I updated to windows 11 but downgraded to windows 10 almost immediately. Missing small taskbar buttons makes the taskbar consuming to much space. Number of taskbar buttons is limited (not autosized as in win10) so the rest is hidden behind a 3 dotted mark you must klick on to view windows above of the rest of open applications. Free teams working in win10 is not working in win11. So - still stick to win10. Upgraded to Win11 at home because of bigger monitor (43") an use of google meet.

[#6]

Hey Microsoft Dev's! How can you not understand that adding a navigation layer slows down productivity?? Open 12 different Excel sheets and 7 different Word Docs and 5 different Powerpoints, then navigate between them with uncombined buttons....then take away the uncombined buttons and you will see your navigation slow because of the new layer.... perhaps you will have a Eureka moment and insist to put the "never combine" feature BACK!!

[#7]

@Q2director Think it’s already been put back. Not quite the same as in Win10 but it’s better than it was.  

[#8]

I already said this once here, but since everyone is annoyed by the taskbar situation, "startallback" software is the perfect solution that worked for me. It lets me use Windows 11 absolutely like Windows 10 (right-click included). At least personally, using another software to get what Microsoft denies me doesn't create any problems.

Fate vobis.

[#9]

While the official Windows 11 feature for permanently disabling taskbar button combing isn't yet released, there are two workarounds. First, set "Combine taskbar buttons" to "When taskbar is full" in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. Alternatively, use the Registry Editor (advanced method): Create a DWORD value named "Taskbar No Combine" in the "Advanced" key and set it to 1. This requires caution and backing up the Registry first. Wait for the official update if uncomfortable with this method.

[#10]

Thanks for the update. I keep checking in to see if it is worth my time and attention to upgrade to 11. So far, I'm not trying it again. I'll stay on 10 until 11 is worth it.

[#11]

I'll happily give this a try. Would you be so kind as to tell me where in the registry editor I enter this value? Which directory?

[#12]

@MicroJente   

Registry changes = crap that doesn't work!

Perform an update to Windows11 23H2 

Troubleshoot problems updating Windows - Microsoft Support

[#13]

@Inu-Yasha 

This option isn't even available for it. It's greyed out for me.

Wtf?

[#14]

Dear Microsoft,
I would like to add my voice to the hundreds of people who hate the fact that Microsoft downgraded the Windows 11 Taskbar and removed functionality that so many of us are used to from previous versions of Windows. The inability to move taskbar location to left/right/top, ungroup icons on the task bar, changing taskbar config for each display, are counter-productive and makes it slower and more difficult to multitask.

Please bring back these features which we all windows lovers were using from many many years.

Regards,
Shivesh

[#15]

i am also facing this issue@huali1405 

[#16]

@ShiveshDas 

Update to the latest Win 11 build and you will be able ungroup tab like Win 10.

Alan 

[#17]

Hi everyone: we keep getting these posts about bring it back when as far as I know the latest win11 updates have the never combine option.
Do some versions of Win 11 still not have never combine?

One would think this is now a dead thread except for showing how long MS takes to fix customer concerns.

There is lots more wrong with win 11 go to or start other threads about the other faults.

[#18]

I just noticed on my PC that I can select "Never" for combining taskbar buttons, but as some other have mentioned, it sure does take up fair amount of space. Either I've gotten used to seeing/working with hidden the taskbar buttons for all this time waiting for this fix, or it really does take up more footprint. I thought I would be overjoyed once this fix came to my device, but I've resorted back to hiding for now as I'm not used to seeing so many taskbar buttons open.

[#19]

Normally the tabs will reduce in size when the taskbar is full. Try filling the taskbar and see what happens.

[#20]

I'm glad this issue has been resolved! The combined buttons were driving me crazy.

[#21]

There are two main ways to prevent Windows 11 from combining taskbar buttons:

 User Settings (Recommended) 

1. Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar.
2. Select Taskbar settings.
3. Scroll down to the Taskbar behaviors section.
4. Under Taskbar buttons, use the dropdown menu and choose Never.

This is the simplest method and works for most users.

Using Registry Editor (Advanced Users):

This method is for advanced users comfortable editing the registry. Editing the registry can be risky, so proceed with caution.

1. Back up your registry (important).

2. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.

3. Type regedit and press Enter.

4. Navigate to:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

5. Look for a value named TaskbarGlomLevel.

6. If it doesn't exist, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named TaskbarGlomLevel.

7. Double-click TaskbarGlomLevel and set its value data to 2.

8. Open Task Manager.

9. Find Windows Explorer in the Processes tab.

10. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.

This will force Windows Explorer to restart with the new setting applied.

Additional Notes:

• The registry method might be required for older versions of Windows 11 that don't have the "Never combine" option in Settings.
• If you use multiple monitors, you can also adjust the combine taskbar buttons setting specifically for those taskbars in the Settings menu.