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

[huali1405]

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

[#2]

Hi team, would love to have the option to never combine taskbar buttons. Overall the new Windows 11 looks really nice, I have found the performance through Windows Explorer to be slower and not as responsive as Win10, even though my laptop is less than a year old. Hopefully all the minor bugs will be fixed up with updates to come.

[#3]

Microsoft, bring the "never combine taskbar buttons" option on Windows back. Removing that option, along with removing the drag-and-drop feature, were the worst decisions you guys could make. The Mac is already there, no need to be its cheap copy; just keep the few good things Windows used to have. Do not abandon customizability — not all of your users are dumb.

[#4]

This is just a wierd choice of UX. Very Apple-like, not very user friendly at all. MS, know your audience!

PS: The function of (windows-button + Tab) which brings up all my windows in an orderly fashion is the only thing keeping me from installing win 10 again, if that is at all possible. This is a lot less effective than just glancing at the taskbar that I did before to choose the right window, but it's better than nothing.

[#5]

Bring this back.
I did not update my win 10 personal computers because this option was not there and is not productive at all, for every window now I need 2 mouse clicks... that's a step back, bring the never combine back, please.

[#6]

This is killing me... how am I suppose to drag attachments from one application to another when hovering over the taskbar refuses to open the associated window?

[#7]

This is my first day in Win11 and I am totally stunned by the absence of the "never combine" feature in taskbar options. I really can't the reasons why MS eliminated it. Totally unproductive. COME ON MS, BRING IT BACK

[#8]

Is there any other place where we can open this "request" to Microsoft implement it?

[#9]

@julianocas 

Yes, go to https://aka.ms/AAd2l82, open Feedback Hub, Sign in, upvote & add a comment to this thread:

[#10]

@huali1405  I can not use windows 11 with out never combine taskbar buttons

[#11]

Explorer Patcher is an elegant solution and solves the "never combine" problem once and for all.

This program (actually a single dll file) brings back the properties of the good old Win 10 taskbar.

It is an experimental program but it worked fine and without problems for me.

Here are the steps needed:

1. Download the "dxgi.dll" file from here.  (read about it here) 

2. Place dxgi.dll in C:\Windows

3. Restart Windows

4. Right-click on the Start button brings you the following dialog box.

5. Click on Properties --> Taskbar --> 4th line, change to "Never combine" and...

6. Voila !!! Problem SOLVED

I hope this will help until MS resolves it

[#12]

Please bring back the "never combine taskbar buttons" with an update to Windows 11; that was an essential option that I set on every Windows 10 system that I worked on until now. The forced grouping (combining) of taskbar buttons is frustrating and unproductive, especially at work when it is critical to be able to fully identify at a glance and quickly switch between multiple buttons. Thank you.

[#13]

@huali1405 

I also add my desire to Microsoft bring back the option of never combine task button. This feature helps in my productivity.

[#14]

I am so glad that I installed Windows 11 in a VM before upgrading any other computer. This is a setting that turn off on every PC or server I use as I find having the taskbar combined and the labels removed frustrating and unintuitive to use. I won't be upgrading anything until this oversight is resolved.

[#15]

Stop trying to make the taskbar into IOS, I loved the taskbar of past generations of Windows. What good does speeding up performance of an operating system if you slow down the user by removing what worked from previous versions, and not allowing them the option to restore previous functionality. For that matter explorer sucks by having to go to a submenu to use features that were used quite often. 

[#16]

Microsoft, bring the "never combine taskbar buttons" option on Windows back.
That is one of the most crucial option for productivity and multitasking.
Please.

This is the one feature from Windows I can't work without and one of the main reasons I've never been using Mac OS.

[#17]

This is an absolute "DEAL BREAKER" for me. I cannot work with the taskbar icons combined! As other have already stated, it's unproductive like that.

I'm an IT consultant, and I'll NOT be upgrading to, or purchasing any new PC's for my clients with, Windows 11.

Hey Windows, stop trying to be a Mac!

[#18]

Since [never combine taskbar buttons] is missing in windows 11, I will reinstall windows 10

[#19]

Why do you do this kind of thing (removing popular option)? It's just dumb knowing that so many people use this feature and that there is absolutely no advantage to remove it.

[#20]

@Max5742  Microsoft wanted to make Windows 11 look beautiful. Perhaps, a bunch of similar icons makes Windows look ugly. And, MacOS doesn't have the option either and see how beautiful it looks with grouped icons.

And if you are concerned about productivity, you can read this article:

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/10/04/windows-11-a-new-era-for-the-pc-begins-today/

The marketing lingo will make you "feel more productive" while using Windows 11.

[#21]

My first thought after seeing Windows 11 was how like the macOS it looks, and that disappoints me greatly, but I do find the centralised working with everything in front of you much easier than any other version of Windows. It is a shame that the combining task bar icons has been disabled, should this not be up to the user to decide? For everyone complaining please make sure you find the relevant feedback in the Feedback Hub app (find it in "All Apps" and upvote your disappointment!