Instructions to display application names on Windows 11 Taskbar

Windows 11 has changed the way applications appear on the Taskbar with Microsoft removing the display of application names next to the application icons. In the recent update, Windows 11 system allows users to control whether the application name appears on the taskbar or not, depending on the user's needs. Below is a guide to display application names on the Windows 11 Taskbar.

How to display application name on Windows 11 Taskbar

Step 1:

Press Windows + I to open Settings on your computer. Then click Personalization on the left side of the interface.

Looking at the side interface, the user clicks on the Taskbar item to access the taskbar options.

Step 2:

In this new interface, users click on Taskbar behaviors to expand additional settings for the taskbar on the computer.

Step 3:

Go to the Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels setting and you will see customizations for displaying names for applications on the Taskbar including:

1. Always: Group windows of the same application into a single icon and hide the name.
2. When taskbar is full: Show names until the taskbar is full, then combine icons.
3. Never: Show each window as a separate icon with a label, similar to the Windows 10 default.

We choose Never to show individual taskbar buttons for each open window, each with a name. This setting is especially useful when working with multiple instances of the same application, such as multiple Word documents or Excel spreadsheets, as it allows you to quickly identify and switch between them.

After selecting the Taskbar will be adjusted immediately.

Jessica Tanner

Update 26 May 2025