Specify how to group Taskbar buttons in Windows 10

You can also view the date and time, system icons and items running in the background on the notification area.

In addition, you can make the taskbar look what you want, manage your calendar, pin your favorite apps to it, resize, change the screen position, and specify how taskbar buttons are. Group together, as you open multiple windows.

If you have multiple monitors, you can set separate group options for the main taskbar button and other taskbars.

Taskbar button group option:

1. Always combine, hide labels  - This is the default setting. Each application appears as a single button (icon), even when multiple windows for an application are open.
2. Combine when taskbar is full  - This setting shows each open window as an individual button. When the taskbar becomes 'crowded', apps with multiple open windows merge into a single app button. Clicking this button displays a list of all open windows.
3. Never combine  - This setting displays each window as an individual button and never combines them, no matter how many windows are open. As more applications and windows open, the buttons become smaller.

This guide will show you how to specify taskbar button combination option in Windows 10.

Change the button on the main taskbar in Settings

1. Open  Settings  and click the Personalization icon  .

2. Click the  Taskbar  on the left and select the  Combine taskbar buttons setting  you want in the Taskbar section   on the right.

3. Now, you can close  Settings  if you want.

Change the button on the main taskbar in Settings

Change buttons on other taskbars in Settings

1. Open  Settings  and click the Personalization icon  .

2. Click the  Taskbar  on the left side and turn  on Show taskbar on all displays  in the Multiple displays section   if not already done.

3. Select the  Combine buttons on other taskbars setting  you want.

4. Now, you can close  Settings  if you want.

Change buttons on the main taskbar with BAT file

The downloadable .bat files below will change the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

TaskbarGlomLevel  DWORD

0  = Always combine, hide labels

1  = Combine when taskbar is full

2  = Never combine

1. Do step 2 ( Always option  ), step 3 ( Full option  ) or step 4 ( Never option  ) below, depending on what you want to do.

2. Set the Always Combine, Hide Labels settings for the main Taskbar.

Note : This is the default setting.

Download the Main_Taskbar_Always_combine_hide_labels.bat file and go to step 5 below.

3. Set the Combine when Taskbar is Full setting for the main Taskbar

Download the file Main_Taskbar_Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat and go to step 5 below.

4. Set the Never Combine setting for the main Taskbar

Download the Main_Taskbar_Never_combine.bat file and go to step 5 below.

5. Save the .bat file to the desktop.

6. Unblock the .bat file.

7. Run the .bat file.

8. You should now see the screen flashing and a Command Prompt will quickly open and close when Explorer is restarted to apply registry changes.

9. When done, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you want.

Change buttons on other taskbars with BAT files

The downloadable .bat files below are for the registry key and the values ​​below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

MMTaskbarEnabled  DWORD

1  = Show taskbar on multiple displays (Show taskbar on multiple displays)

MMTaskbarGlomLevel  DWORD

0  = Always combine, hide labels

1  = Combine when taskbar is full

2  = Never combine

1. Do step 2 ( Always option  ), step 3 ( Full option  ) or step 4 ( Never option  ) below, depending on what you want to do.

2. Set Always Combine, Hide Labels settings for other Taskbar (This is the default setting)

Download the file Other_Taskbars_Always_combine_hide_labels.bat and go to step 5 below.

3. Set the Combine when Taskbar is Full setting for other Taskbar

Download the file Other_Taskbars_Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat and go to step 5 below.

4. Set the Never Combine setting for other Taskbar

Download the file Other_Taskbars_Never_combine.bat and go to step 5 below.

5. Save the .bat file to the desktop.

6. Unblock the .bat file.

7. Run the .bat file.

8. Now, you should see a flashing screen, along with a Command Prompt that quickly opens and closes when Explorer is restarted, to apply registry changes.

9. When done, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you want.

Marvin Fry

Update 28 April 2020