How do I keep the icons on the left of the taskbar to stay where they are?

Anonymous
2011-04-12T11:56:38+00:00

I have little icons for Outlook, Firefox, and Word on the left side of my taskbar and I want them to stay all the way to left, even when I have one or more of the programs open-- like it used to in earlier versions.  For example, if I have Outlook and some word docs open, those little icons disappear and the Firefox icon will be floating in between the two sets of open programs.  I even have my taskbar locked.  How do I fix this?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2011-04-21T13:57:45+00:00

In your description, the icons do stay where they are.  For example, your first picture has Outlook as the first icon.  Then in the next picture, Outlook is open, but it has not moved.

So you actually do want it to move, or you want a duplicate to show up over to the right, while the original icon stays to the left?

Sorry, but neither of these are possible.  The icons will always stay where they are.  This way Outlook is always #1 (or wherever you put it).

This gives you some great benefits.  For example:

  • Outlook will always be the first icon, running or not.  Makes it easier to find, because it's always in the same place.
  • There is no duplication.  You don't have to have 1 button to start Outlook, then another button that is Outlook once it's started.  Less crowding on the Taskbar with no duplicate icons.
  • You only have 1 place to look if you want to start Outlook, switch to it if it's already running, or look for the little envelope icon that shows up when you have new mail (it shows up on top of the Outlook icon now, if you have large icons enabled so there is room)
  • You can use keyboard shortcuts.  Pressing Windows+1 will start (or switch to) the first button on the taskbar. In your case, this is Outlook.  If Outlook moved over after you clicked it, your number shortcuts would change randomly.

In short, the icons will always stay where you put them. If you put Outlook as the first icon, it will always be the first icon, even after you click it.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-11-30T16:13:59+00:00

    I know this is old but I was having the same issue, I couldn't stand the pinned icons not staying all the way to the left and overlooked this solution many times. Thanks Richard for pointing out that Ryan has already answered this. Sooooo happy now.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-09-28T23:08:27+00:00

    Thank you Ryan. I really needed this solution and it was nowhere to be found. Even the Microsoft staff in this forum don't know about it, also claiming the quick launch bar doesn't exist anymore. Well it certainly ain't standard anymore. But you've got it! It works so much better now with this quick launch bar. Should be standard in windows again. Ps, this forum needs the right answers to go on top! It is too much searching for the rightly given answers in here. Thanks again! Finally happy with my task bar again. :)

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-12T16:54:37+00:00

    Glad to help but all thanks go to Ryan D77. :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-12-12T16:47:02+00:00

    You're the man Richard!!!

    I was totally under the impression pinning to task bar was the same as the quick launch.   Thank you!

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