How do I Ungroup Task Bar Buttons in Windows 11

Anonymous
2022-08-26T12:28:10+00:00

Hi,

This is driving me mad. Windows 11 Groups Taskbar items and it is killing me, rather than being able to click on the, e.g. browser tab that I want, I now have to hover over Edge and scan all open browsers - it wastes soooo much time.

How can I ungroup Icons like I did with "Never Combine" in Windows 10.

Also - how do I complain officially to Microsoft about this.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accessibility

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SD - IA 179.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2022-08-26T13:05:17+00:00

Hi,

I am Sumit here to assist you with this question.

They are tracking Feedback on this, but no updates yet. It is also not clear if this feature would come.

List of Changed or removed features/functionalities in Windows 11 - Microsoft Community

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

A 3rd party alternative called ExplorerPatcher may help you in the meantime.

Improve Windows 11 Taskbar functionality using these tools - Your Windows Guide

https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2021/09/restor...

ExplorerPatcher, a 3rd party tool that aims to bring the older Windows 10 styled functionality in the Windows 11 Taskbar by just adding DLL files in 3 specific directories of WIndows. Because the older code is still present in Windows 11, by putting the DLL file, the Windows 10 styled taskbar is enabled. Some of the functionalities the developer claims the is restored:

Restores Windows 10 styled taskbar menu.

Restore Windows+X context menu.

Show app list by default in Start menu.

Ability for start menu and search to align left and many more

How to use ExplorerPatcher

Download the Software from this GitHub Repository:

Releases · valinet/ExplorerPatcher (github.com)

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/rele...

Hope that helps.

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-03-17T15:03:59+00:00

    When will Microsoft get the message that we don't want Windows as MacOS?

    Precisely. IF i wanted the Mac OS (which I loathe with a passion) WHY would I want Windows to be copying the OS I cannot stand?

    I have never understood the mentality behind, "Look at what the other guys are doing! We have 81-86% of the market, they have 9% OH NO! They USED to have 5% They're gaining on us. By the year 3021 they may actually catch up at this rate!"

    Stupid ***********, *********, *********s! Grow some brains already Sheesh!

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-03-17T15:18:30+00:00

    Not being able to ungroup Task Bar Buttons is probably my biggest frustration atm. It was so tremendously useful to see at glance which files I had open across my apps. Now it's just showing a repetition of taskbar icons. I stopped counting how many times I clicked the wrong taskbar icon to find out my files were open under the other one. Once you figure that out and you want to see which files are opened you have to hoover over the taskbar icon, but when you have a lot of files open and you move your mouse too wide/high/low you will lose that view and have to hoover again. Madness. This "feature" requires a roll back, big time.

    This and the F'd up right click context menu.
    I pray Windows 12 will go back to the more intelligent, more efficient way of doing things.
    More-offs!
    (A more-off is dumber than a moron, because they're "more off" than morons).

    If we revolt, and refuse to downgrade to this moronic idiocy, like we did for Win ME, and 8, and use strong VPNs, Firewalls, AV's, and every other security packages, will it matter if MS ends support on Win 10? Will we then send a strong signal to MS that we refuse to play their game; it's time they play our game?
    If developers realize we refuse to migrate, "just because" there's a new, but **** version of windows, and they refuse to make their product work with the new stupidity, what would happen then? Would MS FINALLY realize, oops

    I understand they track these responses, so, MAYBE if we demonstrate just how stupid these two changes in particular are (Lack of ungrouping and right click menu context, stupidity) PERHAPS, they will figure out "New Coke" NEVER works. (STILL can taste that **** some 35+ years later).

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-03-17T16:39:04+00:00

    Better learn some Unix commands already. I wouldn't bet on MS bringing back the old UI concept in Win 12. It took them almost 2 years to react on the taskbar....!

    Just went for KDE on my home PC. That kind of stuff improved a lot! If Win 10 runs out of support, my family will (need to ;-) follow.

    Not less stable than Win 11 with Explorer Patcher anyway.

    In doubt, you can still use the Unix commands under MacOS (which sucks but has a third party taskbar app to fix that).

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-03-20T14:00:07+00:00

    Ungrouping of tasks is a must for my day-to-day work. This is one of the reasons of me still using Windows 10. The central taskbar, the likes of Mac, is a deal breaker again. Mac is lagging behind Windows when it comes to user friendliness. In Mac it drives me crazy to tile windows. Drives me equally crazy to move files/folders - where is the basic Cut and Paste :(

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