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
    2022-11-10T16:06:32+00:00

    This is especially frustrating with your own application -- Outlook. If I want to view my Inbox and click on the Outlook application in the taskbar, it always takes me to the last open window from Outlook instead of its main screen (the inbox). So, it will pop up an open Calendar Event, a Reminder of an upcoming meeting, or something else, before it ever takes me to my Inbox.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-11-15T14:53:39+00:00

    Absolutely. Since there's still nothing from Microsoft on this important issue a year after Windows 11 was released, my thought is that, once Windows 10 goes out of support, I'll switch to Linux. When will Microsoft get the message that we don't want Windows as MacOS? Neither do we want the company dictating to its users how they'll use the OS in the way that Apple does.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-11-19T04:19:19+00:00

    If I want to view my Inbox and click on the Outlook application in the taskbar, it always takes me to the last open window from Outlook instead of its main screen (the inbox). So, it will pop up an open Calendar Event, a Reminder of an upcoming meeting, or something else, before it ever takes me to my Inbox.

    I agree; this is the worst offender.

    I know that an OS that has been around as long as Windows will always have to give up features that are important to some people in order to bring something new and, hopefully, improve the experience for other users. When I started using Windows 11 I was pulling out my hair about the grouped tabs setting, but I thought I'd give it a couple weeks to see if I could adapt to the change--maybe I'd even find the benefit. But after two weeks, I find myself continually losing time searching for windows. It's even worse if I try using multiple desktops (a feature I really am glad they added). Searching for a window while leading a video call today left me embarrassed.

    So, au revoir, and wish me luck. I'm about to download a third-party solution and hope that nothing breaks!

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-12-16T05:41:27+00:00

    I completely agree with Midnight_lightning. Absolutely maddening that it isn't possible to toggle to ungroup easily. I typically have lots of sessions open and need to switch between them constantly. The extra clicks and having to check with tab to switch to each time is soooooo frustrating.

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