Windows 11 users can soon tell the taskbar to never combine app icons

Something to look forward to: Windows 11’s implementation of the taskbar – one of the core elements of the operating system – has been quite controversial since the launch of Windows 11. A Windows researcher recently revealed evidence of the imminent return of Windows 10 feature developers unlocked for Win 11.

Windows 11 users will soon see a new setting for the taskbar to prevent it from combining app icons when running out of space. Windows 10 still has this feature, and many users have asked to bring it back when Windows 11 ships without it. It’s one of the many taskbar features that Microsoft casually confirmed with the latest Windows 11 preview build.

Windows Researcher Albacore tweeted a video demonstrating upcoming Windows 11 taskbar customization functions that Microsoft hasn’t mentioned yet. In the video, he switches between task view and tool icons, changes icon orientation from left to center, and customizes how the search bar appears. Albacore also mentions unbundled items and item labels in the tweet.

Labels for taskbar items (as well as ungrouped items) are already on their way to Windows 11 ¨
Here’s a demo of the current state of the feature, certainly after the last time we looked at it

Filled in a few settings in the video so you can see her reaction pic.twitter.com/7A7H0MWpJV

– Albacore (@thebookisclosed) April 19, 2023

This week’s Insider Preview blog post does not mention these changes, and it’s not clear when these features will be released to more users. The latest version, Building 23440, allows users to hide the time and date in the system tray and diagnose network problems by right-clicking the tray. Users can also quickly check the latest internal release notes from the taskbar. Some of these features existed in previous versions of Windows.

Although the Windows 11 taskbar was unpopular at launch, Microsoft has added several new features over the past year. The company has tweaked the touch mode experience, retooled the overflow function when opening multiple windows, and integrated Bing’s AI-powered search features. In addition, Microsoft may be nearby Add The ability to force close applications by right-clicking the taskbar instead of entering the task manager.

However, one feature requested from previous Windows versions that won’t return anytime soon is the ability to move the taskbar to the sides or top of the screen. Last year, Microsoft said it didn’t think enough users had spoken to it justify How much work does it take to bring the animated taskbar to life. The company will have to check each app icon for compatibility. The task may become more stressful as Windows 11 gains more apps.

In the meantime, if the default Windows 11 taskbar does not have the functionality you want, you can try a third-party taskbar tool. Instead, follow our somewhat dated Guide To make Windows 11 more like Win 10. If you need to buy Windows 11, a Professional license is now available On sale for $50.