Taskbar Buttons - Combine or Never Combine in Group in Windows 8

How to Combine or Never Combine Taskbar Buttons in a Group in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

A taskbar button represents an open window (ex: app) on the desktop.

This will show you how to set your taskbar buttons to be grouped together or not when there's more than one window open in Windows 8 and 8.1.

If you have more than on display (monitor), then you will be able to set taskbar grouping separately for your main display and for on other displays.

   Note

Options for Taskbar Button Grouping

• Always combine, hide labels - This is the default setting. Each app appears as a single, unlabeled button, even when multiple windows for that app are open. The buttons appear as icons with this option.

• Combine when taskbar is full - This setting shows each open window as an individual, labeled button. When the taskbar becomes crowded, apps with multiple open windows collapse into a single app button. Clicking the button displays a list of the windows that are open.

• Never combine - This setting shows each window as an individual, labeled button, and never combines them, no matter how many windows are open. As more apps and windows open, buttons get smaller, and eventually the buttons will scroll.

EXAMPLE: Taskbar in Windows 8
NOTE: Taskbars on displays other than your main display will not have the notification area (system icons) on them.

Always combine, hide labels



Combine when taskbar is full






Never combine

OPTION ONE

To Set Taskbar Button Grouping in Taskbar Properties

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1. Do step 2 or 3 below for how you would like to open Taskbar Properties.​

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2. On your desktop, right click or press and hold on the taskbar, click/tap on Properties, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​

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3. Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the Taskbar icon, and go to step 4 below.​

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4. Do step 5 and/or 6 below for what you would like to do.​

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5. To Set Main Taskbar Button Grouping ​

NOTE: This step is for setting how you want the taskbar buttons combined or not combined as a group only on the main display no matter if you have one or more displays.​

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A) In the Taskbar tab to the right of Taskbar buttons, select how you want buttons to be combined or not, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshots below)​

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6. To Set Other Taskbars Button Grouping on Multiple Displays ​

NOTE: This step is for when you have more than one display. It allows you to set if you want the taskbar buttons combined or not combined as a group on all multiple displays except on your main display.​

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A) If you have not already, you will need to have Show taskbar on all displays checked. (see screenshot below)​

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B) Under Multiple displays, select how you want buttons to be combined or not, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​

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7. When finished, click/tap on OK.​

OPTION TWO

To Set Main Taskbar Button Grouping using a BAT File

   Note

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

TaskbarGlomLevel DWORD

0 = Always combine, hide labels
1 = Combine when taskbar is full
2 = Never combine

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1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for how you would like your taskbar buttons set to do.​

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2. To Set Main Taskbar Buttons to Always Combine, Hide Labels​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

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Main_Taskbar_Always_combine_hide_labels.bat​

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3. To Set Main Taskbar Buttons to Combine when Taskbar is Full​

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A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

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Main_Taskbar_Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat​

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4. To Set Main Taskbar Buttons to Never Combine​

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A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

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Main_Taskbar_Never_combine.bat​

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5. Save the .bat file to your Desktop.​

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6. Unblock the .bat file, and double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.​

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7. You will now notice your screen flicker as explorer is restarted to apply the settings.​

OPTION THREE

To Set Other Taskbars Button Grouping using a BAT File

   Note

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

MMTaskbarEnabled DWORD

1 = Show taskbar on multiple displays

MMTaskbarGlomLevel DWORD

0 = Always combine, hide labels
1 = Combine when taskbar is full
2 = Never combine

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1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for how you would like your taskbar buttons set to do.​

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2. To Set Other Taskbars Buttons to Always Combine, Hide Labels​

NOTE: This is the default setting.​

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A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

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Other_Taskbars_Always_combine_hide_labels.bat​

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3. To Set Other Taskbars Buttons to Combine when Taskbar is Full​

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A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

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Other_Taskbars_Combine_when_taskbar_is_full.bat​

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4. To Set Other Taskbars Buttons to Never Combine​

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A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.​

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Other_Taskbars_Never_combine.bat​

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5. Save the .bat file to your Desktop.​

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6. Unblock the .bat file, and double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.​

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7. You will now notice your screen flicker as explorer is restarted to apply the settings.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Open the Taskbar in Windows 8.1
• How to Move Taskbar Location in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Hide or Show the Taskbar on Multiple Displays in Windows 8
• How to Turn On or Off Auto-hide Taskbar in Windows
• How to Change the Count of Flashes for a Activated Window on the Taskbar
• Close All Windows from a Grouped Taskbar Button in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• Restore All Windows from a Grouped Taskbar Button in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• Cascade All Windows from a Grouped Taskbar Button in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• Show Windows Stacked or Side by Side from a Grouped Taskbar Button in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Lock or Unlock Taskbar Settings in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Last Active Click in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[Brink]

Tutorial updated to add OPTION TWO and OPTION THREE.

 

[edee]

The problem I am having is since changing file explorer icon to open This PC instead of Libraries the button no longer groups, it always opens a separate instance of the folder. Is there anyway to correct this?

 

[Brink]

The problem I am having is since changing file explorer icon to open This PC instead of Libraries the button no longer groups, it always opens a separate instance of the folder. Is there anyway to correct this?

Hello Ed,

I'm afraid that the only way that I know of is to restore the default target of the File Explorer icon on the taskbar.