How can I tweak my 8.1 taskbar?

[CGT80]

I have searched google and found people who want to do the opposite of what I want. It seems that what I like may actually be a glitch.

Before I changed a few things on my computer, I could click on firefox from the taskbar and a new, larger, icon would pop up to the right to show it was open. The smaller icon that I clicked stayed right there. I could click the small icon again and get another window to open. All of my shortcuts were always to the left on the taskbar. It was perfect.

Now, when I open one, the small icon turns to a big one, right where the small one was. I end up with a mix of small and large and have to right click an open icon if I want another instance of it.

Is there a windows setting to do what I want, or do I need a program to tweak it? I do have "classic start menu" installed as well.

[Dragunov]

I have searched google and found people who want to do the opposite of what I want. It seems that what I like may actually be a glitch.

Before I changed a few things on my computer, I could click on firefox from the taskbar and a new, larger, icon would pop up to the right to show it was open. The smaller icon that I clicked stayed right there. I could click the small icon again and get another window to open. All of my shortcuts were always to the left on the taskbar. It was perfect.

Now, when I open one, the small icon turns to a big one, right where the small one was. I end up with a mix of small and large and have to right click an open icon if I want another instance of it.

Is there a windows setting to do what I want, or do I need a program to tweak it? I do have "classic start menu" installed as well.

JMHO..... Nix everything in the taskbar. Go to your C:\ drive and create a file called GenOps, or what ever works for you.

In that folder, place sub-folders. Mine are:
Maint
Utils
MSOffice
Games
Sims
Management.

Place the appropriate shortcuts, in the appropriate folders. You will have to find your management programs in your C:\Windows\System32 etc.

RC your taskbar on the desktop, choose new toolbar, choose the folder you just created, click ok.

Everything you want/need will be there. I refurbish lots of computers for people, and usually set this up for them, show them how to do it, and almose everyone likes it.

I personally like a clean desktop, and a clean taskbar. YMMV.

Hope this helps.

[Pandanin]

I'm thinking you want to pin icons to your taskbar.

Click 'Start' and find whatever program you want. Right-Click it, Pin to Taskbar.

If not, well, now you know how to do that

[Section 101]

Combine settings on the taskbar.

[CGT80]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I have programs pinned to the task bar. When I open one of the middle icons, it changes to a bigger icon with text included and pushes the other unopened icons to the right. The pinned icon used to stay to the left, by the start button, and a new icon with text would pop up to the right, so that I would still have all my original pinned icons on the left. IIRC, XP worked this way, which is what I used until support for XP was dropped.

[SoCal326]

Windows 10?


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[soul]

Windows 10?


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^^
Windows 10, and its better than 8.1

[Wherryj]

^^
Windows 10, and its better than 8.1

True, but other things that are better than Win 8.1 include Tuberculosis and being on fire.

(paraphrasing Jeremy Clarkson)

[CGT80]

7+ Taskbar Tweaker is the answer

It must not have been working on my computer and now, after a restart, it popped up. I forgot I was using it.

This program allows me to setup the taskbar so that open programs show up to the right of the pinned items and they do not combine when more than one copy is open. It does take up more space when there are a lot of programs open, but everything is right in front of me and is easy to see and click on. It is also set to not preview what is open when you hover. Some of these options can not be set just with windows.

My computer is good again!