Ungroup taskbar items in Windows 11 (taskbar's "never combine mode")

Question

Is there a way to ungroup the taskbar item in Windows 11?

After doing some research so far I only found a third-party software option using valinet/ExplorerPatcher from GitHub which works but it changes many other things as well "back to Win 10 style". Are there any other options yet?

Note: There is no "regular" setting to do this in Windows 11, a request has already been added to the Microsoft Feedback Hub sometime last year (mid-2021), e.g. here.

Note: There are a few other 3rd party products to tweak the taskbar, but none of them can ungroup items in the taskbar: Start11, Open-Shell-Menu or StartAllBack (as far as I tried)

Note: I found a similar question by now (different wording that's why I didn't find them in my first searches), but the only solution there doesn't work either: see this question here. Same with this question.

Note: The function for the taskbar is called "never combine mode" by Microsoft and lets you see each window of your applications on the taskbar individually instead of grouping them all into one icon.

Answer 1

As I already wrote in my question that you can third party software option using valinet/ExplorerPatcher from GitHub. This will change your taskbar to Windows 10 style:

You'll have to set the Windows 10 task bar an activate the no grouping option:

But you will keep other functions Window 11 Start button but you'll keep the Windows 11 Start button as well as the Windows key functions like Win+V, etc. (in comparison to the registry hack from my other answer). Note: Displaying the individual Network, Sound etc. icons is optional (the combined button is shown as a gear wheel).

Until there is a working solution without 3rd party software this will be my preferred solution.

Answer 2

The feature has been finally included in the latest Windows Update KB5032190 (as of Nov 14, 2023).

If you don't get the update automatically, you can download it here via the Microsoft Update-Katalog.

Please make sure that you read the available information for that particular update KB5032190 on the Microsoft Support Site, here you can also read about all the other changes the update will bring. I would strongly recommend checking the "Known issues in this update" section. It might be a good idea to wait at least 48 hours before installing it, to make sure no fatal bugs are discovered or that the update gets revoked.

The new feature can be accessed via the Windows settings:

Personalization -> Taskbar -> Combine Taskbar buttons and hide labels -> Never

You can view a presentation of the feature at Microsoft Build 2023 at time index 29:20.

Update (Oct 31th): Microsoft has released Windows 11 23H2 (Build 22631.2428) to OEMs.

Update (Oct 11th): Unfortunately yesterday's Patch Tuesday update (KB5031354) still didn't contain the update to 23H2 nor did it contain the "never combine mode". Although you can find it in the group policies (also see here), enabling it and restarting Explorer causes Explorer to crash continuously. Although some articles say it's included others say it does not include all the features from the Sept. 26th Upate. But there are several sources on how to update manually.

Update (Oct 7th): Still no official date set by Microsoft yet but 23H2 is expected to be released to the public with the next Patch Tuesday update, which will be on 10 October 2023.

Update (Sep 10th): This feature will be released with the 23H2 update (the release date is anticipated for October), the beta version can be downloaded already via KB5029339.

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Answer 3

For the time being, I found a registry hack, hopefully this will be included as a setting in one of the future updates:

• Go to: \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell\Update\Packages and create new 32bit Dword Value, name it UndockingDisabled give it the value 1.

  Important!!! Please note: this will reset the taskbar to "classic style" and unfortunately it also disables the Start button and disables the taskbar clock. In addition to that, it seems to make logon/logoff significantly longer and Windows key functions like (win+v or win+shift+s) will stop working.

  This can be fixed though:

  1. Installing e.g. Open-Shell will get you a start button (open-shell will reinstate the classic Start button as used in Win7 and earlier). Alternatively, you can switch to Windows 10 Start button, but I couldn't get this to work. You can also use third-party tools to get function like win+v (clipboard manager) or win+shift+s (taking screenshots).

  2. To get the clock back use the Control Panel Applet for the notification area by opening explorer shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} via cmd and enable the system icons in the option Turn system icons on or off. In addition to the clock you will be able to add individual items like sound control etc.:

     

     

• Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies and create new key: Explorer. Create new 32bit Dword Value, name it NoTaskGrouping give it the value 1. Note: this will disable grouping of task icons

• Optional: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search and create new 32bit Dword Value, name it SearchboxTaskbarMode give it the value 0. Note: this will enable/disable the search icon next to the Start button (which doesn't work with UndockingDisabled anyway).

• Sign out and back on (restarting explorer is not enough)

Note: this disables the new Win11 design/functionality for the taskbar and the Start button. I'm still waiting for a better solution, so I didn't accept this as an answer.

Note: I still haven't found a way to get the Start button back without third Party tools. Same for the Windows key functions like (win+v or win+shift+s) but everything else works without third Party tools.

Conclusion so far: Although this is a potential way to ungroup the taskbar without 3rd Party software in the future, it does not quite work yet (at least I couldn't get it to work). So for now, since you need 3rd Party software anyway, I would recommend installing valinet/ExplorerPatcher from GitHub it basically creates the same outcome (Taskbar changes to Windows 10) but you'll keep the Windows 11 Start button as well as the Windows key functions like Win+V, etc. (see my other answer)

Answer 4

The November 14, 2023 KB5032190 update finally added the “never combined” mode for the task bar.

To find this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. Set Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels to Never.

Also, there is a separate setting for turning this on for other taskbars when you use multiple monitors.

Answer 5

This feature is being re-introduced in Insider Preview 23466:

We’re excited to bring you an early version of one of our most requested features for Windows 11, never combined mode. In never combined mode, you’ll be able to see each window of your applications on the taskbar individually, as well as their corresponding labels. You can find this feature by navigating to Settings > Personalization Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. This feature is beginning to roll out, so not all Insiders in the Dev Channel will see it right away.