Latest Windows 11 build offers a solution for crammed taskbars
Microsoft changed the taskbar in Windows 11 in several significant ways. From the new centered default view mode to the lack of customization options such as vertical taskbars. Third-party alternatives, like Start11 or Taskbar11, restore some functionality.
The latest Windows 11 beta and dev insider builds add a new feature that users with lots of applications may find useful.
Taskbar Icon Scaling's main aim is to make sure that more apps are displayed on the taskbar at any time. When you open too many apps or have too many apps pinned on the Windows 11 taskbar, you get an overflow menu that acts as a secondary menu for any icon that cannot be displayed anymore.
A click on the icon displays the missing apps and pinned shortcuts, but visibility suffers. Windows 11 will scale down icons on Windows 11's taskbar automatically when it is getting too crowded with pinned or open apps.
In other words, the icon size gets smaller so that more apps can be displayed at the same time. Some web browsers support a similar feature that reduces the width of each open tab to make room for more tabs on the tab bar. Some, like Google Chrome, go too far, however.
Icon scaling is the new default behavior. It is turned on by default, but preferences are available to return to the previous default or even enable smaller icons all the time.
You can access the preferences by right-clicking on an empty space on the taskbar and selecting "Taskbar settings" from the menu. Expand the "Taskbar behaviors" section in the window that opens and look for the "Show smaller taskbar buttons" setting on the page.
The following three options are available:
- When taskbar is full -- this is the default value of the preference. When the taskbar is about to overflow, its icons are turned smaller automatically to make room for more.
- Never -- this is the old default. Windows won't scale down icons on the taskbar and you get the overflow menu immediately.
- Always -- for users who like smaller icons. This enables the scaled down version of icons permanently.
Closing Words
Taskbar icon scaling sounds like a useful addition, especially on smaller screens, e.g., handhelds. The ability to always make icons appear smaller on the taskbar is a welcome addition, one that I plan to enable immediately, as I prefer it that way even though I have plenty of space on the taskbar.
Now You: what is your take on the new feature? Would you keep the default preference or return to the previous way of handling crammed taskbars on Windows? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
Windows is genuinely better not updated… I work at an MSP that supports 80+ companies. You still have all the security measures in place, of course – but this is just anti-windows yapping – sad to say you guys. don’t know a thing.
You would think that working at an MSP that supports more than 80+ companies, i would understand that security measures need to come in from updates.
But this is what they teach me, working at an MSP that supports 80+ companies. Data breaches in 2019 happened because of unapplied security patches contained in updates. Some of the biggest breaches related to unapplied updates include firms like Equifax, The Home Depot, and Uber.
You can’t fix stupid with duct tape, but you can muffle the sound.
Won’t help me. The vertical tasbar allowed me to see the icon of every program i run in the tray (a lot) plus i could stack many open windows with easy access. Start 11 vertical bar doesnt allow wide tray so is less useful than stock horizontal tray, and stacking open windows isnt the same in Start 11. Bring back stock vertical!
I use Explorer Patcher to modify the taskbar:
https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher
Do these morons only use Mac computers? Are they trolling Windows users? This is not what users have been asking for on the Feedback Hub for 4 years. They have been asking for a small taskbar. These are only small icons.
What the hell is going on at Microsoft? Why are they doing the opposite of what users are asking for? Why do they get these basic features so wrong? They did the same nonsense with the taskbar labels, they are all different sizes instead of being the same length.
They have ignored the feedback hub since Windows 11 was still a Pre-release for Insiders.
Also, they have region locked the hub, so you can not upvote feedback sent by people in different regions. You have to send the same feedback in your region, and it will be also ignored because it has a lower number of votes
LOL
Websites arguably ‘solved’ this a long time ago with “mega menus”.
It’s incredibly bemusing to see everyone disagreeing randomly on if/how to implement UX design concepts that have been around forever.
MS: we don’t need side taskbars
FX: we finally have side tabs
AM: we like centred task bar buttons, without labels!
MS: well, actually, so do we, but we didn’t solve the overflow problem despite having over a decade to implement centred taskbar buttons. We just threw out a ‘Minimal Virtue, Problem’ version when marketing told us we had to release “11”.
It stinks of ‘agile’.
Can’t wait until the world finally realises:
“Agile” = Bad UX.
The people have asked for the taskbar to be moved since 2021 and 4 years later Microsoft is ignoring them. Instead the taskbar is oversized, so much empty and wasted space on it. The only good thing is they allowed for the menu to be returned back to the left, in its rightful place. If that wasn’t possible without 3rd party mods, it would have probably caused an outrage.
I’m still preparing my popcorn for the moment when the next version of Windows will release and the hell that will break loose from it. There is no way it can be better if Microsoft are focusing their all on Windows 11, as well as pushing people to move from 10 to 11. Obviously, they don’t have anything ready for the next version yet. I want to be wrong and be surprised to see it actually become good, but with all the malware and bloatware like Edge and Copilot, I’m not sure they will do a 180 degree turn in the right direction anytime soon. Now the biggest fad is the idiotic AI making people who use it and drool over it stupider and Microsoft would be stupid to not double down on it even more. Even friends and acquaintances of mine are talking about it and using it so much. I tried it once and hated how fake it feels compared to doing my own research and after buying a new Android phone, I made sure to disable everything AI-related on it, it saves more battery life this way and I don’t need useless clutter I don’t use.
I bet some of the AI crap on my phone still works in the background and I can’t disable/remove it without root and I don’t plan to go that far, but I was wondering if someone bought a new computer with one of those AI-compatible CPUs and GPUs and used Linux instead, will that AI crap be utilized at all or if the Linux distro doesn’t have any of it it will sit there dormant?
I believe that AI is going to make people lazy and ignorant. They won’t know how to do their own research. They will believewhat AI gives them (EG 2 + 2 = 5). The will love Big Brother.
Taking out the ability tore locate the taskbar is the worst thing M$ did and they know this.
@pHROZEN gHOST
I have friends that work with AI and others just got hooked on it for the novelty, I never used it or care about it, it disgusts me. And when I expressed my opinion that I’m skeptical about it and see no reason to use it, they bombarded me with reasons why it’s actually good and helpful. They constantly need to justify themselves to me on the AI matter.
To put it in a humorous, over-exaggerated and cynical way – they would take pictures of their poop and send it to the AI to ask it how many sheets for toilet paper to use to save more money and not make their butt sore. This is the kind of stuff they are excited about. As I said, this is just a humorous representation, not something they did, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone somewhere actually does it and think it’s genius.