Grouping Taskbar buttons

from Stardock Forums

I can get this working sometimes but not always. When I select to have Start11 to enhance the Windows 11 taskbar I get the message that enabling it will ungroup taskbar buttons by default.

Fine, so I enter Windows 11 taskbar settings and select combine taskbar buttons never and then I start Start11. Then I go back to Windows 11 taskbar settings and select always. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Sometimes starting with the buttons already grouped works and sometimes it does not.

This also happens with auto hiding the taskbar. Sometimes starting with it unhidden works and sometimes starting Start11 with the taskbar hidden works.

Does this happen to anyone else? Perhaps once I get the taskbar to display exactly the way that I want it I should leave it alone, but this inconsistency worries me that there will come a time when these settings do not work correctly at all.

Thanks        

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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

If you have the Enhanced taskbar turned on, Start11 (I'm assuming ver. 2) will ignore the Windows settings for combine, and use its own settings. There are two ways to never combine in Start11v2 using the Enhanced taskbar.

This way will always combine taskbar buttons, but will use generic Explorer icons, and any custom app icons you are using.

This way will use custom Explorer icons, but will use generic app icons.

Play around with these settings and see what works best for you.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Thank you for the reply! I have a question about your option 2, why would setting Never combine taskbar buttons use custom Explorer icons but will use generic app icons.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting rinaldop00, reply 2

Thank you for the reply! I have a question about your option 2, why would setting Never combine taskbar buttons use custom Explorer icons but will use generic app icons.

Combined taskbar buttons use the app/shortcut icon.  Uncombined uses the window icon which is a different thing.

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Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Neil, reply 3

Thank you for the reply! I have a question about your option 2, why would setting Never combine taskbar buttons use custom Explorer icons but will use generic app icons.

Here are examples; the same apps and folders are open in each example.

Always combine taskbar buttons will use generic Explorer icons, and any custom app icons you are using.

Never combine with Always hide text will use custom Explorer icons, but will use generic app icons.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Thank you for the examples and I finally have everything looking how I want. My question is why an option called  "Never combine with Always hide text" still combines buttons but in a different way. It has the words "Never combine" in the name, or am I missing some ide.

Thanks   

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting rinaldop00, reply 5

Thank you for the examples and I finally have everything looking how I want. My question is why an option called  "Never combine with Always hide text" still combines buttons but in a different way. It has the words "Never combine" in the name, or am I missing some ide.
Thanks   

As you can see in the examples, the Explorer folders are combined in the first example, and then not combined in the second example. Only the text has been removed. I really like this mode because Explorer folders are not combined, but it's a non-starter because my custom app icons are not used for apps.