Groupy 2.30 Release Feedback

Known issues

While we appreciate all feedback, please remember that we offer no official support for beta \ preview \ developer channel versions of Windows. If you report issues while in any of those early release channels, you should not expect them to be addressed unless it still exists in a retail version of Windows.

• tbd

***Reserved***

I own a license for Group2 ... WHERE can I go to download this latest release??

Thank you so much for all the fixes and features over the last couple years! Really, really great progress. I've dug around and cannot for the life of me find an "Always show tab bar" option, even for single windows. I know on single windows you can hover above the window to show the tab bar (with single tab), but I was actually hoping to be able to always show the tab bar even on single windows. I use a large 42 inch monitor, and Groupy sort of becomes my task bar for all the FancyZone quadrants of my monitor. With how it is right now, when I drag a window over to group it to a single window, the tab bar then pops above the FancyZone, and I have to re-snap the window to the FancyZone. It would be really great to have that as an advanced tab setting. Like "Show tab bar on single windows".

Btw, I do have the "Always visible" setting on. But on single windows it still hides the tab bar.

Hello,
Thank you for your nice input. As for your question, have you try this option.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Hello, developers. Here I would like to report an issue. In version 2.2, when you create a new rule in the custom rules section with blank configuration, you can get a "Not yet defined". After you configure the rule, no matter which software or file you open, they will all be automatically merged into one tab, which is a very nice feature. However, in version 2.3, the same setting no longer works. Please fix this feature. thank you.

That's not a bug, it was a bug fix as customers kept on creating a blank rule by mistake and then everything was being thrown into one group.

Why did you want everything in a single group?

Hello! Based on my usage habits and actual needs, this setting is extremely convenient, allowing me to select the required software intuitively and quickly, just like operating a browser. Moreover, Chinese users around me are also generally concerned about and discussing this feature. I initially learned about this operation method through their recommendations. Therefore, I sincerely suggest that this function be officially retained as an optional setting for users to enable at their own discretion, rather than being removed arbitrarily. I earnestly hope that this suggestion will be taken seriously and adopted.

Hello, I would like to confirm whether this function will be restored in the future.

This was my question to ChatGPT-Instant & Thinking

I wanted to share the response knowing how it has helped me. I have set up 2 responses to my topic so you can add  to this topic.

1. Work
2. Not Work

I live and breathe by StarDock-Groupy. I hope StarDock views my topic as beneficial to this topic.

.

Question submitted to ChatGPT on 12/13/25 regarding what programs are likely to work with StarDock-Groupy Version 2025

Why can't I add Snagit Version 2025 to my StarDock- Goupy group? I can easly drag Opus over the top and it gets added to the group. I believe Groupy is dependent on the program to have certain elements.

From – ChatGPT-5 12/15/25 3:14PM CT — Apps That Will NOT Group in StarDock Groupy

Bob, glad that helped 👍

Below is a practical, real-world list based on how apps are built, not guesses. This will save you a lot of frustration.

1. Apps that almost always FAIL in Groupy

These use Electron / Chromium / hybrid UI frameworks or overlay windows.

• Snagit 2024–2025

• Camtasia 2024–2025

• Microsoft Teams (new)

• Microsoft Outlook (new / simplified UI mode)

• Discord

• Slack

• Spotify

• WhatsApp Desktop

• Signal Desktop

• Zoom (main window)

• Notion

• Obsidian

• Visual Studio Code

• Postman

• Figma Desktop

Reason (common to all):

Non-standard window host, no persistent Win32 parent window.

2. Apps that sometimes work, sometimes don’t

Depends on mode, version, or which window is open.

• Chrome / Edge / Firefox

– Main browser window → ✅ works

– Pop-outs / app windows → ❌ fail

• Adobe apps (Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator)

– Main window → usually ✅

– Tool palettes / floating panels → ❌

• Snagit (older versions)

– Editor only → sometimes ✅

• Zoom

– Main meeting window → ❌

– Settings window → sometimes ✅

3. Apps that always work well (your “safe list”)

These use classic Win32 windowing.

• Directory Opus

• OneNote Desktop (Microsoft 365)

• Microsoft Word / Excel / PowerPoint (Desktop)

• File Explorer

• Notepad / Notepad++

• Paint / Paint.NET

• Total Commander

• 7-Zip File Manager

• PuTTY

• WinSCP

• Classic Control Panel windows

4. Special case: UWP / Store apps (usually fail)

• OneNote (Store version)

• Windows Mail / Calendar

• Photos (new version)

• Xbox App

• Settings app

Groupy cannot group UWP apps reliably by design.

5. Rule of thumb (easy to remember)

If an app:

• Uses Electron / Chromium

• Has custom title bars

• Uses floating overlays

• Feels like a “web app in a box”

→ ❌ It will not group in Groupy.

If it:

• Looks like classic Windows

• Has a real title bar

• Has menus like File / Edit / View

→ ✅ It will group.

6. Your workflow takeaway (important)

You are already doing the right thing:

• Group Opus + OneNote + Word

• Leave Snagit / Camtasia standalone

• Trigger capture tools via hotkeys or Dragon

• Use Groupy for content windows, not tools

That is exactly how power users run Groupy.

If you want next, I can:

• Build you a “Groupy-Safe Apps” reference card for OneNote

• Help you define Group Types that auto-group only compatible apps

• Show how to visually align Snagit beside a Groupy group for speed

Just say the word, Bob.

Same request to ChatGPT-Thinking

From – ChatGPT-5 12/15/25 3:16PM CT — Groupy “Will Not Work” List: Added Differences Only

1. Correction (important)
   • My prior “almost always FAIL” list was too broad for Electron apps.
   • Many Electron/Chromium apps actually DO group (they still present a normal Win32 top-level window).
   • The apps that truly fail are usually UWP/Store apps, overlay-only tools, windows that are “cloaked” by Windows, or apps that don’t expose a stable tab-eligible main window.
2. More accurate “usually won’t group” categories (the real rule)
   • UWP / Microsoft Store apps (most of them)
   • Overlay / widget / floating-toolbar windows (not true main windows)
   • Cloaked windows (Windows hides them from normal tabbing)
   • Apps that split UI into multiple owned windows (no single stable parent)
3. Added examples that commonly fail (beyond my earlier list)
   • Windows Settings (always its own special app window)
   • Microsoft Store
   • Phone Link
   • Xbox app
   • Windows Security
   • Widget panel / Copilot panels (overlay-style)
   • Start menu / Task View / Snap Layout UI (not real “app windows”)
   • Snipping Tool overlay / Game Bar overlay (overlay windows)
4. Refinement for items I listed earlier
   • Visual Studio Code: often does group (depends on version + how Groupy hooks it)
   • Slack / Discord: often does group (but pop-out panels and calls windows may not)
   • Chrome / Edge: main window usually does group; pop-outs / app-mode windows may not
   • Zoom: some windows group; meeting window frequently does not behave like a normal tab candidate
5. Fast “proof test” you can do (no guessing)
   • If Groupy can’t tab it:
   • Try only the main window (not toolbars/palettes)
   • If it still won’t tab, it’s usually UWP/overlay/cloaked
   • If you tell me 3 apps that won’t tab for you, I’ll classify each one (UWP vs overlay vs cloaked) and give the best workaround for each.

1. Apps that almost always FAIL in Groupy

• Snagit 2024–2025

• Camtasia 2024–2025

• Microsoft Teams (new)

• Microsoft Outlook (new / simplified UI mode)

• Discord

• Slack

• Spotify

• WhatsApp Desktop

• Signal Desktop

• Zoom (main window)

• Notion

• Obsidian

• Visual Studio Code

• Postman

• Figma Desktop

Start Adding Software name hear.

Example:
Figma Destop (ETC) ...

2. Apps that sometimes work, sometimes don’t - Depends on mode, version, or which window is open.

• Chrome / Edge / Firefox

– Main browser window → ✅ works

– Pop-outs / app windows → ❌ fail

• Adobe apps (Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator)

– Main window → usually ✅

– Tool palettes / floating panels → ❌

• Snagit (older versions)

– Editor only → sometimes ✅

• Zoom

– Main meeting window → ❌

– Settings window → sometimes ✅

3. Apps that always work well (your “safe list”) - These use classic Win32 windowing.

• Directory Opus

• OneNote Desktop (Microsoft 365)

• Microsoft Word / Excel / PowerPoint (Desktop)

• File Explorer

• Notepad / Notepad++

• Paint / Paint.NET

• Total Commander

• 7-Zip File Manager

• PuTTY

• WinSCP

• Classic Control Panel windows

4. Special case: UWP / Store apps (usually fail) - • OneNote (Store version)

• Windows Mail / Calendar

• Photos (new version)

• Xbox App

• Settings app

Groupy cannot group UWP apps reliably by design.

ChatGPT is incorrect in many ways.

For example "Groupy cannot group UWP apps reliably by design."

The general rule is very simple.  No titlebar flag (WS_CAPTION) or owned by another window (i.e. child window) you cannot group.  Also windows smaller than a certain size as transitory typically.

This worked for me. Thank you!

Quoting basj, reply 7

Hello,
Thank you for your nice input. As for your question, have you try this option.



Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

I have a new issue that has cropped up. When using FancyZones, Groupy tabbed windows now have an odd 2px gap at the top of the window. It's like Windows thinks the window is 2px taller than it is visually. Here's a screenshot:

This is the top of the screen. Both windows sized to fit a zone in FancyZones. Both zones go all the way to the top of the screen. But the Groupy window on the left has a 2px gap at the top.

I'm also noticing a few visual glitches. Sometimes when placing a Groupy tabbed window into a FancyZone, the dropdown menu on the far left turns transparent. 

And if I move the Groupy tabbed window off screen, a 1px gap shows on the left of the tab bar. 

This is on Windows 11 Home, Version 10.0.26200 Build 26200

XPS 17 9730

Let me know if there's anything you need me to provide to help investigate.

Quoting shableep2, reply 16

I have a new issue that has cropped up. When using FancyZones, Groupy tabbed windows now have an odd 2px gap at the top of the window. It's like Windows thinks the window is 2px taller than it is visually. Here's a screenshot:



This is the top of the screen. Both windows sized to fit a zone in FancyZones. Both zones go all the way to the top of the screen. But the Groupy window on the left has a 2px gap at the top.

I'm also noticing a few visual glitches. Sometimes when placing a Groupy tabbed window into a FancyZone, the dropdown menu on the far left turns transparent. 


And if I move the Groupy tabbed window off screen, a 1px gap shows on the left of the tab bar. 


This is on Windows 11 Home, Version 10.0.26200 Build 26200

XPS 17 9730

Let me know if there's anything you need me to provide to help investigate.

Unfortunately, I can not reproduce your issue on my system. Refer to my screenshot below. Perhaps the issue only appear on specific application. Please try Windows explorer with Paint see if the same issue appear on your system.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Quoting basj, reply 17

Unfortunately, I can not reproduce your issue on my system. Refer to my screenshot below. Perhaps the issue only appear on specific application. Please try Windows explorer with Paint see if the same issue appear on your system.



Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Microsoft apps such as Explorer and Notepad do not cause this issue. However this issue I showed in my previous post does occur with: Chrome, VS Code, Spotify, GitKraken, Discord, and Groupy's own Configuration window. There's also a strange issue where I have "Traditional Tabs" set to true, but there is a strange gap between the window and the tab. Maybe this is related somehow?

It almost seems as if FancyZones isn't able to properly see the actual size of the windows with Groupy tabs on all apps that aren't Microsoft apps.

From my test, If you put a groupy tabs side by side with different set of application on two different group, the gaps on top is the same. But, if you put side by side with groupy tabs and none groupy windows, perhaps a Web browser with its own tabs on it. There will be one or two pixel different when put it side by side using FenceZones. This, perhaps is how the tabs in groupy vs default web browser tabs handle its own. Anyway, I don't see the one or two pixels affect your work flow.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

I appreciate all your quick replies, Basj!

This appears to be an unintended visual glitch, as all my other windows that don't use Groupy are properly resized on my screen when using FancyZones. All my app windows (Chrome, Steam, Spotify, Discord, File Explorer, Notepad, VSCode) size properly with FancyZones. It's unfortunately only Groupy 2 tabbed windows that have the 2px gap. While it doesn't impact my workflow significantly, this is a downgrade from Groupy 1 which currently works fine with FancyZones. I suspect this is very likely a bug, as I doubt a 2px visual gap is Groupy 2 working as intended. I'm glad to help solve the bug! Let me know if any additional details would be helpful.

Hello,
I have forwarded your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience. Thank you.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Hello,There is A Question:

WPS Office and QQ Browser cannot be captured by custom rules as merged windows, regardless of whether the identification is based on the class name, exe name, or title name.

I suspect you mean auto-grouped, yes?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

yes,auto-grouped,

Even though I manually added the class name and software name captured by other software, it still didn’t work.

Is it just those apps (which likely are unique or the same in some way) or all apps wont auto-group?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager