How to Never Combine Taskbar Buttons in Windows 11

Windows 11 allows you to customize your taskbar by showing individual labels for open application windows instead of grouping them under a single icon. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step walkthrough on how to enable or disable the “never combine taskbar buttons” setting to better manage your open applications and multitasking workflow.

Steps to Enable or Disable Combining Taskbar Buttons

To change how taskbar buttons and labels are displayed, follow these steps:

1. Open Taskbar Settings
   • Right-click an empty space on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
   • Alternatively, press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app, click on Personalization in the left sidebar, and select Taskbar.
2. Access Taskbar Behaviors
   • Scroll down to the bottom of the Taskbar settings page.
   • Click on the Taskbar behaviors section to expand the dropdown menu.
3. Modify the Button Combination Setting
   • Locate the option labeled Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels.
   • Click the dropdown menu next to it and choose one of the following options:
     • Never: Displays every open window as a separate button with its full title/label visible.
     • Always: Stacks all instances of an application under one icon without text labels (default Windows 11 behavior).
     • When taskbar is full: Stacks app icons together only when the taskbar runs out of space for individual labels.

Configuring Settings for Multiple Monitors

If you use a multi-monitor setup, you can customize the secondary displays separately:

1. In the same Taskbar behaviors menu, locate Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars.
2. Click the dropdown menu and select Never, Always, or When taskbar is full depending on your preference for secondary monitors.

The changes apply instantly without requiring a computer restart or file explorer reload.