The Frustration of Grouped Icons
When Microsoft launched Windows 11, they completely rebuilt the taskbar from scratch. One of the most controversial changes was the forced grouping of application icons. If you opened five different Microsoft Word documents, Windows 11 forced them all into a single, square Word icon on your taskbar. To switch between documents, you had to hover over the icon and wait for a thumbnail preview to appear, adding significant friction to multitasking. For years, users begged Microsoft to bring back the “Never Combine” feature from Windows 10, which allowed each window to have its own wide, labeled button on the taskbar. Finally, in a recent major update, Microsoft restored this functionality.
How to Ungroup Taskbar Icons in Windows 11
You must ensure your Windows 11 PC is fully updated (running version 23H2 or newer) for this setting to appear.
- Right-click on any empty space on your Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
- Select Taskbar settings from the small pop-up menu.
- The Settings app will open. Scroll down the right-hand panel and click to expand the Taskbar behaviors section.
- Look for a dropdown menu labeled Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels.
- By default, this is set to “Always.” Click the dropdown menu and change it to Never.
The Result
The change takes effect instantly. Any grouped applications currently running will instantly expand across your taskbar. Instead of a single icon, every individual window will now have its own dedicated, rectangular button complete with the application icon and the text title of the specific document or webpage, allowing you to switch between them with a single, precise click.