Pinned Quick Launch icons now interspersed with their program window tiles on new Win10 EP Taskbar

[andrewilley]

I've manged to update my PC to Windows 24H2 (uninstalled EP, updated Windows, turned Defender off, reinstalled EP, re-imported settings) and found that I had to switch the Taskbar mode from "Windows 10" to the new "Windows 10 (Explorer Patcher)". All working fine, apart from one minor thing I can't work out:

Previously, I had things configured so the active program window tiles shown on the Taskbar were all displayed separately (i.e. over to the right) from my row of pinned Quick Launch icons. Now (for example) the Chrome quick launch icon turns itself into one or more active window tiles, breaking up the tidy row of Quick Launch icons on the left. I have the option "Pinned items act as quick launch (don't group with active apps)" enabled, but it does not seem to affect this functionality.

Many thanks for any suggestions in case I've missed something.

Andre

[pyrates999]

what instructions did you follow for setting up a quick launch toolbar in the EP implemented windows 10 taskbar?

[pyrates999]

can you right click on the taskbar and untick Lock the taskbar? And take a screen shot of your taskbar after. I'm wondering if there is multiple toolbars setup here.

[andrewilley]

The taskbar is already set as Unlocked. However turning the 'Lock all taskbars' setting on of off makes no difference - in fact, the emulated 'Windows 10 EP' taskbar does not seem to recognise the locked status anyway, as I can still move the program icon icons around even when the lock option is ticked.

The taskbar looks exactly the same either way, with all the app icons on the left (as shown in pic below) and those icons get replaced with their open-window tabs whenever that program is running (second pic).

What I want is for the row of icons to always be showed on the left as per first pic, and any running program tabs to be on the right-hand section of the taskbar - i.e. to the right of the final 'DW' pinned icon - even for programs which have icons pinned to the taskbar. Exactly like it was in the previous Window 10 mode, before I needed to change to Windows 10 EP emulated mode (for the expected results, see my laptop screenshot a couple of comments ago).

I've never created any extra toolbars, although I do have dual monitors so there is a normal taskbar on both (the second one being very limited with nothing on it apart from the Start button and the clock, plus tabs for any windows that are opened on that screen).

Andre

[pyrates999]

I wanted to check if you have multiple tool bars by unlocking the taskbar. And unlocking the taskbar only allows you to resize the taskbar and see the borders of each custom toolbar added to it.

You've always been able to move the pinned apps on the taskbar whether you've locked it or not.

So this seems to only happen in the EP implemented windows 10 taskbar. If that's the case, please wait for a developer to respond.

[andrewilley]

So this seems to only happen in the EP implemented windows 10 taskbar. If that's the case, please wait for a developer to respond.

Yes, that was my initial conclusion too, but I wondered if I'd missed a setting somewhere. I agree that this seems to be a minor incomplete element within the Windows 10 EP taskbar emulation, which a developer would need to check. I'll give it a few days in case it gets picked up here, and then post it as an Issue ticket.

Andre

[Garryb123]

I just upgraded to 24H2 and the exact same thing as your post describes is now happening to me.

[Amrsatrio]

"Pinned items act as quick launch (don't group with active apps)" indeed doesn't work with the remade taskbar. But I can make it work in the next release.

[andrewilley]

That's excellent, thank you. I just like to have the icons stay put exactly where I placed them, and have the labelled program window items appear together in the big empty space to their right. Otherwise you can't see the other icons in between the windowed versions.

Andre

[andrewilley]

"Pinned items act as quick launch (don't group with active apps)" indeed doesn't work with the remade taskbar. But I can make it work in the next release.

Did this ever happen, as there have been several releases since January but the problem still seems to persist. Thanks

[Amrsatrio]

Next week in 69.6.

Proof of my work on it: Amrsatrio@48e1de3

[andrewilley]

Excellent, thank you.

[Amrsatrio]

69.6 is now marked as the latest release. See if it works now.

[andrewilley]

Thank you, seems to be working fine now. I had to re-enable "Pinned items act as quick launch" in Properties>Advanced as it had been turned off, but after doing that and restarting explorer it is now working fine. Thank you.

Andre

[RoxyBasicNeedBot]

This is a classic taskbar grouping issue, and you're right that the "Pinned items act as quick launch" setting is only half of the solution.

The other setting you need to change is the main taskbar combining/grouping behavior. The "Pinned items..." option you enabled tells Explorer Patcher what to do when an app is launched (i.e., "leave the pinned icon alone"), but you also need to tell Windows how to display the new window tile.

Here is the setting you're likely missing:

1. Right-click the Taskbar and choose Properties to open Explorer Patcher settings.
2. Go to the Taskbar section in the left-hand menu.
3. Find the option "Combine taskbar buttons on primary taskbar".
4. Change this setting to "Never".

Now, the two settings will work together:

• "Combine taskbar buttons...": "Never" tells Windows to always show a new, separate button for every open window.
• "Pinned items act as quick launch...": "Enabled" tells Explorer Patcher to not use the pinned icon as that new button, forcing it to create a new tile to the right, just like the classic Quick Launch.

After changing the setting, click "Restart File Explorer" in the bottom-left corner of the Explorer Patcher window to apply the changes immediately.

[andrewilley]

Yes, I always use the "Never Combine" option - I want one taskbar button for each open window, not just for each open app. And now that I can get back to keeping the Quick Lunch icons tidily isolated on the left, that's perfect again.

Now, if only we could drag'n'drop documents or other files directly onto the Quick Launch program shortcuts, in the same way you can with desktop shortcuts, I'd be even happier. :)