Fed up with windows and quicklaunch toolbar

So I've tested this on windows 10 pro and ltsc iot, and windows 11 pro and ltsc iot. It happens randomly on all of the listed versions and I have as of yet to find a fix for it. I've tried suggest registry entries to lock the quick launch icons on place, I've tested it on all the versions and still it persists.

Symptom:
I place 4-5 icon shortcuts including show desktop in the quiclaunch toolbar and arrange them as I want them. Typically for years this was no issues, but as of late the past year I'm guessing, quicklaunch toolbar at random, re-arranges the icon order either on boot, or restarting explorer.exe, so I have to arrange them again like I want them.

Not sure what changed, but I don't remember this ever being an issue or problem.

On further research, this has been an issue since windows 7 that it has done this, but never this bad, in fact until just recently the past couple months, it's been a very annoying issues and happens quite often, 1-2 times out of 10 I'd say, possibly more, but most definitely noticeable for sure, enough so that it's become an annoyance rather than a convenience. This has been reported happening in windows 7, xp, vista, 10 and 11. Why some see it and some do not I can't figure out, but it most definitely does happen.

I've seince moved to another way thats similar and close, only an extra mouse click using a program called TaskbarGroups. Works very well and icons don't get re-arranged or shifted around like quicklaunch.

I would love to use quicklaunch but at the amount of times it happens it's more a nuisance than its worth.

Maybe others have come across this and may have a possible fix, but I have as of yet found a fix/solution to keeping the icons in place where I put them or locking it down.
Just as a side not my taskbar IS locked and it still happens. Shouldn't happen but it does and it's annoying the ever living crap outta me.

just a thought. do you have anything starting up that has its icon hidden which would not show an icon for it in quick launch.
as that maybe knocking the ones that show an icon in quick launch out of sync.

just a thought, best of luck Steve ..

XxXxX said:

just a thought. do you have anything starting up that has its icon hidden which would not show an icon for it in quick launch.
as that maybe knocking the ones that show an icon in quick launch out of sync.

just a thought, best of luck Steve ..

Click to expand...

Not that I'm aware of, unless it would bypass show hidden setting. I have show hidden, and the end file name shown ie: .exe, .txt etc....

Didn't noticed this until recently so wondering if something got introduced to a version of windows update like 22h2 or 23h2, not sure.

Update:

I was using windows 10 and 11 LTSC IOT versions of windows when this happened. Sorry I didn't include that info I always seem to forget that part

So I decided to install windows 11 pro thos go round, and day 2 so far so good. All windows and program updates up to date, and no issues with quicklaunch toolbar icons being re-arranged on boot or randomly, so far at least.

I'm staying on 11 Pro for a bit and see if it still gives me issues, but as of now, everything seems normal.


I am curious though, is it possible that LTSC IOT doesn't like play well with 3rd party programs or tweaking? I don't seem to have issue except on LTSC versions, even 10 LTSC I have the same issue. 10 pro and 11 pro, I don;t recall ever having the issue. Not sure that is a thing, but it's my best educated guess. Maybe someone with more knowledge can expand a little on it and if that is a possibility

I also never thought about the 3rd part taskbar programs like startallback, start11 and explorer patcher may not be supported in ltsc windows. I know EP definately does not support ltsc windows of any kind, so maybe the other ones don't fully support ltsc, even thought they do work for the most part.
Just a thought

glad you got it sorted, sometimes Windows is a magical mystery tour.
best of luck. Steve ..