Solved How do I get rid of the text next to the icons in the taskbar?


LGM11

Member
Local time
4:50 PM
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11
OS
Windows 11
I just updated to Windows 11. In previous versions of Windows my taskbar icons never had text, and that is what I prefer. But I can't find where to eliminate it.

Note: I am running Open Shell 4.4.169 and perhaps that it is interfering with things?
 
Windows Build/Version
11

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy 15" ... Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i ... Asus UN5401R
Hmm, odd as using Open Shell here and there is no text or labels on the taskbar, in fact there are complaints that its missing in Win11, from what I can remember.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2 OS Build 22623.1095
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Build
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME B350-PLUS
    Memory
    16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 @3000Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS - GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB TUF GAMING OC
    Sound Card
    On Board Realtec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer KA241
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    240GB PNY CS900 SSD - OS
    2 x 1TB Crucial MX500 SSD
    1 x 500GB Crucial MX300 SSD
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001-1ER164
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM008-2FR102
    PSU
    750 Watt Corsair TX750 Plus
    Case
    Cooler Master 690 III
    Cooling
    Akasa AK98 5 Case Fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech K270 - wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech - M185 wireless
    Internet Speed
    BT Fibre 75 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Use hardware KVM to switch monitors on three PCs and software (input director) to use mouse and keyboard on all 4 PCs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 22H2 build 22621.900
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3881 - modified with SFX PSU fitted internally
    CPU
    Intel i5 - 10400
    Motherboard
    Dell 032w55 version A00
    Memory
    16GB of HyperX Fury @ 2133 Mhz
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 6GB GTX 1060.
    Sound Card
    Builtin
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ACER KA241
    Screen Resolution
    1920x 1080 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    256GB SK hynix NVMe
    1TB Western Digital WD10EZEX-75WN4A1
    PSU
    Modular 450 Watt Corsair SF450 Platinum ( Mod to replace the Dell 265 Watt PSU)
    Case
    Inspiron Small Desktop
    Cooling
    Dell stock cooler
    Mouse
    Dell
    Keyboard
    Dell
    Internet Speed
    BT Fibre 75 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Use hardware KVM to switch monitors on three PCs and software (input director) to use mouse and keyboard on all 4 PCs.
If Open Shell is intended to "restore" settings available in previous versions of Windows (i.e. that are no longer available in Win 11), the "old" process used to be ...
- right-click on a blank area of the Taskbar
- 2 entries to look for : Show title (the name of that Taskbar group of icons) and Show labels (the name beside each icon).

This option is available in ExplorerPatcher (I use this) which I assume Open Shell is similar to.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2 (latest update ... forever anal)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Slim S01
    CPU
    Intel i5-9400
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GT730
    Sound Card
    OOBE
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 32"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2 x 1TB SSDs
    PSU
    OOBE
    Case
    OOBE
    Cooling
    OOBE
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Classic Australian w.a.p.
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    KIS
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro (latest upadte ... anally always)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion 15
    CPU
    i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Hard Drives
    Samsung NVMe 512GB
    + numerous/multiple SSD Type C USB enclosures
    Internet Speed
    NBN FTTN 50
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    KIS
I have both Open Shell and ExplorerPatcher installed. After I installed Windows 11, I just kept installing things until everything that was important to me was fixed. I am disappointed that Microsoft thought it was a good idea to give users less choice in terms of the GUI.

At any rate, the problem with the text is fixed. I also was able to fix the medium size icons on the taskbar (I wanted them smaller but nothing was working). I right clicked on the taskbar and saw "Properties" listed on the popup menu. I had only previously noticed and clicked on "Taskbar settings" in that menu, and that merely brought me to the W11 settings. Under Properties I selected "combine taskbar icons on primary taskbar" and that solved the text issue. There was also the option to select small icons.

Thanks for everyone's assistance!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy 15" ... Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i ... Asus UN5401R
Under Properties I selected "combine taskbar icons on primary taskbar" and that solved the text issue.
That's interesting, because one of the most common uses for ExplorerPatcher is to UNcombine taskbar icons, because Win 11 unchangeable default option is to combine.

Not sure that I'd be running both Open Shell and ExplorerPatcher ... different settings for the same/similar options might fight with each other (hence your initial problem?) :confused:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2 (latest update ... forever anal)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Slim S01
    CPU
    Intel i5-9400
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GT730
    Sound Card
    OOBE
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 32"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    2 x 1TB SSDs
    PSU
    OOBE
    Case
    OOBE
    Cooling
    OOBE
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Classic Australian w.a.p.
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    KIS
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro (latest upadte ... anally always)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion 15
    CPU
    i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Hard Drives
    Samsung NVMe 512GB
    + numerous/multiple SSD Type C USB enclosures
    Internet Speed
    NBN FTTN 50
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    KIS
@idgat It is not a problem running both EP and OS I have been doing it on 3 computers for a long time with no issues.
The main purpose for EP is to bring back Win 10 functionality which for most people was taskbar to the left and change the notification area.
It is very customisable and has never caused any conflicts for my 3 machines
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton
Not sure that I'd be running both Open Shell and ExplorerPatcher ... different settings for the same/similar options might fight with each other (hence your initial problem?) :confused:
I did think of that but figured I'd just watch out for any glitches. So far, though, everything has been running very smoothly with both. I have been using Classic Shell and Open shell for years. But they don't add back the quick launch area to the taskbar that W11 took away. That's why I installed ExplorerPatcher.

Right now, with just those 2 additions, I have a system that is pretty much identical to how things were before W11. All except the annoying center position of the date and time on the welcome screen. Does anyone know how to put that back into the lower left corner? It's not a biggie like the menu and taskbar issues were, but it would be nice if I can change that. Why did Microsoft go about changing that?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy 15" ... Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i ... Asus UN5401R
This topic wasn't really resolved and others too may be using Explorer Patch to mitigate W11: None of the above worked for me, but I found a solution: Unlock the Taskbar > For each toolbar (as they were once known) on the Taskbar two vertical lines become visible (these are what you grab to move toolbars around) > Right-click the two lines (exactly: and not the toolbar itself) > The old W10 menu appears with the familiar desired options of 'Show text' and 'Show title'.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell
In addition to what's been said above about the OP question about icons without text, the native W11 taskbar offers a right-click Taskbar Settings option (without EP or OpenShell):
 

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My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Pro 23H2 22631.3296
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i7-9700 @ 3.00GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GBDDR4 @ 2666MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG E2442
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS 500GB NVMe SSD, 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    250GB NVMe SSD (OS and programs), 1 x WD_BLACK SN770
    500GB NVMe SSD (Data)
    Case
    Lenovo SFF
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome, sometimes Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium & Defender (working together beautifully!)
  • Operating System
    11 Pro 23H2 22631.3374
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkCentre M920S SFF
    CPU
    i5-8400 @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo 3132
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 @ 2600MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel HD 630 Graphics onboard
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG FULL HD (1920x1080@59Hz)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 x Samsung 970 EVO PLUS NVMe; 1 x Samsung 980 NVMe SSD
    Case
    Lenovo Think Centre SFF
    Mouse
    LogiTech M510 wireless
    Keyboard
    Cherry Stream TKL JK-8600US-2 Wired
    Internet Speed
    Fast (for fixed wireless!)
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Malwarebytes Premium and MS Defender, beautiful together

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