Where do document icons end up if the taskbar is already full?

Florio · Nov 6, 2021

I have many apps on my taskbar, and have found that if I have different documents open as well, then the 'surplus' document icons disappear from the task bar, and I don't know how to retrieve them. To the left of the the notification area there is a vertical line, and I guess that the missing documents I've opened are positioned there, but I cannot get to see or open them. In the attached screenshot, there should be two Adobe Acrobat documents, but they were opened before the Excel doc.
Florio

Edwin · Nov 6, 2021

Another MS bug that slipped past QC!!!

TigerTom · Nov 7, 2021

Florio said:
I have many apps on my taskbar, and have found that if I have different documents open as well, then the 'surplus' document icons disappear from the task bar, and I don't know how to retrieve them. To the left of the the notification area there is a vertical line, and I guess that the missing documents I've opened are positioned there, but I cannot get to see or open them. In the attached screenshot, there should be two Adobe Acrobat documents, but they were opened before the Excel doc.

Correct, I noticed the same (opened a lot of programs and files just to try out the overflow in the taskbar). Another proof that W11 is only half cooked markting crap (harshly speaking).

Edwin · Nov 7, 2021

Start11 will slowly push the Start Orb to the left until the overflow arrows appear...

Funny how 3rd party developers consider all these things but MS just plows forth blindly with their hell-bent-for-leather mentality!!! :nope:

barman58 · Nov 7, 2021

I'm still shocked that anyone would need that many icons on the taskbar ?

although still on Win 10 I have a grand total of six pinned items on my Taskbar, and that include the start button and an icon for the recycle bin. even during a complex edit sesion I may have an additional three or four additional icons as I use the strange technique as I finish with an icon's application I close it :shush:

Edwin · Nov 7, 2021

barman58 said:
I'm still shocked that anyone would need that many icons on the taskbar ?

I don't have anything pinned to my Taskbar! To be honest, I was running out of things to open to prove my point!!! :zany:

RogerOver · Nov 7, 2021

barman58 said:
I'm still shocked that anyone would need that many icons on the taskbar ?

I agree !

Not that I don't (nearly) exclusively use the taskbar [and the Start menu only to access "global" things like drives, the user folder (including hidden folders of it) and some "important" folders in "Documents", Settings, Windws Update, DOS, Powershell, etc], ... but there must be some kind of order in it.

One solution is to have subfolders of the taskbar icons. You can get this with Freelaunchbar (which allows to just hover the icon and have a lot of other shortcuts in it). But this only works directly up to WIN 10.

In WIN 11, you need to install ExplorerPatcher first in order to be able to install Freelauchbar.

barman58 · Nov 7, 2021

If, for example I have a lot of file sorting to do, I will do this on the desktop, just create a few shortcuts to the relevant folders and use drag and drop to move the files, after the job is finished the shortcuts are simply deleted - I use the desktop like a real desktop. I do actually keep a small number of shortcuts to often used folders along the top of the desktop as It saves making new all the time, but the method works

One of the icons I do have on the taskbar is the File Explorer so I have access to all my files quickly, and the apps are on the start menu

Edwin · Nov 7, 2021

To be honest, between advanced mouse buttons, right click menu and QTTabBar, I rarely interact with the Taskbar, Start Menu and the like!

Florio · Nov 7, 2021

I try to keep my desktop as uncluttered as possible, so apart from the recycle bin and a few printer-related shortcuts, it just houses documents that I'm working on or that I frequently need to consult. I rarely use the Start Menu apart from a few apps and Office shortcuts, so most of my other programs (media players, calculator, Zip program, browsers, notepad, Skype etc.) end up being on the taskbar.

Florio · Nov 7, 2021

I've found the following workaround if you don't mind returning to Windows 10, at least as far as the taskbar is concerned:

Hack a better taskbar back into Windows 11

Now you can move the taskbar to the side again.

www.pcgamer.com

Florio

badrobot · Nov 7, 2021

I think the Start Menu can help you off-load some of those icons from your taskbar. Pin them to the Start Menu.

Wisewiz · Nov 7, 2021

I find it really fascinating seeing how many different ways of using Windows there are, and how many users think their way is the most convenient/efficient/effective. I used a taskbar toolbar extensively on W10 for ten years, and on W7 before that, but now I find I'm getting more and more comfortable with the Start menu, the taskbar's File Explorer icon (right-click menu) and the Win X menu as my go-to ways to open and do stuff. And then, I've got 14 custom hotkeys set up, so that a lot gets done without any menus or buttons. Winkey + F11 immediately opens guess what? I'm there.

badrobot · Nov 7, 2021

Wisewiz said:
I find it really fascinating seeing how many different ways of using Windows there are, and how many users think their way is the most convenient/efficient/effective. I used a taskbar toolbar extensively on W10 for ten years, and on W7 before that, but now I find I'm getting more and more comfortable with the Start menu, the taskbar's File Explorer icon (right-click menu) and the Win X menu as my go-to ways to open and do stuff. And then, I've got 14 custom hotkeys set up, so that a lot gets done without any menus or buttons. Winkey + F11 immediately opens guess what? I'm there.

I think the Win 11 start menu is how start menu should have been for the past decade. Nobody needs a resizable icon. Just make it standard size and simplify things.
But I think it will be helpful if there's a way group some icons together for better organizing.

Edwin · Nov 7, 2021

A simple list in alphabetical order, that's all it needs to be.

glasskuter · Nov 7, 2021

barman58 said:
I'm still shocked that anyone would need that many icons

I'm right there with you on that. I sometimes get confused when I have more than 3 tabs or docs open a time. I'm a very uncomplicated person so it doesn't take much to confuse me.

badrobot · Nov 7, 2021

My style is minimalistic. I want a clean desktop and taskbar. All of my "self-installed" programs have shortcuts placed in a folder with customized folder icon. Most pre-installed MS apps and utilities are in Start Menu. That way I know where to find the apps that I need.