Task bar icon sizes

[Lee]

I use many quick launch icons which lowers the amount of space for the task bar icons. When I had Windows 98, as I opened more applications, the size of the taskbar icons got progressively smaller so all of them fit on one line, without some of them being hidden as it now is with XP, with the hidden ones being able to be seen only by clicking on the chevrons/arrows. How can I make XP work it like it was with 98, so as I open more apps, the task bar icons get progressively smaller, all showing in one line to the right of the start button and to the left of the quick launch icons, with none hidden, and thus not needing to access the hidden icons only via the chevrons/arrows? I tried Kelly's taskbar repair tool with no effect. Going to display, appearance, advanced, caption buttons does not help, nor does in that list the icon settings, the active title bar settings, and the inactive title bar settings. Thanks very much in advance.

 

[Anando [MS-MVP]]

Hi Lee,

You might want to use this edit:

Decrease the size of taskbar buttons (line 97, right column)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

--

Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp
http://www.mvps.org

In memory of Alex Nichol
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/nichol.mspx

Folder customizations
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I use many quick launch icons which lowers the amount of space for the task bar icons. When I had
Windows 98, as I opened more applications, the size of the taskbar icons got progressively smaller
so all of them fit on one line, without some of them being hidden as it now is with XP, with the
hidden ones being able to be seen only by clicking on the chevrons/arrows. How can I make XP work it
like it was with 98, so as I open more apps, the task bar icons get progressively smaller, all
showing in one line to the right of the start button and to the left of the quick launch icons, with
none hidden, and thus not needing to access the hidden icons only via the chevrons/arrows? I tried
Kelly's taskbar repair tool with no effect. Going to display, appearance, advanced, caption buttons
does not help, nor does in that list the icon settings, the active title bar settings, and the
inactive title bar settings. Thanks very much in advance.

 

[Lee]

Thanks, Anando. I tried that, downloaded separately to no avail. I also tried Kelly's taskbar repair tool, which contains that vbs file mentioned in the previous sentence, which was the tweak you recommended. I even used xtech tweak utility with no luck. Any other ideas?

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I use many quick launch icons which lowers the amount of space
for
the task bar icons.

Not necessarily. Despite what many people think, the Quick Launch
Bar is not actually part of the Task Bar, but a separate toolbar
that resides on the Task Bar only by Default.

You may want to consider dragging the Quick Launch Bar off the
Task Bar entirely, and docking it, for example, on the left side
of your screen. There's you'll have room for many icons without
impacting the task bar availability.

Note that the Task Bar has to be unlocked before you try this.

 

[dave]

Right click the task bar, uncheck the group similar taskbar buttons

Dave

 

[Lee]

Dave, that is already unchecked. I don't want to need to use groupings of similar windows in order to make more room on the task bar. I want the task bar icons to get progressively smaller as more apps are opened, so that all task bar icons are always visible within the space allocated to the task bar, excluding the spaces for the quick launch bar and the system tray.

 

[Kelly]

You can't have both. Either reduce the amount of QL icons showing and use
the chevron, or let XP do its thing reducing the size of the Taskbar icons
by default and/or use the chevron provided for those not showing. My edit
does work in reducing the size and can also be modified.

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com


I use many quick launch icons which lowers the amount of space for the task
bar icons. When I had Windows 98, as I opened more applications, the size of
the taskbar icons got progressively smaller so all of them fit on one line,
without some of them being hidden as it now is with XP, with the hidden ones
being able to be seen only by clicking on the chevrons/arrows. How can I
make XP work it like it was with 98, so as I open more apps, the task bar
icons get progressively smaller, all showing in one line to the right of the
start button and to the left of the quick launch icons, with none hidden,
and thus not needing to access the hidden icons only via the
chevrons/arrows? I tried Kelly's taskbar repair tool with no effect. Going
to display, appearance, advanced, caption buttons does not help, nor does in
that list the icon settings, the active title bar settings, and the inactive
title bar settings. Thanks very much in advance.

 

[Lee]

Hi Kelly, thanks for responding. We might be misunderstanding each other. I WANT XP to progressively reduce the size of the task bar icons as more apps are open. More apps opening would leave less room on the task bar for the icons, causing the need for the task bar icons to be reduced in order to see all of them without use of the chevrons. That would be my most desired choice, which W98 did do on my machine, and which XP does not seem to do. Can I set it to do that? My second choice, if I cannot get XP to progressively reduce the icons as needed, would be to permanently reduce the size of the taskbar icons so at least more of them would fit on the task bar. I used your taskbar repair tool with no effect, and also the individual tool, #97 on your list, with the same lack of size change. With the task bar repair tool, first I tried by clicking on small, and saw no change. Then I clicked custom, using the figure of 160, because I saw with small, the figure was 285. Still no change. I did reboot after every attempt. I must be doing something wrong. Am I using custom wrongly with the task bar repair tool? Is there a limit on how small your tool from line 97 can make the icon shrink? Does it reduce by one increment each time one uses it? As I said, I don't even see a change under any circumstance.