Windows 10: Change Width of Taskbar Buttons in Windows

How to: Change Width of Taskbar Buttons in Windows

How to Change Width of Taskbar Buttons in Windows

Windows includes a special application desktop toolbar called the taskbar that shows on the bottom of a display screen by default. The taskbar allows you to find, see, open, and switch between your apps. You can also see the specify how taskbar buttons group together when you have more than one window open.

If you like, you can change the width of your taskbar buttons to allow more or less label text to show.

This tutorial will show you how to change the width of taskbar buttons for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

*Warning This will not work if you have the taskbar set to Always combine, hide labels to show icons instead of buttons.


EXAMPLE: Taskbar buttons width









Here's How:

1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics




3. In the right pane of the WindowMetrics key, double click/tap on the MinWidth string value (REG_SZ) to modify it. (see screenshot above)

*note If you do not have a MinWidth string value, then right click on an empty space in the right pane of the WindowMetrics key, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type MinWidth for the name, and press Enter.

4. Type a number between 38 (default - narrower) to 500 (wider) for the taskbar buttons width size you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



5. Close Registry Editor.

6. restart the computer to apply.

7. You may need to repeat these steps a few times until you find a width you like for your taskbar buttons.


That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Use Large or Small Taskbar Buttons in Windows 10
• How to Always, Sometimes, or Never Combine Taskbar Buttons in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Grouping of Taskbar Buttons in Windows
• How to Change How Many Times Taskbar Button Flashes in Windows 10
• How to Change Height or Width Size of Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Change the Size of Taskbar Thumbnails in Windows 10

:)

 

How to reduce width of the taskbar buttons?


Hello,

This is in reference to this tutorial.

What I want to do is to reduce the width of the taskbar buttons even further...that is, even shorter width than what's shown as size 38 in that tutorial. I want the buttons in my taskbar to show their respective icons along with only 3-4 characters of text.

I remember that I accomplished this in my previous Windows installation (Windows 7 (64-bit)), using the same method as discussed in that tutorial with some value (which I can't recall). But somehow, I can't seem to make it happen in Windows 10.

Some of the values I've tried are: 10, 52,54, 55, 58 and a few more.

Please suggest a suitable value/method to make it happen in my Windows 10.

 

Change Width of Taskbar Buttons in Windows


@Brink

Morning, Shawn. Are these backward? Or do I need more coffee? *Smile

 

taskbar button icon width


I found in seven forum a solution from Brink about this
Code:

Code:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/21233-taskbar-change-icon-button-width-size.html

Is it working that?

How can I reduce the taskbar button icon width?

 

Vertical taskbar width


There's a really nice tutorial on the old forums -> Taskbar - Change Icon Button Width Size - Windows 7 Help Forums

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work for Windows 10. Is there a way to make the vertical taskbar as thin as the horizontal one?

 

Change the width of the "Language Indicator" in the taskbar


I came to conclusion that changing font of the taskbar requires editing of the msstyles file – it's too complicated for my purpose. So, I managed to decrease font only in the Language Indicator. I did the following steps:
Control Panel → Language → Advanced settings → check box "use the desktop language bar when it's available" → Options.
In the Language Bar tab select "Floating on Desktop".
After that I moved the Language Bar to the bottom of the screen in right corner and slided it to the left – it has docked itself in the taskbar:



Finally, I clicked Options (downhead arrow or right click) and unchecked "Help Button" and "Additional icons in taskbar". This is what I've got: