Windows 7 taskbar doesn't show text in application buttons, it only show their icons. On the other hand previous Windows versions used to show icon as well as text in all application's taskbar buttons.
Actually Windows 7 new iconized taskbar feature looks good and it also saves space in taskbar area. If you want to have the same feature in Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003, 2008, etc, then you can get it after following a few simple and easy steps.
Before applying this tutorial:
After applying this tutorial:
So here are the steps to follow:
1. Type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor. Now go to following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics
2. In right-side pane, create a new String value MinWidth and set its value to -255
3. That's it. Log off or restart your system and get ready to have iconized taskbar in your system.
4. To restore default taskbar behavior, delete the MinWidth String value and log off or restart your system.
PS: If you want a ready-made registry script which can do the task automatically, then download following ZIP file, extract it and then run the Install.reg file. It'll ask for confirmation, accept it:
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Ingnition said:
Wow, thank you so much vg, now my vista looks more like windows 7
only thing, is that i want the open windows taskbar viewer
Ryan said:
In the new screen shots of Windows 7, the "superbar" is a bit different. I found that if one unlocks the taskbar, switches the quicklaunch button icon size to large, and relocks the taskbar, the "superbar" look is almost there. I did your registry hack, and the minimized window doesn't reach the bottom of the taskbar. How would one change the height of the button?
Thanks!
netbox said:
Nice bro!
Thanks!!
Robero aka Garry said:
Just what the doctor ordered VG. I am quite impressed and looks excellent too ! You are
the man VG. Thanks for sharing with us.
larry said:
the icon shows a cropped letter like.... my computer shows half an m
Asifdgr8 said:
Thx a Lot man
Superb!!
VG said:
Thanks everyone.
@Ryan
The taskbar button size is defined by the theme.
@larry
It works fine here. Try to change the theme. May be your theme have some problem? Also try to play with the negative value.
Amal Roy said:
What a wonderful person u r VG. I like you and your website.This website is providing great support too.
jeff said:
WoW...That's really kool. Thanks VG
larry said:
i am using your vistavg black 32 theme. i like the theme... lol i guess i can live with a letter
Dnyanesh said:
Vishal,
I think you should also provide a counter registry script for this hack so that users can switch back to their original settings.
Regards.
pogo said:
I'm having the same issue as Larry with the XP Ultimate Theme - I actually get a full capital letter and a .
Have tried raising and lowering the value with no success. Love the improvement and will stay with it but would love a solution too.
Cheers,
Pogo
Overstressed Admin said:
Nice trick. I am using the original Vista theme and I notice that I still have boxes around the icons on the bar. I looked at you screencap and saw that your padded border width was 60 while mine was 30. I adjusted this, but no luck. Any ideas? My borderwidth is -15, but that is higher up than the screencap you posted.
VG said:
^^ Its because of theme. You'll need to use "AeroVG" theme which you can find in "Vista Themes" section.
Sandeep said:
Hi Vishal, great work, just what I wanted
One problem though - you know when you make the quick launch icons large size instead of small size, well is there any way you can make the application icons that size as well?
I mean now that you've removed the text from the application buttons, can you make the icons large?
Thanks
Sandeep said:
Hi Vishal, great work, just what I wanted
One problem though - you know when you make the quick launch icons large size instead of small size, well is there any way you can make the application icons that size as well?
I mean now that you've removed the text from the application buttons, can you make the icons large?
Thanks
Sandeep said:
Hi Vishal, great work, just what I wanted
One problem though - you know when you make the quick launch icons large size instead of small size, well is there any way you can make the application icons that size as well?
I mean now that you've removed the text from the application buttons, can you make the icons large?
Thanks
VG said:
^^ Thats a limitation in XP and Vistal. Not possible.
05Edge said:
Thanks so much! This is awesome!
besnath said:
can we do the same in height ?
i put quick launch icons in large size and now the "MinWidth" reduce in Width but can you enlarge the height ??
VG said:
^^ Although its not possible but you can increase the height by increasing value of "Caption Buttons" in Desktop Properties. Set it to 35.
PS: It'll also increase the titlebar buttons and system tray icons size.
besnath said:
thanks to the replie i have tested but it's not very beautifull so the only way it's to make a new picture in the theme with each estates more heighter than the original.
nikoPSK said:
Can you make the icons larger? I hope an application that does the function of Aero Peek comes for Vista soon.
M4573R said:
Cool, thank you VG!
Amirz said:
Thx VG, very cool as always!
TSR-Pr said:
This is awesome! Great work!
Also, you know if you make the taskbar large in XP?
(I mean, unlock the taskbar, right-click on the Quick Launch bar, and choose View and Large Icons) Will the taskbar buttons become large as well?
Thanks anyway!
TSR-Pr.deviantART.com
leon424 said:
How to return it normal again please help
VG said:
^^ Please refer to Point 4. Delete the "MinWidth" String value.
Kai said:
@VG I think you should make a reg hack for that. it'll be more simple to remove it. =p some people can delete the wrong things without knowing it sometimes. xD great post by the way. =p
ΝІИ said:
I'm using Windows Vista SP1
when I go to WindowMetrics it doesn't show me MinWidth, How come it doesent appear to be there??? can anyone help me''
VG said:
^^ You'll need to create it manually or use the automatic registry script attached at last.
@Kai
Done. Now the ZIP file contains both install and uninstall scripts.
lifehacker said:
its quiet cool but it is a bug. it also decreases the lenght of mincaption. only close button appears, max and min button disappeared from mincaption.
muse said:
Hi VG! I want to ask you one thing. Is it possible to have only the text, without icon?
VG said:
^^ Sorry but its not possible.
Louis said:
Sorry to contradict here, but I think it is possible in XP. I changed MinWidth to 0 in XP and at least with the WindowBlinds theme (though possibly without), no text appears, just a nice icon. =)
Dave said:
Louis is right, it is possible with WindowBlinds to have just the icon showing without that one letter showing. However, it depends on the WB theme settings. It works correctly with the 7 theme from fediaFedia, showing only the icon and not the first letter at all. But with Butch123's recent Seven theme for XP WB, the theme looks amazing and closest to 7 so far but this theme does show the first letter.
So I've been trying to mess around with all of the font size settings within the WB theme but no luck so far. But this goes to show that there is hope, and hopefully Butch123 will figure out how fediaFedia's theme does this for Seven look. If somebody here has a DeviantArt account, please message Butch123 (I don't have an account) and let him know that it is possible to not show that first letter on XP and that his theme is the best so far, if it weren't for that one letter.
Dan said:
This tip isn't working for me... if it is getting overridden by the theme, what would I change in the theme to fix it? I can ResHack it to change the text resources in the theme where I assume the problem lies... but from what I can see both the theme.ini resource and the specific font/style combo ini file don't have any settings that look like they apply.
zak4994 said:
Hey Vishal!
I have this problem where the button(s) group them selves up.
e.g. Firefox browser window and the firefox downloads window.
Anyway to solve this?
VG said:
^^ Its a known issue. Nothing can be done for it.
Andre said:
awesome theme VG!
@zak4994
try to uncheck 'group similar taskbar buttons' in taskbar and start menu properties
hope this help..
zak4994 said:
Yay it worked!
Thaaks for the help Andre.
I can't believe I forgot about such a simple thing.
Denny said:
Hi Vishal .......... can you plz tell me how to change quick launch icons ?
VG said:
^^ Simply enter the shortcut Properties and change the icon.
cornmuffin said:
This is weird, MinWidth already exists...
Denny said:
Hey Vishal ........ can't change quick launch icons.......b/coz the icon packager you gave us its not a full version ......... do you have keygen or can you tell me from where to download the icon packager 3.0 version ?