7+ Taskbar Tweaker
7+ Taskbar Tweaker allows you to configure various aspects of the Windows taskbar.
Most of the configuration options it provides can’t be tweaked using the taskbar properties or the registry.
The tweaker is designed for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Download
7tt_setup.exe (1.78 MB, changelog)
Latest version: v5.15.3
Note: The installer can be used to extract a portable version. Refer to the FAQ below for details.
Beta version
7tt_setup_beta.exe (1.78 MB, changelog)
Latest beta version: v5.15.2.2
More info about beta versions.
Windows 11 Support Status
- 7+ Taskbar Tweaker doesn’t support the Windows 11 taskbar, and probably never will. See this blog post for more details.
- Some of the tweaks are available in Windows 11 as Windhawk mods. See here for the list of mods, and vote for missing mods that you’d like to see implemented. Read more about Windhawk here.
- 7+ Taskbar Tweaker works on Windows 11 version 23H2 and older with the old taskbar which can be restored with third party tools. See this blog post for more details.
Demo video
Here is a video that demonstrates some of the tweaks:
Source code
https://github.com/m417z/7-Taskbar-Tweaker
FAQ
Q: Which registry keys does 7+ Taskbar Tweaker modify? I don't need extra processes in my system.
A: The only registry keys the tweaker modifies are its own settings. There are no registry keys for the options it provides. The tweaker does that by injecting a DLL to explorer, hooking/subclassing/some other methods of the dark side.
As for extra processes, the tweaker is a native program, and is very lightweight. It shouldn’t slow down your system, and uses an extremely small amount of memory. Also, you can hide the tray icon if you want.
In case you want to remove the tweaker's settings from the registry, look for them here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\7 Taskbar Tweaker
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (7 Taskbar Tweaker value)
P.S. if you're a programmer, you might want to take a look at the 7+ Taskbar Tweaking Library.
Q: My antivirus complains about 7+ Taskbar Tweaker.
A: It's a false positive. I guarantee that the tweaker binaries (and any other files on this site, unless specifically noted) are 100% clean.
Also remember that the tweaker injects into explorer and modifies its memory, which is indeed suspicious.
Q: Can I Group/Combine/Label only some of the items on the taskbar?
A: Yes, use Taskbar Inspector.
Q: May I use 7+ Taskbar Tweaker in a commercial environment?
A: Yes, feel free to use it wherever you want.
Q: Where is the portable version?
A: When installing the tweaker, choose the Portable type of install, as shown on the image below.
The portable version will be extracted to the selected folder.
Note: If the tweaker is already installed on your computer, the option won't be visible. You can launch the setup with the /portable command line switch to force a portable installation.
Q: I want to report a bug/suggest a feature! What is the best way to do it?
A: Post it on the UserEcho page.
Q: I want to translate 7+ Taskbar Tweaker to my language.
A: The archive below contains the files needed to be translated.
Please read readme.txt before proceeding.
7tt_translate.zip (758.63 kB)
If you are brave enough to translate the help file, contact me for the required software and files.
Tags: 7+ taskbar tweaker
Thank you for this program – it prevents Firefox combining the main and download windows.
Would an option to “Keep identical ungrouped programs together” be possible?
Thank you.
That’s what grouping is for, to keep identical programs together.
In future version I plan to add a per Application ID combining option, so you could make an Application ID group but not combine.
RaMMicHaeL, i LOVE this program!! I may be overlooking something, but i’m hoping that there is some way to force the most recently opened folders to be added to the TOP of the combined list (as they used to be in XP).
I group everything by application ID, and i can make my favorite folders use a random ID after opening them, so they will stay separate from the others. Is there no way to force newly opened folders to be listed in the order of oldest to newest (w/ the oldest at bottom), without manually moving them with your “Taskbar Inspector” tool (which is also great, btw)??
Thanks again for such a KILLER program!!!
There’s no such option, but instead of using Taskbar Inspector to reorder them, you can use the drag-within-groups option:
http://rammichael.com/7-taskbar-tweaker-v2-0
It refuses to be installed on Windows Server 2008 R2 with a dialog box stating
“This tweaker is designed for Windows 7 only”.
Up to now this has been the only application that I’ve seen that can be installed on Windows 7 but not on Windows Server 2008 R2.
thanks much for this. i turned off grouping, but im really used to not having have to be listed on the taskbar in order of folder, browswers etc. if i open a new browser, i want that joint on the end, not ‘grouped’ with all the other browsers. CHEERS!
Yep, I’ve been using v1.1 on win2008 r2 last year or more without any problem. Can you please enable v2.0 to r2?
I can’t close the Taskbar Inspector-window on Win7x64.
That’s a known issue, but I cannot reproduce it.
If you find something particular that causes the bug, tell me.
I’M F…NG LOVE U MAN!!!!!
I’m using HP TouchSmart tm2t and those incredibly stupid preview windows are very annoying, coz screen is small anyway. And when u change it to the portrait mode it becomes even worse than huge flash based pop-up ads!!!
RaMMicHaeL, given that 7TT hooks into the OS the way it does, can you tell me whether there is any risk regarding OS updates?
Would an update that installed a new version of explorer.exe, for example, cause a stability or non-boot issue with 7TT already installed (or if it were installed on a system that was updated beyond what was available when you last coded 7TT)?
With a significant explorer update, 7TT may stop working. Worst case scenario is an explorer crash.
Up to now, though, there were no significant explorer updates (including SP1), and 7TT works as expected.
Hi Michael,
please, please … if you have to do dll-injection then please give the file a meaningful name and probably a resource-record with at least a comment. I’ve been trying to get rid of a parite.b for hours that most likely wasn’t even active…
kind regards,
Erich
The dll is extracted to the temporary directory with the name sttXXXX.tmp (while X are random numbers/letters), and is being loaded from there. I did it that way to have a standalone exe, without extra files.
Now in v2, when there is an installer, it’s not a problem to make the dll reside within the program directory.
What is parite.b and what’s the problem the random dll name causes?
On my Windows 7 Ult 32-bit. I want frequent access to several sites. My machine insists on combining them even when I have cliceked never combine. How do I fix thzt
Grateful for help
Michael
When I have several windows explorer folders open, I right-click on one of them and take it out of the combined group so as to form its own independent group. I then navigate to another directory in that independent folder, and what happens is that it becomes grouped with the rest of the windows explorer folders.
I noticed that too. That’s because every time you navigate to a folder in explorer, it changes the window’s Application ID.
It has different Application IDs for some folders, e.g. Control Panel. Navigate from any folder to Control Panel, and you’ll see it makes an independent group. Then navigate back, and you’ll see it return.
Thanks a ton for the new “Drag within groups…” feature 🙂
It´s been driving me insane that Win 7 wouldn´t allow that.
Thank you again!
Your program is great,will be great if you implant a option to tell when a new program version is available. Thank You.
I’ve been using this for a while and the “Drag within group” feature is another feature I really wanted. Thank you so much for making this program!
I don”t suppose there could be an addition to this that allows the Volume Mixer to minimize? never hurts to ask. =)
thank you for this utility. this should have been included in windows 7. now, all i need is for gateway to start producing again their anykey keyboard and then i’ll truly be battle ready! you’re the man RaMMicHaeL
Could you make the expanded button group remain open (expanded) after closing one of the task items, when using the “decombine on mouse hover” setting?
Specifically, when using the middle click to close tweak.
Hi,
Sorry for being a bit off-topic here, but IMHO I think this is related in a way and may be of interest. Have you ever heard about xTraButtons? See here:
http://www.xtrabuttons.com/
Greetings.
This is the greatest program ever. Where is the donate button?
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
I like most things about Windows 7 but the taskbar was driving me nuts. I always have many applications open and out of habit, I’d click once on the application I wanted to go to and then sit there confused because I’d forgotten to click on the right bubble. Having to click the task bar and *then* click the bubble was annoying and a complete waste of time.
I’m so relieved!
Hi,
I love your concept, it’s very nice idea. But I simply can’t get the program open in my Win 7 Ultimate 32-bits. I’ve installed it successfully but now as I double click it’s icon, nothing seems to happen. It’s as if the program weren’t there, only it’s icon. Have you or anyone you know experienced this so far?
Thanx in advance!
Maybe there is some other software that conflicts with the tweaker.
I’ve never experienced this, though.
One of the best programs ever!
Makes the stupid Windows 7 taskbar work like XP again.
I LOVE 7 TASKBAR TWEAKER!!!
Help! My computer will not download taskbar tweaker. It does not know what to do with a php file, and I get an error message with the exe file. Can you give me some simple instructions on how to download it? Thanks much.
What kind of error message?
Can you be more specific?
You’ve done great work but I need only one feature of the Taskbartweaker, to remove the gap between pinned items.
Is it possible do this by editing the registry ? I’ve been searching for hours in the web without success.
Thx for help, greetings from germany
Nope, not possible.
Thanks, this program is great. And I was wondering if it would be possible to make it so that double-clicking or middle-clicking an empty space on the taskbar would toggle the visibility of desktop icons.
Isn’t that what the “Show desktop” option does?
The ‘Show desktop’ option hides the open application windows; I was talking about the icons on the desktop. If you right-click on the desktop and go to ‘View’, there’s an option to show or hide the desktop icons. What I was thinking of was basically a shortcut for that function.
You should try Iconoid.
Great application that solves major annoyances with the windows 7 taskbar.
Is there any chance you could add an option do disable the left click move up-jump list feature. If you left click and hold and move (drag) the mouse up it opens the jump list. Can that be disabled?
Great program! One problem, 7 Taskbar Tweaker sometimes gets disabled or shut down during a session, I don’t know why.
Can there be an option at install and in settings to “run as service”?
Thanks!
Nope, there’s no such option.
You say it just shuts down by itself?
I’ve never encountered such behavior.
It stops allowing taskbar drag and thumbnails reappear for taskbar items – I agree, I don’t know if it technically “shuts down”. It isn’t that often but its been a few times, enough to ask.
Thanks for the program!
If it had a way to scroll between tabs “ala” Taskix, it would be just complete. Is that possible in Windows 7? Or maybe anyone know another program that accomplishes this job? Thanks anyway 🙂
Right click > Standard Window Menu – when this is enabled, right clicking on programs in the taskbar doesn’t work. It was fine until few days ago, nothing on my PC has changed. Updated the version of the Tweaker and it still doesn’t work. When Jump List is selected there are no problems.
Works fine for me.
Try to figure out how I can reproduce it.
AWESOME program thank You so much!!
Just brilliant, this is what we need in the world!
thank you very much for this program , It was really usefull to disable those stupid previews on the taskbar
Hi!
I just like to know if you can add an option to 7TT.
I would like to have an option that, doing double-click on an empty space of the taskbar, the pinned icons change to other size available.
i.e.
If the taskbar shows icons in big size, when I do double-click on the taskbar, the icons set to small size view.
And, If the taskbar shows icons in small size, when I do double-click on the taskbar, the icons set to big size view.
Thanks,
L.
A Portable version please!
Why would you need a portable system tweaking tool?
Please,
how add one program (.exe) to taskbar?
explain me. Thank you.
Do you mean as a pinned item? You just drag it to the taskbar.
Just drag it to the taskbar.
Thank you
Scuse me I mistake.
Normally I cannot drag it to the taskbar.
How can do it?
I can’t believe I only found this today. What a wonderful program! Thanks, thanks, thanks!
This is what i was looking for long time ago ..
ty very much
One thing , can you add a feature that ungroup with a mouse click.
ex: click with middle mouse in firefox group then will ungroup ..
ty , nice work
In case you are using the “Decombine on mouse hover” option, you can enable “Drag within groups using right mouse button”.
More info about the option:
http://rammichael.com/7-taskbar-tweaker-v2-0
but this is with mouseover, like the name says .. i mean with mouseclick .. left click in group then ungroup .. ty for the answer
Such option is not planned, feel free to suggest it on uservoice:
http://tweaker.uservoice.com/
A , one thing , this option can be added with the left click in group itens.. like has an option “LEft click on grouped itens” , Open… Cycle .. Only add an another option “Ungroup” …
ty
Can we reduce the space between the icons in taskbar? i have low resolution and the space take alot space … but i dont like the small icon options
I was using 7TT 2.1.4 on Windows 7 Ultimate x64 and right mouse clicks were suddenly getting eaten; the right mouse button would only work after being clicked a few times and/or had to be held down for a longer interval than normal…
I closed 7TT, set it *not* to start automatically, and rebooted; then the same issue began occurring with left mouse clicks…
Fortunately mouse clicks began working again after 7TT was uninstalled.
NOTE: I run Classic Shell 3.10 (http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/) which may cause a compatibility issue with 7TT 2.1.4.
Well, that can’t be 7TT’s fault… As you can read in the FAQ, it does not change system registry entries, so when it does not run, it has no effect.
As for this, can you see if that occurs because of a particular option? Does it happen even when there are no options chosen?
Great tool RaMMicHaeL!!
For years I have been using Linux and got used to arranging windows the way I want. This doesn’t exist in Windows and gets me frustrated whenever I use Windows!! Now you made me such a big favor.
Is there anyway I can pay you for the 7 Taskbar Tweaker?
Thanks!
got a problem here. was using an older version of tweaker i think it was 1.5. the taskbar tab had the looks of the icon followed by the name of the application.
now i went and uninstall the older version and installed this 2.15 since i wanted to do more with quicklaunch area for window7. this 2.15 worked well except only problem is that it changes every tab on taskbar into a small icon with no text and now i have no idea which tab is which.
for instance i have multi folder (names: tools, 16 USB etc..) only icon of the folder would show and the names wouldnt, its VERY frustrating that i cant fix this problem even after trying uninstall tweakbar as it might have permanently changed the registry..?
i have tried and tried, using the inspecter to ALWAYS shows label but that does nothing, everything is still in icon with no text.
please help
sorry might i add that i tried to install the newer version 2.15 onto 2.0 (not 1.5) and might have created a conflict. then uninstalling both, then installed 2.15 and got to where I am now
Jack, I (think I) had the same problem…
But opening 7 Taskbar Tweaker, then clicking Taskbar Inspector, then right clicking on the group / application ID for the exlporer windows (or whatever wasn’t showing labels), then clicking ‘always show labels for this application ID’ solved it…
I’m not sure how mine got hidden, but glad I’ve found a way to re-enable them again – was a right pain without the labels!
Hope that helps.
PS, superb product RaMMicHaeL. Thanks!
sorry for another comment. under properties of taskbar, if i unclick small icon, the tab returns to icon followed by text/info of that tab, but now its expanded 100% across the taskbar, where as the default would only be say maybe 15%
and if i open 2 tabs, it divides into 2, each work tab at 50%. and if i go back and click on small icon, all work bar just becomes a small icon that looks just like the quicklaunch menu, icon with no text/info.
Can you make it clearer?
What taskbar configuration do you have?
What tweaker options are on?
How does it look now, and how it should look? (A screenshot maybe?)
Just what I’ve needed! No more combining. Thank you so much!
thank you for this wonderful program. I have a feature request. In Taskbar Inspector it would be great if you could sort the contents of a group by name (alphabetically) through a right click in addition to where it currently provides the option to never & always group, and never & always show label. if you could possibly implement this feature it would be of much help to me and hopefully others. Thanks again!
Feel free to suggest it here:
http://tweaker.uservoice.com/
The version 2.16 is a bug when restartet PC then is the windows taskbar white !!! And NIS warning virus in the uninstaller.exe !!! I have Win 7 64bit sp1 german !!!
Version 2.15 working perfect !!!
Normally I’m auto-hiding the taskbar, to preserve vertical space on a 1366×768 laptop screen. I recently got to know and installed 7TT on Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit. When 7TT was not running before, hovering the mouse pointer over the bottom of the screen makes the taskbar to appear (normal behaviour). Now with 7TT running, it still does this, but ONLY when I hover over a region on the taskbar WITHOUT program icons. Of course, this is barely viewable as the taskbar is 95% hidden at that moment… The taskbar pops up when I hover over the right tray icons, the left start button and empty space, but NOT when hovering over program icons! Most annoying!! I have 3 options: hover each time over the start button and then move right to keep the taskbar open, or disable the auto-hide, or don’t use 7TT altogether! But I like the tool a lot, so better not. Can you look into the problem and possibly provide a fix? Thanks.
I had problems with 7 Taskbar Tweaker hanging explorer.exe (responsive but 100% CPU use and no taskbar buttons), but then I realized this was caused by an already-running StartKiller (v 3.1.0.0). Perhaps 7 Taskbar Tweaker could have an option to hide the Start button?
The option to swap Right Click and Shift-Right Click behaviour on programs on the taskbar seems to have broken the Standard Window Menu when set to either Right Click or Shift-Right Click for me, even after uninstalling 7 Taskbar Tweaker – any ideas on how to fix this? It was working fine a couple of days but has just stopped working for me. I don’t have a restore point far back enough to try that.
I didn’t try that option with swapped buttons, but one thing I can tell for sure: If you uninstalled the tweaker, in possibly cannot cause such kind of a problem. As you can read in the FAQ above, it does not modify system registry keys, and if it’s not running, it does not have any effect.
Hi
Please add support Russian lng
There is a Russian translation, select it in the “Settings” dialog.
Hi RamMichael
I’m very thankful for this program! It’s excellent! I was so tired to search around the web for a program like this. I have many programs pinned, so, now I’m pleased to have more icons (and more close one each other, without gap)
I use a laptop connected to an external monitor, so, when I use the laptop screen I have to switch the taskbar to small icon view, so:
– Please, if you can, add an option to switch between Large icons – Small icons, by doing double-click on the taskbar. This will be great!
– Please, add an option to keep the button size even the program is opened… I know that can be difficult, but I guess there’s a way to do that…
Hi,
You can suggest it here:
http://tweaker.uservoice.com/
I didn’t really understand what you mean here.