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To show a text label on every open window, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors and set Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels to Never. Each window will then have its own labeled taskbar button.
Turn on taskbar labels in Windows 11
- Right-click an empty area of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings. Or open Settings and go to Personalization > Taskbar. See Microsoft’s taskbar customization guide.
- Expand Taskbar behaviors.
- Find Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels and choose Never. Microsoft documented this setting in its September 26, 2023 Windows configuration update: Windows configuration update.
If you use more than one display, set Combine taskbar buttons on other taskbars separately to control grouping on those taskbars.
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What each taskbar-button option does
| Setting | Labels and windows | When the taskbar gets crowded |
|---|---|---|
| Always, hide labels | Each app has one unlabeled button, including when several windows of that app are open. | Windows remain grouped under the app button. |
| When taskbar is full | Windows appear as separate labeled buttons while there is room. | Windows from the same app group under one button; select it to view the open windows. |
| Never | Each open window has its own labeled button. | Buttons shrink and eventually scroll rather than grouping windows from the same app. |
Choose Never for persistent labels and separate buttons. Choose When taskbar is full if you want labels when space allows but prefer grouping once the taskbar fills. The default, Always, hide labels, prioritizes compactness.
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If the setting is missing
Expand Taskbar behaviors and check Windows Update if the control still does not appear. The wording can vary by Windows version or servicing update. Microsoft’s current taskbar guidance describes the Never option and the separate control for other taskbars; a third-party utility is not required for this built-in setting.
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Amazon Basics Wired QWERTY Keyboard, Works with Windows, Plug and Play, Easy to Use with Media Control, Full-Sized, Black
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When Windows added never-combined mode
Microsoft’s September 26, 2023 configuration update introduced the mode, saying, “This update adds ‘never combined’ mode.” The update described it as a way to view application windows and their labels separately on the taskbar.
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Arteck Backlit USB Wired Full Size Keyboard with Media Hotkey for PC and Laptop
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Logitech K120 Full Size Wired Keyboard USB Plug-and-Play Windows - Black
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