The Tool Desk
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Show separate taskbar buttons and window labels
Windows 11’s Never combine mode gives each open app window its own taskbar button and displays its label. This is a Windows setting, not a hardware feature. Microsoft introduced the mode in its November 14, 2023 update notes.
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- Open Settings.
- Go to Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors.
- Set the taskbar button-combining option to Never (the precise label may vary by Windows version).
On a multi-monitor setup, Microsoft’s release note also describes a separate option for how buttons appear on other taskbars. Choose that option if you want the behavior applied across the additional displays. Microsoft’s November 14, 2023 update notes document the feature and settings path.
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With Never combine enabled, the taskbar presents separate labeled buttons rather than merging an app’s open windows into one button. This can make it easier to identify a particular document or window when several are open. The feature is best described as bringing back visible window labels; the available sources do not establish a detailed Windows XP-era comparison, so they do not support claims that the current behavior is an exact recreation of XP.
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What’s changing in taskbar placement
In May 2026, Microsoft announced taskbar personalization changes for Windows Insiders, including placement along the top, bottom, left, or right edge of the screen. The announcements also described alignment options and labeled app buttons across taskbar positions. They were rollout announcements for Insider channels—not confirmation that every Windows 11 PC had received the options.
- Microsoft’s May 15, 2026 Insider post said Insiders in the Experimental channel would begin seeing taskbar placement and related options. It specifically described separate labeled buttons with a vertical taskbar when Never combine and labels are enabled.
- Microsoft’s May 29, 2026 update said the changes had started rolling out in the Experimental Channel and described placement on any screen edge and app labels across positions.
Whether those placement options are available depends on the installed build and rollout status. The 2026 announcements should not be read as evidence that the feature is already present in every stable Windows installation.
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Phone Link is not the same as the reported ring control
Microsoft has documented ways to surface content from a connected phone in Windows. Its October 21, 2025 Release Preview notes describe a mobile-device button next to Search that expands or collapses content from a connected phone. Microsoft said the experience supported Android and iOS devices in most markets, with an EEA rollout planned for 2025. That documentation concerns connected-phone integration; it does not confirm a button for ringing a misplaced Android phone.
Microsoft’s July 24, 2025 post described a refreshed Link to Windows experience for Android, using Link to Windows on the phone and Phone Link on the PC. Its Insider setup instructions include Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices > Manage devices. Those instructions describe the refreshed Insider experience and should not be treated as universal requirements for every stable Windows installation.
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- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
What is known about ringing an Android phone
On September 28, 2026, Pureinfotech reported that Windows 11 was adding Mobile Devices controls to Quick Settings, including a toggle to ring a phone. The Microsoft sources cited here do not confirm that specific control or establish its general release status, required Windows build, Phone Link version, Android version, country availability, or supported phone list. Treat the feature as reported, not as a control every Windows 11 user can rely on.
For the distinct, documented connected-phone experiences, see Microsoft’s October 21, 2025 Release Preview notes and July 24, 2025 Link to Windows announcement. The ring-control claim comes from Pureinfotech’s September 28, 2026 report, rather than confirmation in those Microsoft posts.
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Which Windows 11 taskbar behavior should you choose?
| Choice | What it does | What the sources establish |
|---|---|---|
| Combined taskbar buttons | Groups an app’s windows rather than giving each one a separate labeled button. | Microsoft’s November 2023 notes establish the Never combined alternative; they do not provide a detailed comparison of every combined-mode setting. |
| Never combine | Shows separate buttons and labels for individual app windows. | Introduced in Microsoft’s November 14, 2023 update notes; configured under Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors. |
| Taskbar on another screen edge | Moves the taskbar to the top, left, or right, as well as the bottom. | Described in Microsoft’s May 2026 Insider rollout announcements; broad stable availability is not established by those announcements. |
| Connected-phone features | Surfaces content from a connected phone through documented Windows and Phone Link experiences. | Documented by Microsoft in October and July 2025 announcements; this is separate from a control to ring a phone. |
| Quick Settings ring control | Reported as a way to ring a misplaced phone. | Reported by Pureinfotech on September 28, 2026; Microsoft’s cited sources do not state availability or compatibility details. |
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