Ungrouping tabs in Windows 11 is kinda weird, but it can really make your life easier if you’re tired of hunting through grouped windows all the time. Basically, when you switch to the default setting, Windows lumps all your open windows for the same app together. Not a huge deal most of the time, but if you prefer to see each window separately on your taskbar, changing this setting helps a lot. It’s useful when you want to instantly pick out a specific window without clicking through a pile of icons. Plus, on some setups, this toggle might be a bit finicky — sometimes it refuses to switch on the first try, or you have to restart Explorer or even reboot. Because Windows, of course, has to make everything a little more complicated than it needs to be.
How to Ungroup Tabs in Windows 11
In this part, you’ll get the lowdown on how to make all those grouped windows reveal themselves on the taskbar. It’s not radical, but it’s a game-changer for anyone juggling multiple apps or just prefers a cleaner look. Here’s how to do it.
Method 1: Change the Grouping Settings via the Taskbar
This is the simple, reliable way that usually does the trick. Basically, you’ve gotta access the taskbar settings and fiddle with the “Combine taskbar buttons” feature. It’s kind of hidden, but once you find it, the process is straightforward.
- Right-click the taskbar — the strip at the bottom of your screen where all your apps live. The right-click menu is your shortcut to settings for this whole process.
- Select “Taskbar Settings” — it opens a panel with all kinds of options about how your taskbar behaves. Honestly, Windows could make this more obvious, but this works.
- Scroll to “Combine taskbar buttons” — it’s under the “Taskbar behaviors” section, which might be collapsed if you have a lot of options.
- Pick “Never” from the dropdown — this is the key move. When you do this, each window shows up as its own separate icon on the taskbar. No more grouping.
- Close the settings panel — no need to save, it applies instantly. Switch over to your taskbar and watch all your open windows spread out.
This method is super handy. On some machines, the change doesn’t apply immediately or takes a quick reboot of the Explorer process. To do that, hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, then find “Windows Explorer” under processes, right-click it and choose Restart. You might notice the taskbar flicker, but that’s normal.
Method 2: Use Registry Editor (Advanced, but works sometimes)
If changing the setting manually through the GUI isn’t taking, or Windows is being stubborn, messing with the registry might do the trick. Be warned, editing registry files always carries risk, so back up first!
- Hit Win + R and type
regeditto open the Registry Editor. - Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
- Look for a DWORD called TaskbarGlomLevel. If it’s not there, right-click, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it TaskbarGlomLevel.
- Set TaskbarGlomLevel to
2 to disable grouping (0 or 1 might keep groupings). - Close the registry editor and restart Windows Explorer (or reboot).
This is a bit nerdy, but on one machine it actually did the trick where GUI options failed. Just don’t go messing around unless you feel comfy with system tweaks.
Tips for Ungrouping Tabs in Windows 11
- Keep your Windows updated: Sometimes these quirks get fixed in updates — don’t ignore those patch notes.
- Pin important apps: If you ungroup, your taskbar gets cluttered fast. Pin your favorites for quick access.
- Use keyboard shortcuts: Alt + Tab is a lifesaver to switch between windows without messing with the taskbar.
- Consider third-party tools: If Microsoft’s settings are a pain, there are utilities like Winhance that tweak taskbar behavior more granularly.
- Stay aware of some quirks: Sometimes, after toggling, the icons jump or glitch. Usually, a quick restart fixes it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I re-group everything once I’m done?
Just go back to Taskbar Settings and pick a grouping option like “Always” or “When taskbar is full”—whatever suits your workflow.
Does ungrouping slow down the system?
Honestly, ungrouping is purely visual. It doesn’t impact performance unless your desktop gets super cluttered or if you’re opening a billion windows at once.
Can I only ungroup specific apps?
Nope, you have to decide globally through the settings—that’s the unfortunate part. No app-specific toggles yet.
Shortcut for toggling?
No shortcut there. It’s all about digging into the settings or registry. Maybe someday Windows will add a hotkey for that.
Can I customize how each icon looks on the taskbar?
Not really, beyond pinning/unpinning and changing icon sizes. Windows doesn’t give much granular control over individual icons beyond general appearance options.
Summary
- Right-click taskbar, select “Taskbar Settings”.
- Scroll to “Combine taskbar buttons”.
- Pick “Never” and enjoy.
- If needed, restart Explorer or reboot.
Wrap-up
Ungrouping tabs in Windows 11 isn’t really complicated once you get the hang of it, but it can be a little buggy or confusing if you’re not used to poking around settings. Still, it’s a decent way to tidy up your desktop—especially if you deal with a ton of windows or apps at once. Once you see everything laid out separately, switching between them is way faster, and your workspace feels less cluttered. Just be aware that sometimes, a quick restart of Explorer is needed for changes to stick. Fingers crossed this helps someone clean up their taskbar, even if the process seems a bit awkward at first. It’s not perfect, but hey, it beats dealing with a giant pile of icons.