Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Taskbar bloat

Oct 11, 2014 6:05AM PDT

A few months back, my taskbar (Win 7 Pro x64) suddenly started showing not only the small icons that should be there but big, labeled icons duplicating those on my desktop. I cannot drag the taskbar toward the edge of the screen to minimize it, but I can draw it out larger, which brings up more of the desktop icons.

I am not sure what software in my system caused this. Any idea how I can fix it?

If someone will tell me how to post a screenshot here, I will.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Tried Changing It Like This?
Oct 12, 2014 1:01AM PDT

RIGHT click a blank area in the lower right taskbar, choose "Properties". When that loads, in the "Taskbar" tab, in the "Taskbar"buttons section, use the drop down menu to select "Always combine, hide labels", then select "Apply". Next, in the same Properties window, select the "Customize" button in the Notification Area. When that opens, select the blue "Turn system icons on or off", and at the next page select "Restore default icon behaviors." Once that's done, select the blue "Customize notification icons". Once there, you can do one of two things.. UNCHECK the box that says: "Always show all icons and notifications in the taskbar" or leave it CHECKED and then go through each of the separate icon types and choose "Only show notifications". Save any changes.

Hope this helps.

Grif

- Collapse -
Taskbar bloat
Oct 12, 2014 8:53AM PDT

Did all that, and nothing changed. Should I have rebooted afterward?

- Collapse -
Answer
I wonder if you added a Toolbar. Picture link example.
Oct 12, 2014 1:07AM PDT
- Collapse -
Toolbar bloa
Oct 12, 2014 8:55AM PDT

That was it! Somehow, Desktop got added.