Taskbar button width is too large

[lmqferreira]

The taskbar buttons in a 4k display (150% scale) are too large. I suspect, but I'm not absolutely positive that this behavior started after the installation of the latest update to Windows 11 build 10.0.22000.434.

[lmqferreira]

It seems that there is no limit to the width of the buttons and they are filling the available space. Is this something dependent on ExplorerPatch or a bug in explorer.exe itself? Thanks! Congrats for this great work!

[valinet]

It does not happen on my end, at least not all the times. It sometimes happens when undocking the laptop, I think, when the DPI changes or something like that. Restart the computer and it should be fixed. Idk, it's a bug in explorer, idk where it comes from. Maybe limiting the button size through the registry helps (REG_SZ MinWidth in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics, value 38-500)...?

[lmqferreira]

That's exactly that what happened. I was just to post that found the solution at https://www.yuenx.com/2021/taskbar-icon-button-width-too-wide-in-windows-10/. For some reason that Registry key is not there. Perhaps ExplorerPatch could have a feature to define that... just a suggestion. Again, congrats for the great work. This utility is really helpful for power users :)

[valinet]

The setting's not really needed at all times. Idk, yeah, this has to be investigated more thoroughly, in the future, to identify exactly what triggers it and what a proper solution is. For now, yeah, it seems this workaround works. It's the first result on Google, that's where I got the info from too.

Again, congrats for the great work.

Thanks.

[valinet]

Yeah, just adding that registry entry (MinWidth=38) in case nothing's in there seems to solve this issue. I'll try with that, have EP create that at startup if nothing's already in there, I don't think it can otherwise hurt.

[valinet]

Yeah, I pushed a "fix" that creates that registry entry with value 38 if not already in there with some other value. Hopefully, it doesn't break stuff for other users, we'll see the reports.

[gfernandez-me]

I had the same issue, also an option to hide texts from the task buttons would be awesome
but after logout/restart will solve the issue as far @valinet added the 38 width automatically in the app

[Poopooracoocoo]

also an option to hide texts from the task buttons would be awesome

If you don't want the items to combine but hide labels, follow this: #767 (comment)
Hope this helps!

[valinet]

You are talking about 3 different things in one sentence:

• MinWidth 38 is so that it mitigates a bug where buttons on the taskbar become too large, but it breaks minimized buttons in MDI apps
• The issue above was something else (device stuck in tablet mode) and I solved that and provided steps to get it right with the latest version
• To hide taskbar items labels, it’s right there in front of you eyes in Properties - Taskbar - Combine items settings. I don’t get how so many people miss that. Also, what’s the point of using the old taskbar without labels, since the new taskbar is exactly that basically.

[OrthodoxWindows]

I confirm, MinWidth 38 break the minimized windows in MDI applications, what is worrying when Mdi applications regularly use.
Use the old taskbar without the labels has many advantages; Among these, the possibility of benefiting Open-Shell and 7+ TaskBar Tweaker's personalization options (especialy the possibility of not grouping icons).

[Pirateguybrush]

Hey there,

Setting the minwidth registry key is messing with my secondary monitor's taskbar, for which I'm using displayfusion. Can this please be made into a toggleable option so I don't have to keep deleting the key?

[valinet]

I will make it optional, yes.