Vista - Taskbar Icons

**Brink** · **OPTION ONE:**

How to Replace the Vista Taskbar Buttons with Icons

Information

This will show you how to have taskbar buttons for open windows to display with icons instead.

NOTE

The taskbar button thumbnail previews will still display if you have the Windows Aero color scheme selected.

WARNING

If the taskbar is moved vertically to either side of the display, then the icons will not work and only buttons are available instead. The icons will only only work with the taskbar at the top or bottom of the display instead.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Taskbar with Buttons
NOTE: This is the default taskbar.

EXAMPLE: Taskbar with Icons

OPTION ONE:
Through a Download

1. To Have Taskbar Icons -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Taskbar_with_Icons.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Restore Taskbar Buttons -
A) Click on the download button below to download the Taskbar_with_Buttons.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (On Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

8. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

OPTION TWO:
Manually Through the Registry

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowsMetrics

5. To Have Taskbar Icons -
A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and String Value. (See screenshot above)

B) Type MinWidth and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

C) Right click on MinWidth and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)

D) Type -255 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

E) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

F) Go to step 7.

6. To Restore Taskbar Buttons -
A) In the right pane, right click on MinWidth and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.

7. Close regedit.

8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

That's it,
Shawn

**RBonser** · 11-13-2008

I did this on my Vista at home and it works great.
I just tried it on my XP machine here at work and it works, except you can see the Icon and the first letter of the window name.
I tried adjusting the number (to -275) thinking that would make it a little smaller, but it did not help.
Any idea how to make this work good with XP?

**Brink** · 11-13-2008

Hello RBonser,

I'm not sure if this will work with XP, but look at the other String Values ScrollHeight, ScrollWidth, SMCaptionHeight, SMCaptionWidth to see what their Data values are, and make MinWidth the same value. You will notice in Vista that they are all -255, not sure what they are in XP.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**nigel2205** · 12-22-2008

How do i show wireless icon on taskbar,its grey on taskbar when i connect,then it gowes to ethernet icon.

nigel2205

**Brink** · 12-22-2008

Hello Nigel,

I do not believe that you can change these icons.

Sorry,
Shawn

**nigel2205** · 12-24-2008

Thanks for info Shawn

nigel2205

**Brink** · 12-24-2008

You're welcome Nigel. Wish that you could.

**MilesAhead** · 01-24-2009

Just tried this and it does work. One thing though, if you have a "home made toolbar" where you make a desktop folder with nested folders to organize your shortcuts and drag it to the edge of the screen, once you do this registry modification, the folders won't have any associated text or tooltip text. When you hover the mouse all you will get is the modification date of the folder under the mouse.

In relation to that I'm trying to find out how you can "save" the home made toolbar. If you click the close button you get one warning and if you close it, then it's gone. For some reason resizing the toolbar that takes up the entire edge of the screen is really tedious. You have to just keep clawing at it with the mouse until it changes to a rectangle with a thick border. Then you can resize it. Weird.

**Brink** · 01-24-2009

Interesting. Thank you MilesAhead.

Endless · 02-17-2009

Right off the bat I really like this one :P However, I do have a feeling that it could be a pain if you at some point are working with multiple instances of the same application or have multiple conversations open in MSN, as you can no longer see the start of the name to quickly determine if it is the window you want to open or not.

We'll see, though.. Thanks, Brink

11-13-2008
RBonser Vista Ultimate 32bit 22 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons I did this on my Vista at home and it works great. I just tried it on my XP machine here at work and it works, except you can see the Icon and the first letter of the window name. I tried adjusting the number (to -275) thinking that would make it a little smaller, but it did not help. Any idea how to make this work good with XP?
My System Specs

11-13-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 25,919 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons Hello RBonser, I'm not sure if this will work with XP, but look at the other String Values ScrollHeight, ScrollWidth, SMCaptionHeight, SMCaptionWidth to see what their Data values are, and make MinWidth the same value. You will notice in Vista that they are all -255, not sure what they are in XP. Hope this helps, Shawn
My System Specs

12-22-2008
nigel2205 Vista Home Premium 32bit 6 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons How do i show wireless icon on taskbar,its grey on taskbar when i connect,then it gowes to ethernet icon. nigel2205
My System Specs

12-22-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 25,919 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons Hello Nigel, I do not believe that you can change these icons. Sorry, Shawn
My System Specs

12-24-2008
nigel2205 Vista Home Premium 32bit 6 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons Thanks for info Shawn nigel2205
My System Specs

12-24-2008
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 25,919 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons You're welcome Nigel. Wish that you could.
My System Specs

01-24-2009
MilesAhead Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP1 686 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons Just tried this and it does work. One thing though, if you have a "home made toolbar" where you make a desktop folder with nested folders to organize your shortcuts and drag it to the edge of the screen, once you do this registry modification, the folders won't have any associated text or tooltip text. When you hover the mouse all you will get is the modification date of the folder under the mouse. In relation to that I'm trying to find out how you can "save" the home made toolbar. If you click the close button you get one warning and if you close it, then it's gone. For some reason resizing the toolbar that takes up the entire edge of the screen is really tedious. You have to just keep clawing at it with the mouse until it changes to a rectangle with a thick border. Then you can resize it. Weird.
My System Specs

01-24-2009
Brink Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate x64 25,919 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons Interesting. Thank you MilesAhead.
My System Specs

02-17-2009
Endless Vista Home Premium 64bit 4 posts	Re: Taskbar Icons Right off the bat I really like this one :P However, I do have a feeling that it could be a pain if you at some point are working with multiple instances of the same application or have multiple conversations open in MSN, as you can no longer see the start of the name to quickly determine if it is the window you want to open or not. We'll see, though.. Thanks, Brink
My System Specs

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