How to show separate Excel files in taskbar in Windows 11

Question

My system just upgraded to Windows 11. When I open several Excel files, I was used to having them show separately on the Taskbar. How can I do that in Windows 11?

Answer 1

It does. I prefer, like I used to have in Windows 10, to show each one separately on the taskbar.

Instead of hovering over the Excel button and having it show all of the open files.

Does that make sense?

Answer 2

It would be far more helpful to separate individual documents along the taskbar so you don't have to hover each time you switch between them. I frequently have several instances of the same program open and this change is a step backwards.

Answer 3

Sure your preference to not make extra mouse clicks makes sense. But MS makes non-sense changes and calls them (dis)"improvements".

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One of the (dis)"improvements" in Win 11 is that they completely recreated the taskbar in a new programming language. I don't know why. But they didn't bother translating all of the features in the Win10 Taskbar. The option to "ungroup" icons is one lost feature, another is that we can no longer move the taskbar from the bottom of the screen (that alone is reason enough for me to not downgrade to Win11).

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They pulled the same stunt with the Win10 OneNote, which they are now retiring. Called it an improvement, even though it did not support all of the features in the 2016 OneNote ...

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MS stopped being a company that primarily does computer programming and has become a shill for marketing.

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Your only option is to use unapproved registry hacks. They work for now, but MS could block them at any time. A "trick" MS has done in the past, creating updates that killed commonly published registry hacks MS didn't like. Or MS lawyers could threaten YouTube into removing "Offending" videos (happened to one tip I looked at just a couple of days ago ...)

https://nerdschalk.com/how-to-ungroup-icons-on-windows-11-taskbar-with-a-registry-hack/ 

. https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2021/09/restore-missing-functionality-windows-11-taskbar.html

Answer 4

In Excel, in the Options setting, there was an ADVANCED tab that had an option to show each sheet separately in the taskbar. I don't see it anymore.

Answer 5

It would be far more helpful to separate individual documents along the taskbar so you don't have to hover each time you switch between them. I frequently have several instances of the same program open and this change is a step backwards.

When you are right, you are right. But MS had a "better" idea.

There is an on option to prevent the stacking

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/7-ways-to-tweak-your-windows-10-taskbar specifically see "Declutter the Taskbar"

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I don't know if Win 11 still supports this user option. I suspect not.

This article confirms that the feature has been removed. It includes a registry hack to restore it.

https://nerdschalk.com/how-to-ungroup-icons-on-windows-11-taskbar-with-a-registry-hack/ 

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SUBMIT A FEEDBACK to MS complaining about this (dis)"improvement".

MS is still working on the "new and improved" taskbar. So if enough people complain, they may actually do something about it.

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Feedback Hub

The “Answers” forum / community is “staffed” mostly by users like yourself, unpaid volunteers. This forum is intended more for “How to do something in application A” type questions. We sometimes can provide work-arounds for problems, but we can’t do anything about underlying problem. If the forum can’t solve your question you need to talk directly to MS, you need to submit a “Feedback” to MS.
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For a couple of years now MS has had a "feedback" process that allows users submit bug reports / problems, suggestions and new feature requests directly to MS developers and managers. You can submit feedbacks from within many MS apps, or you can use the Win10 “Feedback Hub” app. This article describes the different ways you can submit Feedback to MS:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/microsoft-feedback-process/6f850368-8c86-481d-a207-d95b265c4be4
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There is also a new web based “Feedback Portal” in development. It is still labelled “Preview”. It provides functionality similar to the feedback hub. Access to feedbacks submitted in 34 categories.
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/

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As users we are unpaid quality control testers, we identify bugs, they pick which feedbacks they will work on, and when they will release them, for testing by Insiders and to general public.
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But don't "expect" anything like feedback about your feedback back from MS.
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MS will make fixes and changes on their own schedule.
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They will not provide much, if any, advance notice of what they are working on and/or when it will be released.
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Hint : get a “share” link to your feedback (may take a couple of minutes to process the initial submission of the feedback) and post the link back to this question. That way if someone finds this question they will be able to link directly to your feedback so they can vote for it and add their comments. The more feedback on a subject, the more likely it is to be acted on.

i.e.

"Feedback" suggesting that they create a "Support / Support" category in the feedback app to collect complaints about poor service in MS Support: https://aka.ms/AAdyeq0
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PS: also make your complaints public any way you can, ie MS social media