How to Enable Never Combine Taskbar Buttons in Windows 11 25H2

One of the most requested taskbar features from longtime Windows users finally returned in Windows 11: the ability to never combine taskbar buttons. Instead of grouping all Chrome windows under one icon or stacking multiple Word documents into a single button, Windows can show a separate labeled icon for every open window — just like Windows 10 and earlier. On Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, Microsoft has refined this setting further, adding a second control for the secondary taskbar on multi-monitor setups.

This guide covers every method to enable “Never Combine” on Windows 11 — from the standard Settings path to Registry edits and Group Policy for IT administrators — with specific notes for 25H2 where the interface differs.

What “Never Combine” Actually Does

By default, Windows 11 groups all windows of the same application under one taskbar button. Click it and a thumbnail popup appears — you then pick the specific window. “Never Combine” changes this so:

• Each open window gets its own dedicated taskbar button with a visible label
• You can click directly to the exact window without extra clicks
• Alt+Tab and Win+number shortcuts still work as normal
• On wide monitors, labels show the document or page title — ideal for power users juggling many windows

Windows 11 25H2 note: Starting with 24H2, Microsoft split the taskbar combining setting into two separate controls — one for the main taskbar and one for taskbars on other displays. Both are covered in Method 1 below.

Method 1: Change Taskbar Combining via Settings (Recommended)

The fastest way — no Registry editing required. Works on Windows 11 22H2, 23H2, 24H2, and 25H2.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings, or click the Start Menu and select the Settings gear icon.

2. In the left sidebar, click Personalization.

3. On the right side, click Taskbar.

4. Scroll down and find Taskbar behaviors. Click to expand the section.
5. Find the dropdown labeled Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels. Click the dropdown and select Never.

6. The taskbar updates immediately — no restart required. Each open window now displays its own labeled button.

Multi-monitor users (24H2 and 25H2): Immediately below the main taskbar setting, you’ll see a second dropdown: Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars. Set this to Never as well if you want consistent uncombined buttons on all connected displays. This second control was not present in Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2 — it was added specifically in 24H2.

Method 2: Enable Never Combine via the Registry Editor

Use this method if Settings doesn’t stick, if you’re managing multiple PCs, or if you want to script the change for deployment. This works on all Windows 11 versions including 25H2.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control.
2. In the Registry Editor, navigate to:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. In the right pane, look for the value named TaskbarGlomLevel. If it doesn’t exist, right-click an empty area in the right pane, select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it TaskbarGlomLevel.
4. Double-click TaskbarGlomLevel and set the value data:
   • 0 = Always combine (default)
   • 1 = Combine when taskbar is full
   • 2 = Never combine
   Enter 2 and click OK.
5. For the secondary taskbar (multi-monitor, 24H2/25H2), also set MMTaskbarGlomLevel to 2 using the same process.
6. Close Registry Editor. Either restart Explorer (open Task Manager → right-click Windows Explorer → Restart) or sign out and back in to apply the change.

Script-friendly tip: You can apply this registry change silently via Command Prompt with: reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v TaskbarGlomLevel /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f — useful for deploying across multiple machines.

Method 3: Use Group Policy (Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education)

IT administrators managing fleets of Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise machines can enforce the “Never Combine” setting via Group Policy so users can’t change it back.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to:User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Start Menu and Taskbar
3. In the right pane, find and double-click Prevent grouping of taskbar items.
4. Set the policy to Enabled and click OK.
5. Run gpupdate /force in an elevated Command Prompt to apply the policy immediately, or wait for the next Group Policy refresh cycle.

Note: Group Policy overrides the Settings UI — users will see the dropdown greyed out in Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behaviors. To revert, set the policy back to Not Configured.

Method 4: Restart Windows Explorer to Apply Changes Instantly

If you’ve made a Registry change and the taskbar hasn’t updated yet, restarting Windows Explorer forces it to reload the taskbar settings without requiring a full reboot.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click More details if Task Manager opens in compact view.
3. In the Processes tab, scroll down and find Windows Explorer.
4. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.
5. The taskbar, desktop, and File Explorer will briefly disappear and reappear — your Never Combine setting is now active.

You can also restart Explorer quickly from an elevated Command Prompt:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe && start explorer.exe

Troubleshooting: Never Combine Not Working on Windows 11 25H2

A few common reasons the setting might not take effect:

• Setting reverts after update: Some Windows 11 cumulative updates have been known to reset taskbar preferences. After installing a major update, check Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behaviors and re-apply Never if needed.
• Only affects the main taskbar: If you have multiple monitors and only the primary taskbar is uncombined, remember to also set Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars to Never (available in 24H2 and 25H2).
• Third-party taskbar tools conflict: Apps like ExplorerPatcher, StartAllBack, or custom shell replacements may override Windows’ native taskbar combining setting. Check those apps’ own settings for a matching option.
• Group Policy locked: If the dropdown in Settings is greyed out, a Group Policy is enforcing the setting. Contact your IT administrator or check gpedit.msc as described in Method 3.
• Registry change didn’t apply: Make sure you edited HKEY_CURRENT_USER (not HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) and restarted Explorer after making the change.

Which Method Should You Use?

• Home users on a single PC: Method 1 (Settings) — instant, no technical steps.
• Multi-monitor setup on 24H2/25H2: Method 1, and set both dropdowns to Never.
• Want to script or deploy to multiple PCs: Method 2 (Registry) using the reg add command.
• IT admin managing Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise: Method 3 (Group Policy).
• Registry change applied but taskbar looks the same: Method 4 (restart Explorer).

Conclusion

Enabling “Never Combine” on Windows 11 takes under a minute via Settings, and it dramatically improves multitasking for users managing many windows at once. On Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, remember the two-dropdown system — one for the primary taskbar and one for secondary displays. If you manage multiple machines, the Registry command or Group Policy approach makes bulk deployment straightforward. Once active, each open window gets its own clearly labeled button, restoring the classic Windows workflow that millions of users prefer.