Customizing Your PC Hardware: How to Display Taskbar Icons on Multiple Monitors in Windows 10

When switching to a multi-monitor setup with Windows 10, many users miss the convenient feature that allows them to easily access taskbar icons across all their displays. Fortunately, there is an easy fix for this issue.

In this article, we will walk you through step-by-step instructions on how to enable displaying taskbar buttons on multiple monitors in Windows 10, effectively bringing back the familiar functionality of previous versions like Windows 7 and earlier.

Why You'd Want This Feature

Before diving into the technical details, let's quickly explore some scenarios where having this feature would be particularly useful:

1. Multi-tasking: If you frequently have several applications open on different monitors while working or gaming, being able to easily switch between them without constantly navigating through Start is a huge productivity booster.

2. Full-screen video playback: Imagine watching an action-packed movie in full screen on one monitor and still having quick access to the taskbar button for volume control or minimizing/maximizing the window on another display.

So, let's get started!

Step 1: Enable Multiple Desktops

First things first - ensure that multiple desktops are enabled in Windows 10. To do this:

* Right-click anywhere on your taskbar and select 'Task View' from the context menu.

* If you don't see any desktops listed at the bottom of the window, click on the '+' button next to 'Desktops.'

Step 2: Configure Taskbar Settings

Now that multiple desktops are enabled, let's configure Windows to display taskbar buttons across all monitors:

1. Right-click anywhere on your primary monitor's taskbar (the one you want as your main desktop) and select 'Taskbar settings' from the context menu.

2. In the resulting window, scroll down until you see the 'Multiple Displays' section.

Step 3: Configure Taskbar Settings for Secondary Monitors

For each secondary monitor where you'd like to display taskbar buttons:

1. Click on the three dots (Ellipsis) next to their respective monitor name in the 'Taskbar and Start menu' settings window.

2. In the new window that opens, toggle off the checkbox beside 'Show only on 'Monitor Name'.'

Step 4: Apply Changes

Once you've completed these steps for all your monitors:

1. Close any open applications or documents to ensure changes take effect immediately.

Voilà! You should now be able to easily access taskbar icons across multiple displays in Windows 10, just like in the good old days of Windows XP and earlier versions!

If after following these instructions you still encounter issues with your taskbar not displaying correctly on secondary monitors or if certain applications are not behaving as expected:

* Restart your computer completely.

* Check that Display Fusion (if using) is up-to-date.

In conclusion, customizing the behavior of your PC hardware can greatly enhance productivity and user experience in modern computing environments. By following these simple steps to enable taskbar buttons on multiple monitors in Windows 10, you'll be well-equipped to tackle even the most demanding multi-monitor setups with ease!

Pc hardware monitor with taskbar icons