Taskbar buttons and tray icons can be reorganized in Windows XP/Vista to make it easier to access your tasks. Here are some tips:

  1. On the taskbar, right-click on one of the icons and select “New Taskbar Button or Tray Icon.” This will create a new taskbar button or tray icon.
  2. On the taskbar, right-click on another icon and select “New Taskbar Button or Tray Icon.” This will create a new taskbar button or tray icon for that icon.
  3. Right-click on one of the icons on the task bar and select “Delete.” This will delete the existing task bar button or tray icon for that icon.
  4. Right-click on another icon on the task bar and select “New TaskBar Button or Tray Icon.” This will create a new task bar button or trayIcon for thaticon, but with no associated tasks listed in its properties. To add atask to this new toolbar, right-click on it and select “Add New Task.”

Once installed, you can simply drag and drop to reorganize the taskbar buttons.

You can also hold down the Ctrl key and reorganize the tray icons… notice that the Outlook icon is in the middle here…

And after moving it now it’s over on the right.

The settings dialog gives a really interesting option, the ability to group tasks but not collapse them into a button… so instead of this:

You get this… you’ll notice the three Windows Live Writer buttons are grouped, but not consolidated into a button.

To set this option, open up the Settings dialog and choose the option for “group tasks but never collapse into one button”.

You’ll also note that you can close windows with a middle click, which makes the taskbar work like Firefox’s tab bar.

Very useful utility, and you don’t necessarily have to keep it running all the time. Just start it up when you want to move the buttons around, and then close it.

Download Taskbar Shuffle