Editing Taskbar (section)

=== Taskbar elements ===
* The '''Start button''', a [[button (computing)|button]] that invokes the [[Start menu]] (or the Start screen in [[Windows 8.1]]). It appears in [[Windows 9x]], [[Windows NT 4.0]] and all its successors, except [[Windows 8]] and [[Windows Server 2012]].
* The '''Quick Launch bar''', introduced on [[Windows 95]] and [[Windows NT 4.0]] through the [[Windows Desktop Update]] for [[Internet Explorer 4]] and bundled with [[Windows 95#Editions|Windows 95 OSR 2.5]] [[Windows 98]], contains shortcuts to applications. Windows provides default entries, such as ''Launch [[Internet Explorer]] Browser'', and the user or third-party software may add any further shortcuts that they choose. A single click on the application's icon in this area launches the application. This section may not always be present: for example it is turned off by default in [[Windows XP]] and [[Windows 7]].
* The Windows shell places a '''taskbar button''' on the taskbar whenever an application creates an unowned window: that is, a window that does not have a parent and that is created according to normal Windows user interface guidelines. Typically all [[Single Document Interface]] applications have a single taskbar button for each open window, although [[modal window]]s may also appear there.
** [[Windows 98]] and [[Windows Desktop Update]] for Windows 95 introduced the ability to minimize foreground windows by clicking their button on the taskbar. They also introduced DeskBands (band objects).<ref>[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/band-objects Creating Custom Explorer Bars, Tool Bands, and Desk Bands]</ref><ref>[https://kaisernet.neocities.org/library/1997/0801/cover126.htm The Next Windows: Windows 98]</ref>
** [[Windows 2000]] introduced balloon notifications.
** [[Windows Me]] added an option to disable moving or resizing the taskbar.
** [[Windows XP]] introduced ''taskbar grouping'', which can group the taskbar buttons of several windows from the same application into a single button. This button pops up a menu listing all the grouped windows when clicked. This keeps the taskbar from being overcrowded when many windows are open at once.
** [[Windows Vista]] introduced window previews which show thumbnail views of the application in real-time. This capability is provided by the [[Desktop Window Manager]]. The Start menu [[tooltip]] no longer says "Click here to begin" but now says simply "Start".
** [[Windows 7]] introduced [[Features new to Windows 7|jumplists]] which are menus that provide shortcuts to recently opened documents, frequently opened documents, folders paths (in case of Windows Explorer), or various options (called Tasks) which apply to that specific program or pinned website shortcut. Jump lists appear when the user right-clicks on an icon in the taskbar or drags the icon upwards with the mouse left click. Recent and frequent files and folders can be pinned inside the jump list.
** [[Windows 7]] introduced the ability to pin applications to the taskbar so that buttons for launching them appear when they are not running. Previously, the Quick Launch was used to pin applications to the taskbar; however, running programs appeared as a separate button.
** [[Windows 7]] removed [[Features removed from Windows 7#Taskbar|several classic taskbar features]].
** [[Windows 11]] removed ''taskbar grouping'', possibly to have the functionality to move the taskbar to the left side of the screen, etc., but the old taskbar could be reactivated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-25 |title=How to Restore or Enable Classic Taskbar in Windows 11 (All Versions) – AskVG |url=https://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-or-enable-classic-taskbar-in-windows-11-all-versions-22h2/ |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=www.askvg.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
* '''{{visible anchor|Deskbands|text=Deskbands}}''' are minimized functional, long-running programs, such as Windows Media Player. Programs that minimize to deskbands are not displayed in the taskbar.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511448.aspx |title=Windows Vista Developer Center - The Windows desktop |access-date=2008-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127105104/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511448.aspx |archive-date=2010-01-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The '''{{visible anchor|notification_area|text=notification area}}''' is the portion of the taskbar that displays icons for system and program features that have no presence on the desktop as well as the time and the volume icon. It contains mainly icons that show status information, though some programs, such as [[Winamp]], use it for minimized windows. By default, this is located in the bottom-right of the primary monitor (or bottom-left on languages of Windows that use right-to-left reading order), or at the bottom of the taskbar if docked vertically. The clock appears here, and applications can put icons in the notification area to indicate the status of an operation or to notify the user about an event. For example, an application might put a printer icon in the status area to show that a print job is under way, or a display driver application may provide quick access to various screen resolutions. The notification area is commonly referred to as the '''system tray''', which Microsoft states is wrong,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310429 | title=How to remove items from the notification area in Windows 2000 | date=November 1, 2006 | access-date=2008-10-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Microsoft Style Guide: System Tray |url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/s/system-tray |access-date=2020-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511448.aspx | title=Notification Area | work=Microsoft Developer Network | access-date=2008-05-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100127105104/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511448.aspx | archive-date=2010-01-27 | url-status=dead }}</ref> although the term is sometimes used in Microsoft documentation,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/162613 | title=How To Manipulate Icons in the System Tray with Visual Basic | date=2004-07-15 | access-date=2009-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/176085 | title=How to use the System Tray directly from Visual Basic | date=2006-09-26 | access-date=2009-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa668899(VS.71).aspx | title=System Tray Icon Sample | date=14 November 2006 | access-date=2009-01-23}}</ref> articles,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc188923.aspx | title=System Tray Balloon Tips and Freeing Resources Quickly in .NET | date=November 2002 | access-date=2009-01-23}}</ref> software descriptions,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=bff59fcf-3148-40b8-a286-fe7274f6e4d8&displaylang=en | title=Microsoft Time Zone | website=[[Microsoft]] | date=2004-10-20 | access-date=2009-01-23}}</ref> and even applications from Microsoft such as [[Bing Desktop]]. [[Raymond Chen (Microsoft)|Raymond Chen]] suggests the confusion originated with systray.exe, a small application that controlled some icons within the notification area in Windows 95.<ref name=chenBlog /> The notification area is also referred to as the '''status area''' by Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776822(v=vs.85).aspx | title=The Taskbar | date=11 January 2008 | access-date=2011-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb762159(v=vs.85).aspx | title=Shell_NotifyIcon Function | access-date=2011-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/162613 | title=How To Manipulate Icons in the System Tray with Visual Basic | access-date=2011-06-09}}</ref> In the current edition of Microsoft Writing Style Guide, Microsoft has clarified that beginning with Windows 11, system tray is now the preferred term,[https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/s/system-tray] while notification area is the term used in Windows 10 and Windows 8.[https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/n/notification-area]
** In older versions of Windows the notification area icons were limited to 16 colors. [[Windows Me]] added support for high color notification area icons.
** Starting with Windows XP, the user can choose to always show or hide some icons, or hide them if inactive for some time. A button allows the user to reveal all the icons.
** Starting with Windows Vista, the taskbar notification area is split into two areas: one reserved for system icons including clock, volume, network and power; the other for applications.
** Starting with Windows 7, the system icons and applications are shown in the same area again.
** Starting with Windows 11, the separate volume, network, and power icons are combined into a single button that opens a quick settings menu when clicked. The clock and notification center buttons are also combined.
* Since the Windows 95 Desktop Update, the Quick Launch bar featured '''{{visible anchor|Show_desktop|text=Show desktop}}''' as one of its default shortcuts which automatically minimizes all opened applications, redundant with the [[Windows key#Use with Microsoft Windows|Winkey-D key combination]]. On Windows 7, a dedicated Show desktop button was placed to the right of the notification area and could not be removed. With the "Peek" option enabled, hovering over the button hides all opened windows to expose the desktop (leaving outlines of them on-screen). On Windows 10, the "Show desktop" widget changed yet again, being reduced to a narrow iconless strip at the far right of the taskbar. On Windows 11, the "Show Desktop" widget can be disabled from the taskbar settings.