Add new tools to your taskbar

What you need: 7+ Taskbar Tweaker; Windows 7, 8 or 10 Time required: 25 minutes

YourPC’S taskbar has many useful features, such as jump lists (recently accessed files or documents in a program) and stacked icons representing multiple windows of the same program. 7+ Taskbar Tweaker is a free program that lets you add even more excellent tools. For example, you can replace jump lists with a list of task options and stack multiple programs within one icon. It also lets you change what your mouse buttons do when you click your taskbar items or move your cursor over them.

STEP1

To download the program, go to www.snipca. com/21877, click the setup link (in the Download section), then run the downloaded file to install the program. When it opens, you’ll see a window with three columns of settings. There is no OK or Apply button to confirm your changes because these are instantly applied to your taskbar. The default settings are clearly marked 1 so it’s easy to revert to them if you’re not happy with changes you make.

STEP2

By default, right-clicking an icon on your taskbar reveals a jump list with useful options for that particular program. For example, right-clicking Chrome on the taskbar lists websites you’ve recently visited. Now select ‘Standard window menu’ 1 in the program’s ‘Right click’ section. From now on, whenever you right-click Chrome on your taskbar, you’ll see a pop-up menu with a list of task options 2 .

STEP3

Whenever you move your cursor over a taskbar icon, then press the middle mouse button, it opens a new window of the same program. With 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, you can set this action to open the program, minimise it, or close it 1 instead. Likewise, you can change what happens when you hover your cursor over a taskbar icon 2 , show a list of the program’s open windows 3 , see a description of the program, or do nothing.