Windows 7: Article

By John Campbell

One of the most useful features in Windows 7 is the ability to pin and unpin application icons to your Taskbar.

This gives you instant access to your programs. You no longer need to use the Start menu to find the program or access its shortcut on your Desktop.

In this article about Windows 7’s new Taskbar you’ll learn about:

1. Pinning applications
2. Unpinning applications
3. Re-arranging Taskbar buttons
4. The Taskbar Expander
5. Enlarging the Taskbar

Pinning Applications
There are several ways you can pin a program icon to the Taskbar.

Here’s the usual method.

1. Click the Start Orb.
2. Select All Programs.
3. Scroll down to the application you wish to pin.
4. Right click on it.
5. In the menu, select Pin to Taskbar.
6. The application you’ve chosen appears on the Taskbar.

Other Ways to Pin to the Taskbar

• If you have used an application recently, the program will be listed in the Start menu. Right-click on it and select Pin to Taskbar.
• You can drag and drop a program icon from the Start menu or a program shortcut from your Desktop directly onto the Taskbar.

Unpinning Applications
It is a simple matter to remove an unwanted pinned application from the taskbar.

1. Right-click on the icon
2. Choose Unpin this program from the taskbar.

Re-arranging Taskbar Icons
Once you load your Taskbar with useful application buttons you may find you need to re-order them.

You can re-position the Taskbar’s application buttons by dragging and dropping.

1. Move the Mouse pointer onto the application button you want to relocate.
2. Hold down the left mouse button and drag to the new location on the Taskbar.
3. Release the mouse button.
4. The application button is now in its new location.

The illustration below shows you the sequence to follow.

Handling a Full Taskbar
There is no limit as to how many icons you can add to the Taskbar. However, as soon as it fills, the Taskbar expands to fit in the additional icons. The last pinned application icons are hidden in the expanded section.

Taskbar Expander
When you fill it up your Taskbar with application icons, Windows creates a switching button, which I’ll call the Expander, that allows you access to the additional icons.

Windows 7 adds the Expander button bar to the end of the Taskbar. This allows you to switch between the two parts by clicking the up or down arrow buttons.

1. Click the Down arrow button to see the remainder of the added icons.

2. The Taskbar displays the second section.

Enlarging the Taskbar
If you prefer you can manually enlarge the Taskbar itself. This involves enlarging the Taskbar by dragging to expand it.

1. Move the mouse pointer to the top edge.
2. Drag up.

3. The Taskbar expands showing both sections.

One Final Trick
For a quick way to open a program button on the Taskbar, consider this!

Windows 7 numbers the first 12 buttons starting from the left.

So if you want to open say, “Word, hold down the Windows key and press key 7. Windows opens Word.