The all new Windows 7 taskbar is simply great. The new taskbar has been packed with several new features such as jump lists, progress info bar, aero peek, & pin to taskbar.
Unlike earlier version of Windows, Windows 7 taskbar is fully customizable. Windows 7 enthusiasts have created a few tools that allow you tweak and customize Windows 7 easily.
7 tools to tweak and customize the taskbar in Windows 7
1. 7 Taskbar Tweaker: We blogged about this handy tool just a few days back. If you want to enable/disable on or more taskbar features, this is the perfect tool. For example, you can customize middle click behaviour, and enable disable thumbnail preview easily.
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2. 7Stacks: 7 Stacks is a free application that lets you have stacks of icons in Windows 7 taskbar. This is very useful if you like to make the Windows 7 taskbar more productive.
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3. Taskbar Texturizer: A small utility that enables you texturize Windows 7 taskbar.
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4. Desktop Peek Tweak: If you have been using Windows 7 for a while now, you probably have observed the peek button present in the extreme right of the taskbar (next to clock) that allows you temporarily preview the desktop. Desktop Peek Tweak allows you tweak the desktop peek time so that you can preview the desktop instantly.
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5. TransTaskbar: Although Windows 7 taskbar is customizable in several ways, you are not allowed to the change the transparency level by default. This tool helps you set your own taskbar transparency level easily.
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6. Jumplist Launcher: Jumplist Launcher allows you create a custom jump list to quickly access files, folders and applications right from the taskbar. This is a standalone program, which requires no installation.
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7. Windows 7Ap Launcher: In order to save your precious time, this tool helps you launch a single or set of applications with the help of a hotkey or Windows 7 jump lists feature.
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Let us know if you know any free Windows 7 tweaking tools.
If you are on Windows 10, don’t forget to check out our 15 ways to customize Windows 10 taskbar guide.
yor mome says
thank you very cool
marni says
I agree with Ibn Mohammed: it’s poo. Oh, when it works, it’s great. But many times, daily, it pops up when you overshoot with your cursor. This is INFURIATING, like a digital mosquito buzzing around.
And Microsoft, these rocket scientists, in their infinite wisdom, offer no way to simply turn it off for a period of time, and/or after exiting an app [just a hotkey- is that so much to ask???].
Yes, there are utilities that offer to temporarily disable it, like the fine “TaskBar Hider”, but then you have to turn off the supression when you want to use the taskbar, which also takes time.
The closest i’ve found to a fix: find a taskbar transparency controller, set it to max clear, and shift your app and file shortcuts to an app launcher, of which there are many [my fave: Eusing], leaving the taskbar both clear and mostly empty. That way it’ll continue its maddening jack-in-box behavior, but it won’t be noticable.
ibnMuhammad says
Err, Windows 7 and 8 taskbar is a pile of poo.
Not to mention that stupid Microsoft in their infinite wisdom have decided to take away all taskbar customisations, especially in Windows 8. Now all that users are left with is just a stupid setting to change the background colour!
It’s far worse than XP in terms of usability.
For example, now it’s even more difficult to tell which application is active, and the mouse-over effect is simply annoying eye-candy which can’t be disabled. The the jump lists are pretty useless, but thankfully it can be disabled with 7+ tweaker, and the spacing between apps is inconsistent, not to mention that apps are bunched together out-of-order and not the order in which you started them.
But by far the biggest pain is lack of customisation and stupid Microsoft taking away all options from users and not even allowing us to switch back to the best theme of all – Classic, i.e. Win2000 style without any painful eye-candy!
staryahoo-IND says
thanks for the post ….
Anthony says
is genial thanks for the excellent post..