14 DAY TRIAL // The Windows 10 taskbar continues to be an essential part of the experience with the desktop operating system and while it did receive some improvements in the most recent feature updates, it’s no secret everything is still far from what people expect from a modern piece of software.
In other words, yes, the taskbar has evolved, but it’s still not where users expect it to be.
At this point, there are several features the taskbar would need not only to become a more useful piece of the Windows 10 arsenal but also to align with the overhaul the operating system overall has evolved.
Centered icons
I know you’ve heard this before, but centered icons make so much sense for many users out there, especially as our screens are getting larger and larger.
Being able to center the icons on the taskbar is not only a feature that makes using apps a bit easier but also one that improves the overall design, though I must admit it does push Windows 10 close to macOS in terms of UI.
And while Microsoft is not interested in such an update, there are already apps out there that can move the icons to the center of the taskbar, and the big number of users who already installed them is living proof Microsoft should offer such capabilities at the OS level.
On the other hand, the way the taskbar aligns icons to the left is something that feels incredibly familiar for Windows users, so if anything, Microsoft should ad least make the centered icons an option available in settings, thus giving everybody more control over how they want everything to look on the desktop.
App groups
Once again, this idea comes from the third-party app ecosystem, as someone has created a little tool that makes it possible to group icons on the taskbar in folders.
This is something that comes in really handy especially if you have tons of apps pinned to the taskbar, so you can group them in folders that make more sense overall. You can, for instance, put all your taskbar icons for games in their own folder, move work icons to their dedicated category, and things like that, all while keeping everything organized.
I know have close to 20 icons pinned to the taskbar and it’s getting crowded here, so such a feature could actually help me make some room on the taskbar and find a specific app much faster if I know where it’s placed.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft actually makes this happen in a future update, especially because it’s a feature that would increase productivity, a concept the company has been obsessed about lately.
Music controls in the taskbar
I don’t know about you, but I listen to music almost the entire time I work on my laptop, so media controls embedded right in the taskbar would definitely come in handy.
Back in the days when Windows Vista was still a thing, Windows Media Player could actually be embedded into the taskbar and provide you with the essential playback controls without you having to open the app.
Things have changed since then, so right now, you can just cover the app's icon and you’ll see the same controls, though this obviously requires one extra action and is not really straightforward on a 2-in-1 device where you occasionally use touch too.
Overall, however, I don’t expect Microsoft to make this happen, especially since the whole thing could end up causing quite a lot of issues given the potential compatibility problems with apps out there.