How to Make Multiple Taskbar Buttons Automatically Switch to the Last Active Window
By Timothy Tibbetts |
As you already know, all apps with multiple Windows open are found in a single button on the Taskbar. You can line your mouse over, then click on the window you want to open, or press CTRL and click and scroll through the Windows. With a simple registry change, we can make it, so you only need to click to open the last active window simply by clicking the Taskbar icon.
For our example, we're using Notepad opened three times. We're used to seeing the following when we mouseover.
We can make the change by editing the registry, or by downloading and applying our registry files.
1: Use Registry Files
Download the registry files from MajorGeeks.
There are two files included:
Add LastActiveClick.reg
Remove LastActiveClick.reg
Double-click Add LastActiveClick.reg to make your taskbar buttons always switch to the last active window
Double-click Remove Restart Desktop Context Menu.reg to restore Windows original settings.
Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control.
Click Yes when prompted by Registry Editor.
Click OK when prompted by the Registry Editor.
This tweak is included as part of MajorGeeks Registry Tweaks.
2: Edit the Registry
Open Regedit and type HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced into the search bar.
Right-click on the Advanced key and click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new value LastActiveClick.
Double-click on LastActiveClick, and change the Value Data to 1.
This is one registry edit that requires a reboot, or you can sign out and back into Windows.
As you can see, once I click on the Notepad icon, the last active window will open.
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For our example, we're using Notepad opened three times. We're used to seeing the following when we mouseover.
We can make the change by editing the registry, or by downloading and applying our registry files.
1: Use Registry Files
Download the registry files from MajorGeeks.
There are two files included:
Add LastActiveClick.reg
Remove LastActiveClick.reg
Double-click Add LastActiveClick.reg to make your taskbar buttons always switch to the last active window
Double-click Remove Restart Desktop Context Menu.reg to restore Windows original settings.
Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control.
Click Yes when prompted by Registry Editor.
Click OK when prompted by the Registry Editor.
This tweak is included as part of MajorGeeks Registry Tweaks.
2: Edit the Registry
Open Regedit and type HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced into the search bar.
Right-click on the Advanced key and click on New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new value LastActiveClick.
Double-click on LastActiveClick, and change the Value Data to 1.
This is one registry edit that requires a reboot, or you can sign out and back into Windows.
As you can see, once I click on the Notepad icon, the last active window will open.
Similar:
comments powered by Disqus