Toolbars not displaying properly when taskbar is on the side of the screen

[BenReilly]

Before reporting your issue

• I have confirmed that this issue does not happen when ExplorerPatcher is not installed
• I do not have "register as shell extension" enabled
• I have tried my best to check existing issues

Repro ExplorerPatcher versions

ExplorerPatcher 22621.4317.67.1

Repro Windows Versions

Win11 24H2 26100.2894 - 64-bit, x64 processor

3rd party tweak software installed

none

Describe the bug

1. uninstalled EP
2. updated windows 11 to 24H2
3. reinstalled EP
4. had to redo all my settings in EP, including re-assigning my custom toolbars
5. made sure EP had hide the dividers on
6. manually reduced the distance between toolbars insofar as it was possible.
7. locked the task bar

Expected outcome

expect there to be only empty space in between the title of the toolbar and the carats to open it.

Actual outcome

result: icons in the toolbars are peeking out.

Additional info

No response

Crash Dumps

No response

Media

No response

[pyrates999]

Right click on the taskbar and untick lock the taskbar. Then expand the length of the taskbar. Then right click on the taskbar and tick lock the taskbar.

[BenReilly]

do you mean the WIDTH? because making it taller just shows more of the icon.

fiddling with the width doesn't change things either though.

[milesprower2293]

@BenReilly Unlock the taskbar and resize the toolbars

[BenReilly]

@milesprower2293 i've already done that. it doesn't change things

[pyrates999]

In EP Properties application, go to taskbar, and try setting the icon size to be small instead of large.

did you also increase the font size for the taskbar? https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-can-i-increase-the-font-size-of-the-taskbar-in/cc613f70-b598-403a-9105-8be35a5f32de

If so, please tell us the size you set it to.

[BenReilly]

The icons were already set to small. I toggled it a couple times just to be sure, sadly no dice.

I have not changed the font sizes in windows accessibility

[pyrates999]

can you show us what happens when you unlock the toolbar and increase the width?

[BenReilly]

Starting condition:

unlock taskbar:

widen the taskbar:

lock the taskbar:

ETA: it feels weird that the icons are so big. I keep checking the settings to make sure that they're on small, but they are.

[pyrates999]

You've managed to create a toolbar for each icon. That is why it is showing the way it is.

If you want a quick launch toolbar, follow this, but only add one: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4624-add-remove-quick-launch-toolbar-windows-10-a.html

And yes this is for windows 10, but the steps remain the same when using the EP implemented windows 10 taskbar in windows 11.

[BenReilly]

That's not what's happening. Those are seven different quicklaunch bars

ETA: note that until 24h2 these were behaving normal with EP

[Amrsatrio]

So the issue here is toolbar icons do not look like this when set to small already?

[Amrsatrio]

Here are my takes on your issue:

• Since I don't understand exactly what's improper, I would suggest rolling back to 22H2/23H2 and demonstrate to me how it should look in the Windows 10 (non-ExplorerPatcher) taskbar. Or reset your toolbar or use another 24H2 PC/VM to demonstrate how to set up your toolbars as such and how you expect them to look like.
• The Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher) taskbar for 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2 has been bundled with EP since around August 2024, and you had the chance to try the reimplemented taskbar ahead of time and report such issues if they are present, but today you have upgraded to 24H2 so basically you no longer have access to the stock Windows 10 taskbar, further complicating matters.

[Amrsatrio]

I keep checking the settings to make sure that they're on small

Are you sure that you did it by right clicking the contents of the toolbar while the taskbar is unlocked, and then through the View submenu selecting Small icons? Works on 22621.3296 and 26100.2605. They become small like the screenshot I sent above, unlike your screenshots at the top.

[Amrsatrio]

If you want the toolbars to only show the title and the button to open the menu (>>, called chevron) while the taskbar is locked, you have to not touch the handle at all. Touching the handle would cause it to have a fixed size internally so that it will appear like in your screenshots when locked, and to remove the "fixed size" you have to remove the toolbar and add it again. This behavior happens in the leftover Windows 10 taskbar in 22H2 so it shouldn't be a bug in the reimplemented taskbar on 24H2.

[BenReilly]

The problem is that the icons should not display at all when the toolbar is not open, and this is only achievable if the taskbar is unlocked.

Here's what it looked like when properly spaced and the taskbar is locked ever since Win 7

The oversized icon only appears when the toolbar is sized in such a way that there is space between the menus. When the menu is open it shows small icons like in my last screen shot.

If you want the toolbars to only show the title and the button to open the menu (>>, called chevron) while the taskbar is locked, you have to not touch the handle at all.

I don't think I believe this. I reported the steps as I thought most relevant, but the mis-applied spacing appeared BEFORE I did the resizing to correct it -- after step 4 of my original post.

[pyrates999]

The problem is that the icons should not display at all when the toolbar is not open, and this is only achievable if the taskbar is unlocked.

Here's what it looked like when properly spaced and the taskbar is locked ever since Win 7

The oversized icon only appears when the toolbar is sized in such a way that there is space between the menus. When the menu is open it shows small icons like in my last screen shot.

If you want the toolbars to only show the title and the button to open the menu (>>, called chevron) while the taskbar is locked, you have to not touch the handle at all.

I don't think I believe this. I reported the steps as I thought most relevant, but the mis-applied spacing appeared BEFORE I did the resizing to correct it -- after step 4 of my original post.

I suggest you create a windows 10 vm that is up to date in patches, put the taskbar on the left side and recreate your toolbars on it. And then see how it behaves.

[BenReilly]

I have never been more happy to report I'm wrong. I went back to 24h2, reinstalled EP, added the toolbars while the taskbar was locked, adn they now appear properly.

Thank you for making a great product, and may Microsoft get its #### together and stop making it hard for us to use Windows as we like