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Toward a Better Computing Experience |
Neil Stahfest, Vice President, Tacoma Area PC User Group, Washington, the Data Line, NCStahfest (at) msn.com, www.tapcug.org |
One of the features of Windows 7 lets you pin program icons onto the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. This allows you to easily start your favorite program without opening the Start Menu or hunting around your desktop for the icon. It also lets you start and run programs with a single mouse click.
You can attach programs to the taskbar by first opening the Start Menu and locating the program you want. Then, place your mouse pointer on the program name and press the right mouse button. In the window that opens, locate “Pin to taskbar” and left-click. That’s all there is to it!
You can remove icons from the task bar just as easily. Just move your mouse pointer over the icon to be removed. Right-click and select “Unpin this program from taskbar”.
Some people like to pin start icons for all the programs they routinely use to the Windows Taskbar. Windows will push the icons closer together when it needs more room but eventually it may be impossible to see them in the space available.
So is what can you do if this happens? I would probably figure I had too many icons and start deleting some. However, Windows 7 provides another solution.
Move your mouse pointer on the taskbar to a place on the taskbar where it doesn’t touch any icons. This may be hard to find but try someplace near the Windows Start button. Now, right-click to reveal the window shown on the right. You’ll probably see a check mark next to “Lock the taskbar”. This locks the size (height) of the taskbar. Click to remove the check mark. Now move your mouse pointer to where the taskbar touches the main window. The pointer should change into a vertical double arrow. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the top of the taskbar up. This will give you a wider taskbar and should reveal any hidden icons. At this point you can relock the taskbar if you choose.
Of course my advice, just as with desktop icons, is to minimize. Only put icons for programs you use all the time on your taskbar and icons for programs you use most of the time on your Windows desktop. If you need a program that’s not on your taskbar or desktop, you can always locate it in your Start menu. You can always add a program’s icon to your desktop or taskbar by finding it in the Start menu, right-clicking on the name and then selecting “Pin to Taskbar” or “Pin to Start Menu:.
