Suggestion to make File Explorer taskbar buttons easier to read

Show the drive letter and folder name (rather than the first part of the path) on taskbar buttons for File Explorer

from Stardock Forums

Having migrated to Windows 11, I have now installed Start11 purely to reinstate the ability to de-combine taskbar buttons. I much prefer that each open Word document have its own button, but Windows 11 insists on combining them into a single button for Word. 

However, I often flick between different file explorer windows, and find it frustrating that buttons for File Explorer show the first part of the entire path, rather than the folder name. Note that this behavior is not specific to Start11, it happened with Windows 10 too, so I'm actually proposing an enhancement to basic Windows functionality. As an example, my taskbar currently has 3 File Explorer buttons, all displaying "C:\Users\john...", and the only way of knowing which folder each one refers to is to hover over it with the mouse. It would be great to have the option of displaying the drive letter and the folder name instead - for example "C:\...House", "C:\...Finance", "C:\...Hobbies". The folder name is much more meaningful than the path, and the drive letter is important when using pen drives etc.

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5,376 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

I have forwarded your report to the Stardock support team for their review and recommendations.

Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates.

We really do appreciate your feedback, thanks.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top


Having migrated to Windows 11, I have now installed Start11 purely to reinstate the ability to de-combine taskbar buttons. I much prefer that each open Word document have its own button, but Windows 11 insists on combining them into a single button for Word. 

However, I often flick between different file explorer windows, and find it frustrating that buttons for File Explorer show the first part of the entire path, rather than the folder name. Note that this behavior is not specific to Start11, it happened with Windows 10 too, so I'm actually proposing an enhancement to basic Windows functionality. As an example, my taskbar currently has 3 File Explorer buttons, all displaying "C:\Users\john...", and the only way of knowing which folder each one refers to is to hover over it with the mouse. It would be great to have the option of displaying the drive letter and the folder name instead - for example "C:\...House", "C:\...Finance", "C:\...Hobbies". The folder name is much more meaningful than the path, and the drive letter is important when using pen drives etc.
End of quote

You can already do this in Windows 11. Go to the Windows Folder Options and on the View tab, uncheck the box by "Display the full path in the title bar." This will display the folder name on the taskbar button instead of the full path. Unfortunately it will not show the drive letter, only the folder name.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Many thanks for that really useful tip pelaird - I now see just the folder name on the taskbar button, which is a huge improvement on the beginning of the path which is usually the same for all my File Explorer windows! I can still view the full path in the address bar within File Explorer, so no functionality has been lost there.

As you say, I still don't see the drive letter on the taskbar, which can be important e.g. when switching between folders of the same name on my hard drive and an external disk or pen drive. So the enhancement I originally suggested would still be useful, if Stardock feel they could implement it without too much effort.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Glad to help. I actually found this when trying to remedy the same issue with the tabs in Groupy. I don’t ungroup the taskbar buttons, because with Groupy the tabs are in the actual Explorer window. You should try it. B)  

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Sounds good - I'll take a look at Groupy!

I've just stumbled upon a few articles suggesting that Microsoft have been looking to introduce a tabbed version of File Explorer for some time. That would be great, but they seem to have deferred it multiple times.