Start11

When multiple windows of the same application are open (for example, File Explorer or a web browser), the taskbar behavior becomes incorrect.

from Stardock Forums

Hello,

I’m interested in purchasing your product, but during the trial I encountered a bug that affects usability.

Issue Description:

When multiple windows of the same application are open (for example, File Explorer or a web browser), the taskbar behavior becomes incorrect.

Steps to Reproduce:

  1. Open two or more instances of the same application (e.g., File Explorer or a browser).
  2. Click the application icon on the taskbar using the left mouse button.

Actual Result:

  • Instead of behaving like the default Windows taskbar, clicking the taskbar icon triggers a completely different application or shortcut.

Expected Result:

  • The taskbar should behave like the standard Windows taskbar:
    • When hovering over the icon, previews of all open windows should appear.
    • Clicking the icon should not trigger any unrelated actions or applications.
    • The behavior should remain consistent with native Windows taskbar logic (no unexpected launches or shortcuts).

Additional Notes:

  • If I hover over the icon and manually select one of the preview windows, everything works correctly.
  • The issue only occurs when directly clicking the taskbar icon.
  • When I disable your software, the default Windows behavior is restored and everything works as expected.

Questions:

  • Is this a known issue?
  • Are there any workarounds?
  • Is a fix planned in upcoming updates?

 

Thank you in advance.

Moved to Start Menu Products area

start11 stardock software start menu products
324 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Are you using v2.6 or 2.7 as v2.7 had a fix for something just like this.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. First, to make sure Start11 was properly install. Please try, uninstall Start11, reboot immediately (important), Reinstall it, reboot immediately again. Retest it and report back.

If the issue still appear. we need more information.

  1. Windows 10 or 11? Also we need its full version and OS Build number. Use Winver.exe.
  2. Start11 full version number you have installed.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Subject: New regression after the latest Start11 update – taskbar stops responding when multiple windows of the same application are open

Hello,

After the latest Start11 update, the previous issue appears to have been changed, but the new behavior is significantly worse.

Previous issue

Previously, when two or more windows of the same application were open (for example, File Explorer or a web browser), clicking the application's taskbar icon sometimes activated an unrelated application or shortcut instead of behaving like the standard Windows taskbar.

However, there was still a workaround:

  • Hovering the mouse over the taskbar icon displayed thumbnails of all open windows.

  • I could select the desired window from those previews and continue working normally.

Current issue (after the latest update)

Now, when I open two windows of the same application (for example, two browser windows or File Explorer windows), the taskbar becomes non-functional for that application.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open a browser (or File Explorer).

  2. Open a second window of the same application (regular window or Incognito window).

  3. Click the application's icon on the taskbar.

  4. Hover the mouse over the taskbar icon.

Actual result

  • Clicking the taskbar icon does nothing.

  • Hovering over the icon does not display the window previews.

  • I cannot access either of the open windows through the taskbar.

  • The taskbar appears to stop responding completely for that application until the number of open windows is reduced to one.

Expected result

The taskbar should behave exactly like the standard Windows taskbar:

  • When multiple windows of the same application are open, hovering over the taskbar icon should display previews (thumbnails) of all open windows.

  • Clicking the icon should follow the standard Windows taskbar behavior and never launch unrelated applications or shortcuts.

  • All open windows should remain accessible through the taskbar at all times.

Additional information

The previous issue has not been fixed correctly. Instead, the latest update introduced a regression that makes the taskbar effectively unusable whenever multiple windows of the same application are open.

This new behavior is significantly worse than before because there is now no way to access any of the open windows through the taskbar.

Please investigate this regression and restore the standard Windows taskbar behavior.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

I have two displays.

 

  • Primary display: the Start11 taskbar is positioned at the bottom.
  • Secondary display: the Start11 taskbar is positioned vertically on the right side.