In Windows 10, Microsoft reduced the size of app icons on the taskbar to 24 x 24. Many users do not like this change and want the icons restored to the larger 32 x 32 size they had in Windows 7 and Windows 8. In this article, we will see how it can be done with a free tool.
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Unfortunately, Microsoft did not provide any way for the end user to adjust the icon size of apps on the taskbar. The taskbar icon size is hardcoded and there is no way to change it natively, not even a Registry value.
However, it can be done with a third party app which does it programmatically.
7+ Taskbar Tweaker is an excellent freeware app which we've covered several times in the past. The current version, which is version 5.0 at the moment of this writing is compatible with Windows 10 and can be used to make taskbar icons bigger! So everyone can make the taskbar icons the same size as Windows 7. Here's how you do it:
- Download 7+ Taskbar Tweaker from HERE.
- Install and run the app.
- Once it starts, it shows a configuration dialog. It looks like this:
The required option is in the app's advanced options, so you need to close this dialog unless you use 7+ Taskbar Tweaker to do various other taskbar tweaks like reducing extra space between icons or getting back the classic taskbar behavior. - Now, you need to open the advanced options. Right click the app's tray (notification area) icon and click the "Advanced options" item in the context menu:
- Scroll down the OptionsEx list to find the option called w10_large_icons. Set it to 1 as shown below:
Tip: You can resize the Advanced Options dialog to make it bigger.
Press Apply and OK.
You are done. Now your taskbar will have big icons like Windows 7 and Windows 8.1!
Before:
After:
7+ Taskbar Tweaker also offers a number of other advanced options which we have covered in detail in this article.
That's it.
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i have done it before but thank you!
This is not possible with a regedit-fix? A 3rd party application is required?
There is no Registry option for this trick.
I tried this tweak but after the application was installed, clicking on run got me a message that says ‘Your System Administrator has blocked this application’ contact your System Administrator…. As I am the System Administrator…. Also tried doing the install routine using “Run As Administrator”, but it also sent me the “Your System Administrator has blocked ” this message. I also ran the IObit Uninstaller app, which wouldn’t completely uninstall the Application; in fact I had to use the RegEdit app to delete the application from the Registry. Any ideas?
Regards,
Techie Bear
1. What is your UAC settings?
2. What is your SmartScreen settings?
3. Which Antivirus software you are using?
Seems like you have some Software Restriction Policies enabled. You can read more about it here:
http://blog.windowsnt.lv/2011/06/01/preventing-malware-with-srp-english/
Either disable those restrictions, or uninstall the tweaker (settings will be kept) and reinstall it in the Program Files folder.
Thanks for this! I forgot about this program. Amazing little tool, forgot how much other nice features it had.
Really weird though that we need to use a tool like this to fix the icon size,
Microsoft really made some weird UI decisions with Windows 10.
Oh well, with a few dozen programs we can fix it all haha.
Yeah. Unfortunately, all recent Windows versions require a bunch of third party tools to make it more friendly to the advanced user.
A shame these third-party tools don’t seem to be open-source. I’m far too paranoid to install a whole third-party program just because I want *one* of its features… :-(
hi
that think works very well. BUT, once I restart the computer it chagnes again and i need to opeb the 7+ tewaker again and than its ok. Is there a way to make this work even when I restart the computer?
thanks
Roy
7 taskbar tweaker should start automatically with Windows.
Are you sure you not removed it from startup?
that solved the problem… thank u!
don’t mention it.
Super bedankt, wat een verademing.
Thanks a lot! It is a breath of fresh air.
Sadly, when I tried to install the tool it said ‘an unsupported build of Windows was detected’ and that if I went ahead it might cause ‘unexpected’ results. So I didn’t risk it. I have the latest Windows version (1903), and can’t read any of the teeny text or see the tiny icons. The 1903 update has made my brand new laptop unusable. I’ll keep looking for some kind of 3rd party workaround, but gutted that I can’t use the one you recommend.