Insiders can now test the brand new taskbar overflow feature in Windows 11, allowing users to stack application shortcuts beyond the measurable confines of the screen.
A small change can make a big difference to your workflow on Windows, which is lucky because Microsoft seems intent on delivering a trickle of really useful Windows 11 features to your computer. us for months and years. However, I still like the look of this taskbar overflow feature, if only because it feels like a feature that should be in the operating system.
If you stack too many application shortcuts along the currently centered taskbar in Windows 11, a new extras menu will display. It even has many of the same functions as the regular taskbar.
“The extras menu will contain many of the current taskbar behaviors that users are familiar with, such as support for pinned apps, jump lists, and an extended user interface,” the Windows blog (opens in a new tab) speak. “After calling the add-on, the menu will quietly dismiss when you click outside of it or navigate to an app.”
Now, the only way to overflow your taskbar is to fill it with apps; Easier said than done if you’re not close to the limit. I spent five minutes dragging nearly every app on my PC to the taskbar and just managed to hit the 50-app overflow mark.
But I’m using a large 4K monitor—the real estate you have available to you will be determined by your screen size and Windows aspect ratio. I scaled on my PC from 150% to 300% and then it only took 21 apps to reach the overflow. On compact laptops and smaller screens, I can find it useful.
But what happens when you fill the spill? Surprisingly the world doesn’t end. Some little arrows just pop up allowing you to slide between redundant apps.
There’s no word on when this feature will appear in the shipping version of Windows 11, though it could be sooner than the next major update to the operating system as Microsoft no longer limits itself. in those packaged updates as well.
