In this post, I will show you how to configure taskbar small button behavior using Group Policy (GPO). This is a new Windows 11 policy introduced with the 25H2 feature update, and it allows you to control when Windows uses smaller taskbar icons.
This setting is part of the wider set of taskbar layout configuration options available in Windows 11. I have also covered other taskbar layout settings, such as configuring the Widgets area and setting taskbar pins through Intune. You can use those guides to configure the taskbar layout based on your requirements.
Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior GPO setting is backed by the taskbar.admx template, which is included in the Windows 11 25H2 ADMX template files. This setting is also available through the Start CSP. Using this policy, you can configure taskbar small button behavior to Always, Never, or Only when the taskbar is full (default option).
Contents
Import ADMX Templates for Windows 11 25H2
If you want to create a GPO to configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior setting, you must first download and install the latest ADMX template files for Windows 11 25H2. As a best practice, you can copy these template files into the central store on a domain controller. If you want to understand about how to copy the template files into the central store, refer to the link: #copy-administrative-templates-to-the-central-store.
Prerequisites
- Windows 11 25H2 or later.
- Latest Windows 11 ADMX templates copied to your Central Store or installed locally on the machine where you are creating the GPO.
- You have the permission to create and link GPOs in the required OU.
Create a GPO to Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior
To create a Group Policy, you will need the Group Policy Management Console. This console is installed by default on the domain controller. You can also install it on a remote computer to manage Group Policies.
Let’s now look at the steps to create a GPO to configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior.
- Login to a domain controller and open Group policy management console (gpmc.msc). Right-click on Users OU > Select Create a GPO in this domain, Link it here and provide a name of the New GPO, For example: Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior.
I recommend to start by using an OU that contains test users. Once testing is successful, and you’re satisfied with the results, expand the policy to other users by linking it to an OU that contains the remaining users in your organization.
- Right-click on Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior policy and select Edit.
- Go to User Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar and find Configure Taskbar Small Button Behavior setting. Double-click on it to configure. Set it to Enabled and use the drop-down to configure it to one of the following values:
- Always: The taskbar will always use small buttons.
- When taskbar is full: The taskbar will dynamically switch between small buttons and standard button sizes based on the available space. This is also the default option, if you do not configure taskbar small button behavior setting.
- Never: The taskbar never uses small buttons. Only standard buttons will be used.
End User Experience
Go to the Settings app > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Show smaller taskbar buttons and confirm if it has been configured as per the GPO.
By default, Group Policy refreshes every 90 minutes, with a random offset of up to 30 minutes. This interval applies to both computer and user configuration settings. To speed this up, open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator and run gpupdate /force. This forces the device to retrieve and apply any new or updated GPOs immediately.
If the policy is not applied even after running gpupdae /force, restart the device once and check again.
You can easily modify group policy default refresh interval by using a setting called Set Group Policy refresh interval for computers. Similarly, for user configuration settings, utilize the Set Group Policy refresh interval for users setting. For more Information on modifying GPO refresh interval, refer to the link: How to Modify Group Policy Refresh Interval.
