{"id":461362,"date":"2022-06-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-11T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-always-switch-to-the-last-active-window\/"},"modified":"2022-06-12T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-06-11T21:00:00","slug":"how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-always-switch-to-the-last-active-window","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-always-switch-to-the-last-active-window\/","title":{"rendered":"#How to Make Your Taskbar Buttons Always Switch to the Last Active Window"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a257211a4bf2\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a257211a4bf2\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-always-switch-to-the-last-active-window\/#%E2%80%9CHow_to_Make_Your_Taskbar_Buttons_Always_Switch_to_the_Last_Active_Window%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;How to Make Your Taskbar Buttons Always Switch to the Last Active Window&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-always-switch-to-the-last-active-window\/#Make_Taskbar_Buttons_Open_the_Last_Active_Window_by_Editing_the_Registry_Manually\" >Make Taskbar Buttons Open the Last Active Window\u00a0by Editing the Registry Manually<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-always-switch-to-the-last-active-window\/#Download_Our_One-Click_Registry_Hacks\" >Download Our One-Click Registry Hacks<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHow_to_Make_Your_Taskbar_Buttons_Always_Switch_to_the_Last_Active_Window%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;How to Make Your Taskbar Buttons Always Switch to the Last Active Window&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage alignnone size-full wp-image-806924\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/W10-regedit.png?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Generic W10 RegEdit Header\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Since Windows 7, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>s with multiple open windows are combined into a single taskbar button. Hovering over the button gives you a live thumbnail of every window and you can then click the window you want to work with.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re routinely switching between apps with open windows, that can get a little cumbersome. You can hold the Ctrl key down while clicking a taskbar button to view the last active window\u2014and then keep clicking with Ctrl held to cycle through each of that app\u2019s open windows \u2014 but that often just lets you view the window instead of making it active. If you\u2019re willing to make a mild Registry edit, you make it so that clicking a taskbar button always opens the last active window \u2014 no Ctrl key needed.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"admonishment_note\"><p><strong>Note:<\/strong> This does not work on Windows 11 as of May 2022. However, it does still work on Windows 10,<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Make_Taskbar_Buttons_Open_the_Last_Active_Window_by_Editing_the_Registry_Manually\"><\/span>Make Taskbar Buttons Open the Last Active Window\u00a0by Editing the Registry Manually<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To make clicking taskbar buttons open the last active window, you just need to make an adjustment to one setting in the Windows Registry. This works on PCs running Windows 7, 8, or 10.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"admonishment_warning\"><p><strong>Warning:<\/strong> Registry Editor is a powerful tool and misusing it can render your system unstable or even inoperable. This is a pretty simple hack and as long as you stick to the instructions, you shouldn\u2019t have any problems. That said, if you\u2019ve never worked with it before, consider reading about how to use the Registry Editor before you get started. And definitely\u00a0back up the Registry\u00a0(and your computer!) before making changes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Learning to Use the Registry Editor Like a Pro<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Open the Registry Editor by hitting Start and typing \u201cregedit\u201d. Press Enter to open Registry Editor\u00a0and give it permission to make changes to your PC.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-810233\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/click-start-menu.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In the Registry Editor, use the left sidebar\u00a0to navigate to the following key:<\/p>\n<pre><code>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced<\/code><\/pre>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-810234\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/sdfhjksd.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Navigate to the &quot;Advanced&quot; registry key. \" width=\"636\" height=\"493\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Next you\u2019re going to create a new value inside the <code>Advanced<\/code> key. Right-click the <code>Advanced<\/code> key and choose New &gt; DWORD (32-bit) Value.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-810235\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/new-dword.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"636\" height=\"493\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Name the new value \u201cLastActiveClick\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-810236\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/name-last-active-click.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Name the new value &quot;LastActiveClick&quot;.\" width=\"636\" height=\"493\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Double-click the new <code>LastActiveClick<\/code> value to open its properties window. Change the value from 0 to 1 in the \u201cValue data\u201d box and then click \u201cOK.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-810238\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/set-value-to-1.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"331\" height=\"199\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>You can now exit Registry Editor. You\u2019ll need to sign out and back in (or restart your PC) for the changes to take place. You can test it by just popping open any app\u00a0and opening several windows. Make a window from a different app active and then click the original app\u2019s taskbar button. It should open the last window you worked on in that app. To reverse the changes, just head back into the Registry and either change the <code>LastActiveClick<\/code> value back to 0 \u2014 or delete the value entirely \u2014 and then sign out and back into Windows.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Download_Our_One-Click_Registry_Hacks\"><\/span>Download Our One-Click Registry Hacks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-810239\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/enable-last-active-click.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"638\" height=\"409\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t feel like diving into the Registry yourself, we\u2019ve created some a couple of\u00a0registry hacks you can use. The \u201cEnable Last Active Click\u201d hack creates the <code>LastActiveClick<\/code> value and sets it to 1. The \u201cDisable Last Active Click (Default)\u201d hack removes the value from your Registry, restoring the default behavior. Both hacks are included in the following ZIP file. Double-click the one you want to use and click through the prompts. When you\u2019ve applied the hack you want, sign out and back into Windows or restart your computer.<\/p>\n<p>Taskbar Last Active Click Hacks<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Make Your Own Windows Registry Hacks<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These hacks are really just the <code>Advanced<\/code> \u00a0key, s<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>ped down to the <code>LastActiveClick<\/code> \u00a0value we talked about in the previous section, and then exported to a REG file. And if you enjoy fiddling with the Registry, it\u2019s worth taking the time to learn how to make your own Registry hacks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/howto\/16334\/make-the-taskbar-buttons-switch-to-the-last-active-window-in-windows-7\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;How to Make Your Taskbar Buttons Always Switch to the Last Active Window&#8221; Since Windows 7, apps with multiple open windows are combined into a single taskbar button. Hovering over the button gives you a live thumbnail of every window and you can then click the window you want to work with. If you\u2019re routinely&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":461363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/W10-regedit.png?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-461362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=461362"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/461362\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/461363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=461362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=461362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=461362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}