[Tip] Adding Divider into Windows Taskbar To Separate Icons in Windows 7 and 8

6

The new Taskbar since Windows 7 works great and does live up to its other name as an awesome bar. But there is a small tiny problem. Since the layout of the Taskbar always looks the same with a list of pinned programs to start, followed by a number of open programs that are not initially pinned to the bar, it would be nice to have some sort of divider to separate the group of pinned icons to make people like me who always have bunch of programs open or pinned a little nicer and easier to locate the programs from the crowded taskbar.

Here is a nice little tip, shared by Martin at ghacks.net, that uses a simple executable file called blank.exe that has nothing in it but a blank icon. So when you actually pin it to the taskbar, it displays a blank transparent icon there acting like a virtual divider that you can move around to separate your pinned programs.

Taskbar Divider thumb - [Tip] Adding Divider into Windows Taskbar To Separate Icons in Windows 7 and 8

I also have to give the credit to this guy who took time compiled this blank.exe file that does nothing at all. The file is an almost 1M size file originally hosted on MediaFire. To make easier for you, you can download it below. You are more than welcome to download from there. A VirusTotal scan of the file has returned 0 virus detected in the file. So feel safe to use it as well.

One blank.exe file makes one divider on your taskbar. If you want to make more, simply duplicate it to any number you want, and pin them separately onto the taskbar to divide multiple groups.

6 COMMENTS

  1. That’s a good tip, but no way you need a 1mb file or even an exe to accomplish that. Assign a blank icon to a shortcut and Pin that instead. Try these (I haven’t, I already have a blank icon that I use to remove the “Shortcut” arrow on icons.) http://www.rw-designer.com/icon-detail/4225

    Also, I believe you meant to say “But there is a small tiny problem”, not “program”.

    • Thanks for pointing it out. It’s fixed.

      Theoretically, assign a shortcut with a blank icon should work but it needs a transparent icon to work. It also has a drawback that the shortcut needs to be linked to something that do nothing when clicked.

      It’s just that this blank.exe idea seems to be easier. I don’t really worry about too much about the size because pinning it on the taskbar doesn’t cost anything in memory.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here