Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 8: no grouping per browser instance?

The following picture shows two open instances of Internet Explorer 8 on my computer:

enter image description here

The system groups them as one instance showing all the tabs. I want to distinguish not even the tabs but also the instances - each tab to which instance it belongs.

If there is no way to do this I want to disable the tabs grouping and see only three instances. I don't like the way it is setup now and I can't live with it. Sometimes I open three instances, each of them about a different subject, and each of them has many tabs.

In the taskbar I see all the tabs - with no way to know which is what!

Shimmy

Posted 2009-11-19T18:17:17.580

Reputation: 2 435

I'm sure this is a duplicate, but I can't find it right now. – ChrisF – 2010-02-10T13:17:28.273

1You could always use 3 browsers.. </lame hack> :) – Andrew Coleson – 2009-11-19T18:56:38.123

You probably meant I should use IE Chrome and FF ah? cuz if you meant something else you didn't understand my question. – Shimmy – 2009-11-19T20:59:17.970

Answers

To undo grouping:

Right-click the Taskbar, choose Properties, then Taskbar.
Then in the drop-down list titled "Taskbat buttons": choose "Never combine", then OK.

harrymc

Posted 2009-11-19T18:17:17.580

Reputation: 306 093

I don't want never combine, I love this feature, I just think this should of been more customizable per program, or they should have done it more smart. – Shimmy – 2009-11-19T21:02:07.433

More smart? What percentage of the user base is really using 3 browser windows with "lots of tabs"? – AnonJr – 2009-11-19T22:04:01.723

I have 5 open... but they are on different desktops (something windows seriously needs to have natively) – Ambiwlans – 2009-11-20T02:25:56.843

I think many users sometimes make reserches on 3 different subjects, and want to have the tabs separated by windows. I think the wanted solution would be group them by color just like the tabs are grouped by parent tab (with color). – Shimmy – 2009-11-22T13:02:43.120

Correct answer: (Target IE8 only but not for other applications)

Click Tools > Internet Options
Under Tabs, Click Settings

enter image description here

In Tabbed Browsing Settings dialogue,

Uncheck "Show previews for individual tabs in the taskbar"
Click OK
Restart IE8 browser

enter image description here

Ivan Chau

Posted 2009-11-19T18:17:17.580

Reputation: 953

You might like: never combine + hide labels
It takes less space than the don't combine option in win7 but it allows you to keep the icons from sticking together. The specific thing you are looking for it probably not possible without a very complicated hack/mod.

Here's a related superuser question: Is there any way to hide taskbar labels and not combine taskbar buttons?

Infact here is a petition to add the functionality you want: http://www.windows7taskforce.com/view/1454

Ambiwlans

Posted 2009-11-19T18:17:17.580

Reputation: 383