SmartTaskbar vs Taskbar Groups

SmartTaskbar is a free Windows utility that changes whether the taskbar is shown or hidden. In Auto Mode, it hides the taskbar when the focused window intersects it. Double-clicking the tray icon switches between Show and Auto-Hide, while the taskbar status stays unchanged when the pointer is over the taskbar. Auto Mode follows Windows Auto-Hide behavior, so closing Start or Search may hide the taskbar before SmartTaskbar brings it back. Some applications with special maximization logic may not make the taskbar appear when the pointer moves to its position; the project suggests WIN+T as a workaround. Release notes say the hook can sometimes fail and advise restarting Explorer and SmartTaskbar or rebooting. Auto Mode may not work on Windows 10 versions released in 2019 or earlier, for which the notes suggest the Win10_1809 installer. The privacy statement says the app collects no user data, uses no telemetry, and stores settings offline locally, though it accesses the Registry to monitor and set taskbar settings. The project lists an MIT license and links to a Microsoft Store version described as less functional and stable.

Taskbar Groups is a free Windows utility for organizing shortcuts into groups on the taskbar. Groups can contain .exe and .lnk shortcuts, folders, Windows Store apps, and Steam games or software. Users can choose group colors and opacity, pick an icon, edit shortcut names, and set how many shortcuts appear on each row. Optional launch settings include working directories and arguments; Ctrl+Enter can launch all shortcuts in a group, while number keys 1–0 launch shortcuts in positions one through ten. The utility stores group and shortcut icons in each group’s local configuration folder and can regenerate the cache when the group is saved again. A release note lists support for multiple monitors, vertical and top taskbars, and hidden taskbars. Setup involves downloading the latest release ZIP, unpacking it, and running TaskbarGroups.exe. The project is MIT-licensed. Group names are limited to 49 characters and cannot contain special characters; shortcut entry names are limited to 27 characters. A moved shortcut may stop launching until the group is edited again.