Ever since the launch of Windows 7, we have experienced a new way to interact the programs by pinning them to taskbar. The Taskbar in windows 7 came with several other enhancements, like it allowed shuffling the icons, and so on. Well if you are often found with so many windows (read several taskbar icons), here is an awesome desktop utility for you, which can really help you with better taskbar icon management and organization. This free utility is known as Bins.
A small video here shows the working (Grouping and Ungrouping of Taskbar icons) of Bins –
What does Bins do?
Bins allows you to group the taskbar icons, like suppose you are running 3 different browsers, 2 image editing programs, 1 excel file, 1 MS Word file, and so on. Now this will be utilizing almost the full width of the taskbar, in such case, wouldn’t it be convenient if you can group the all three browsers as one icon, image editing programs at one place, MS Office files together? I think it definitely will make it more convenient, and more easily manageable, and this is what Bins does. Have a look at this snapshot below –
By now you would have probably got the idea about what Bins can do for you, keeping the same types of icons together can definitely be helpful. Grouping the icons on taskbar clearly means more space on taskbar, and hence you can open more programs and windows at a time, and that do without making your taskbar look messy, isn’t it?
Bins basically is a Taskbar Organizer, it is from the same team which was behind the popular desktop utility known as Fences (Summarily, Fences allow you to make sections or fences right on your desktop which helps you to group set of files, folders and shortcuts on your desktop, read more about Fences).
How to use Bins :
Once installed Bins, you can right away start dragging one Taskbar Icon to the other and the groups start showing. As such there is no limitation on the number of icons which can be grouped together; however keeping more than 4 icons won’t be a great idea, as it shows only up to 4 icons, keeping more than 4 will not show you the programs on the icon.
When you want to ungroup an icon, you can drag and drop the icon back to taskbar, the primary icon which worked as the base (i.e. on which you placed the other icons) can’t be directly ungrouped, you need to take back the icon which you placed on it.
What all can you group :
Any types of programs, files, and folders can be grouped together, decision is yours, make a smart choice and group the same type of icons together, which will definitely help is better management of Taskbar Icons.
Bins settings :
You can access the settings for Bins using the ‘Bins Settings’ from the start menu. Here you can customize the bins for yourself. Apart from general settings (related to taskbar), Bins also offers you to show the items in your system tray, just by taking your mouse pointer in the tray area. This can be accessed under the ‘Extras’ tab in the settings. Also once you are done with grouping thing, you can choose to lock, so that you stay from accidental grouping and ungrouping.
As of now, Bins is in beta, and is free, there might be a nominal charge for using it after the final release. So, go ahead and grab the beta now, and enjoy the all new way of interacting with your Taskbar in Windows 7.
