Windows 10 Taskbar Duplicating Icons

[Zaughtilo]

When I pin Steam to the taskbar and open it, instead of the window being on top of the pinned icon, it creates a new one at the end of my taskbar pins. I find it annoying and was wondering who to fix this.

[Zaughtilo]

No, this is what I'm talking about https://prntscr.com/i1fp9x

[Zaughtilo]

Both the new icon and original both have Unpin only. Unpinning the original leaves only the new one, but it is unpinned, and upon re-Pinning it, the duplicate comes back. Unpinning the new one also removes the original and it's the same deal.

[ReBoot]

Unpin all of the symbols, then start Steam from the installation folder. Pin that new symbol.

[Zaughtilo]

Then went to "%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar" and there not only like 10 Steam shortcuts in there, but duplicates of everything else on my taskbar. Don't know why this issue wasn't happening with those other pinned programs. Anyways, deleting all the Steam duplicates, then pinning Steam from installation folder like ReBoot said worked. Thanks

[76561198350471218]

Originally posted by fauxtronic:

Launch Steam so that you have duplicate icons. Then right click the duplicate icon (the new one) and click Pin this program to taskbar. Next, right click the original and select Unpin this program from taskbar.

Spent 10 minutes to log back into steam just to thank you <3

[scott4dges]

This was so helpful, because it was driving my OCD crazy that there were two icons on the taskbar for the same application.

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Unpin all of the symbols, then start Steam from the installation folder. Pin that new symbol.

To clarify for future people with this issue (as I had to see it in action to understand it)...

You need to make sure to pin the application window that is running, i.e. the second icon that is underlined as active, and then unpin the shortcut, i.e. the first icon which is not underlined.

Pinning the application window (second icon) will ensure this instance persists on the taskbar and not the first, which is just a pinned shortcut designed to launch an application window.

Makes sense right?

The duplicate icon appears to actually be a long-time Windows problem using the Taskbar (since Win 7 & 8).

Pinning a shortcut to what is basically a launcher application opens the new window and shows the second icon, so now you have two icons on the taskbar instead of making the one icon active. For Steam, you'll notice the icon for "Steam.exe" is actually called Steam Client Bootstrapper which then launches the content in a new window.

There's a blog post from someone in Oct 2016 which actually clarifies this point exactly:
https://aatayyab.wordpress.com/2016/10/21/remove-duplicate-app-shortcut-icon-in-taskbar-on-windows-10-desktop/

[Peabrain]

With Steam running
unpin the original icon, on the left.
Pin icon on the right, only one active. Drag to move it to where you want it.

[capemari]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Unpin all of the symbols, then start Steam from the installation folder. Pin that new symbol.

This worked! Thanks

[Dom_BST]

Originally posted by fauxtronic:

Launch Steam so that you have duplicate icons. Then right click the duplicate icon (the new one) and click Pin this program to taskbar. Next, right click the original and select Unpin this program from taskbar.

Thank you! Worked perfectly

[applet99]

Thank you, as mentioned above, my OCD didn't like this behavior either and I wish I'd have searched for a solution sooner!

[glawsir]

Originally posted by fauxtronic:

Launch Steam so that you have duplicate icons. Then right click the duplicate icon (the new one) and click Pin this program to taskbar. Next, right click the original and select Unpin this program from taskbar.

Appreciate it, worked for me.

[,]

Originally posted by scott4dges:

This was so helpful, because it was driving my OCD crazy that there were two icons on the taskbar for the same application.

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Unpin all of the symbols, then start Steam from the installation folder. Pin that new symbol.

To clarify for future people with this issue (as I had to see it in action to understand it)...

You need to make sure to pin the application window that is running, i.e. the second icon that is underlined as active, and then unpin the shortcut, i.e. the first icon which is not underlined.

Pinning the application window (second icon) will ensure this instance persists on the taskbar and not the first, which is just a pinned shortcut designed to launch an application window.

Makes sense right?

The duplicate icon appears to actually be a long-time Windows problem using the Taskbar (since Win 7 & 8).

Pinning a shortcut to what is basically a launcher application opens the new window and shows the second icon, so now you have two icons on the taskbar instead of making the one icon active. For Steam, you'll notice the icon for "Steam.exe" is actually called Steam Client Bootstrapper which then launches the content in a new window.

There's a blog post from someone in Oct 2016 which actually clarifies this point exactly:
https://aatayyab.wordpress.com/2016/10/21/remove-duplicate-app-shortcut-icon-in-taskbar-on-windows-10-desktop/

Thank you !

[Zortok]

Originally posted by fauxtronic:

If Reboot's advice doesn't work, then it's worth noting that all user account (not global) taskbar shortcuts should be stored at the following location:

%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

I wonder if there's some duplication there that's causing this problem.

Shutdown Steam, delete any Steam icons from the taskbar, then paste that path into the address bar of File Explorer. If you see any Steam shortcuts at that location then they must be redundant/orphaned shortcuts. Deleting them will hopefully solve the problem.

You are a legend fauxtronic - that was driving me insane - thank-you for saving me!

[Mirbelo]

Thank you ReBoot, this ♥♥♥♥'s been bugging me for weeks now.

[heyimminks]

Originally posted by scott4dges:

This was so helpful, because it was driving my OCD crazy that there were two icons on the taskbar for the same application.

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Unpin all of the symbols, then start Steam from the installation folder. Pin that new symbol.

To clarify for future people with this issue (as I had to see it in action to understand it)...

You need to make sure to pin the application window that is running, i.e. the second icon that is underlined as active, and then unpin the shortcut, i.e. the first icon which is not underlined.

Pinning the application window (second icon) will ensure this instance persists on the taskbar and not the first, which is just a pinned shortcut designed to launch an application window.

Makes sense right?

The duplicate icon appears to actually be a long-time Windows problem using the Taskbar (since Win 7 & 8).

Pinning a shortcut to what is basically a launcher application opens the new window and shows the second icon, so now you have two icons on the taskbar instead of making the one icon active. For Steam, you'll notice the icon for "Steam.exe" is actually called Steam Client Bootstrapper which then launches the content in a new window.

There's a blog post from someone in Oct 2016 which actually clarifies this point exactly:
https://aatayyab.wordpress.com/2016/10/21/remove-duplicate-app-shortcut-icon-in-taskbar-on-windows-10-desktop/

thank you