Spacing between pinned taskbar icons keeps changing on W11 machine

[Garryb123]

After a restart the pinned taskbar icons on one of my W11 machines become spaced further from each other than they were before the restart.

To cause the icons to move back close together I have to pin a new icon to the taskbar or unpin one of the pinned icons. The icons then move close together.

After I restart the machine the icons are spaced far apart again.

What could be causing this behavior?

I have ExplorPatcher running on a different W11 machine (a laptop) and the icons on its taskbar never move apart from each other; they are tight together and never move.

I appreciate any advice. Thank you.

Garry

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64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Windows 11 Home
Version 23H2
OS build 22631.4602
Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22700.1055.0

[pyrates999]

does this fix it?

In EP Properties application, click on Restart File Explorer in bottom left corner.

[Garryb123]

Hi, thank you. Unfortunately restarting File Explorer doesn't fix the problem.

[pyrates999]

What happens when you move each pinned icon between one another?

[Garryb123]

Thank you.

Dragging the pinned icons between each other doesn't work either; I did so 20 times or more.

But I found how to tighten up the spacing. If I toggle between the options under 'Taskbar > Combine taskbar icons on primary taskbar' the icons move closer together as desired. This seems 100% effective so far.

I'd rather not have to do the above each time after a restart but if I have to I am glad it works. Maybe this solution can give some clues to eliminating the issue.

Thanks again for your help.

[Garryb123]

I spoke too soon. After a Windows update and reboot the above method doesn't work. Unpinning a pinned icon still works reliably.

[Garryb123]

Windows warned me it was about to install 24H2 so I uninstalled EP after exporting the settings. Then I restarted Windows because the screen went mostly black after uninstalling using EPs uninstaller. Ran the Windows update. Restarted. Installed the newest EP. Now no matter what, I cannot make the icons go close together; I wish I could to save space. But this is still better than the Windows debacle.

[pyrates999]

Please wait for a developer to respond.

[Garryb123]

Thank you