If you want to have dual monitor taskbar in Windows 7, then you need to install third-party tool. Though you can duplicate and extend display using in-built functions of Windows 7, Taskbar cannot be replicated. Multiple tools have come into force that implement this functionality.
As with Windows 7 Taskbar, several properties are available in a single monitor. To get all the features in multiple monitor taskbar is difficult.
So it’s a little bit of trial and error. Depending upon your hardware and software, third party tools also work to duplicate taskbar on second monitor, but with limited functionality. So if it works on your computer then you are lucky. Otherwise, you have to be satisfied with what you get.
If you connect multiple monitors to one pc, you can create large screen and high resolution dual-display backdrop. In 2022, displays with more than full HD resolution are common and supported for various uses. If the screen size is 13″ or 14″ that is extended on to this high resolution monitor, then the font size will shrink and hard to read. It is better to keep the same resolution on all the multiple monitors.
Taskbar on Second Monitor Windows 7
Dual Monitor Taskbar is one utility that works for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2. It is designed to show taskbar on all displays Windows 7. It has other support for Windows Manager, Notification area, Pinned Programs, Mirror mode, Start button, Aero support and Auto hide. It was last updated in Nov, 2016. It has roughly 300 downloads per week as of 2022. It has 92 five star reviews. But beware that you check this download with your Anti-Virus or Internet Security tool, before you use it.
Dual Monitor Taskbar has all the features of the primary taskbar like hover focus, show desktop, and preview and work without any prejudice. You can change the position of taskbar, use large labels, show/hide the click and create rules for specific programs.
Show Taskbar on Both Monitors Windows 7
Actual Multiple Monitors is another third-party tool that supports fully functional taskbar on multiple displays. It has a Start Menu and system tray on each monitor. You can move windows quickly from one monitor to another. But this is a premium tool. Up to 64 monitors are supported.
To access the taskbar you no longer need to move the cursor to the primary monitor. Actual Multiple Monitors allows you to have a taskbar for each monitor. Aero Peek and Jump lists. Notification area. Clock and Show desktop button. Custom taskbar groups. Recycle bin on the Taskbar.
With this feature-rich software, you can easily control the open windows (activate/maximize them, switch between them) in normal fashion, without worrying whether you are on the primary monitor or the dual monitor.
This software multi-monitor taskbar also works in two modes. 1. Individual (default) mode and 2. Mirror mode .
In individual mode, each taskbar displays the buttons only for windows which are on the same monitor.In mirror mode, all taskbars display all open windows no matter what monitor a particular window is on (i.e. all taskbars show the same set of buttons).
The secondary taskbar has all the essential controls like the – Start button, the notification area (i.e system tray) , the clock, any of the primary taskbar’s toolbars (Quick Launch, Address, Desktop, Windows Media Player etc) just like you play with on the primary taskbar.
Taskbar on Both Monitors Windows 7
If NVIDIA graphics card is installed on your Windows 7 computer, then you can implement this feature using NVIDIA Control panel.
- Open NVIDIA Control Panel
- Click on the Desktop drop down menu located at the top of the window
- Mouse over Surround Displays
- Uncheck ‘Confine taskbar to single display’
Source: superuser.com
Having two taskbars on dual monitor setup is not that easy to work with. If one size screen is bigger and other smaller, then you need to adjust the resolution that fits the correct taskbar height.
You can have a large resolution of 5760×1080 pixels using 3 monitors and 5760×2160 using 6 monitors. Even dual monitor setup of 23″ to 24″ full HD (1920×1080 pixels) can have lot of usefulness in work and at home.
Taskbar in Windows 7
With Windows 7, you got a a new improved taskbar which has sufficient features to fill your geek thirst.
There are many features and facilities like Pin, Peek, Jump Lists, and more.
But still Windows 7 lacks some basic amenities for multiple monitor displays like – extending the new taskbar across all the multiple displays.
But luckily there are third-party solutions that allow the taskbar to appear on multiple monitors in Windows 7.
Though the features of different products may vary, you can choose the right one depending on your need.
Some software allow to extend the taskbar to both dual monitor and some duplicate the taskbar on both the monitors.
Multi Monitor Taskbar Software in Windows 7
I’ll list some of the software that can be used for the above purpose :
Display Fusion (Free and Pro)
It comes with loads of powerful features like Multi-Monitor taskbars, TitleBar Buttons and fully customizable Hotkeys.
The latest release of this software is 3.4 and works even on Windows 8 Pre Beta.
Since we’re talking about the multi-monitor taskbar for Windows 7 let me detail you about those features in this software.
Keep your windows easily organized by adding a taskbar to each of your monitors. The taskbar on each monitor can be configured to show all windows, or only the windows that are located on that monitor. Use button grouping, auto-hide, window previews, shortcuts, a Start Button and much more to help you work more easily with your application windows.
Ultramon (Free)
It has a special “Smart Taskbar” which will help you mange multiple applications efficiently, by adding the improved taskbar for each another monitor.
There are basically two different modes in this application.
- Standard: each taskbar only shows applications from the monitor it is on, so you won’t have to search for an application after activating it. If you move an application to a different monitor, its taskbar button will be moved to the corresponding taskbar
- Mirror: each taskbar shows all tasks, allowing you to quickly switch tasks on any monitor
The easiness of this software is that it doesn’t replace the original taskbar in Windows 7.
It simply adds an additional taskbar which you can use on the secondary monitor with Windows taskbar on the primary monitor.
Dual Monitor Taskbar Windows 7
Summary
Cristi Diaconu is behind the development of this tool. It is a free tool and has over 40K downloads. Windows 7 taskbar allows for previews and hover focus. But it is difficult to know which window is open on which monitor using one taskbar. But Dual Monitor Taskbar fixes this difficulty by putting taskbar on another taskbar. This feature makes it easy to know which windows are open in which monitor.
Dual Monitor Taskbar - Show Taskbar on All Displays Windows 7
Windows 7's taskbar is aesthetic. It shows previews and hover focus. But it can become difficult when you have multiple monitors and one taskbar. Dual Monitor Taskbar solves this by putting a taskbar on each monitor that doesn't have one. It allows the user flexibility to open windows on each screen.
Price Currency: USD
Operating System: Windows 7
Application Category: Taskbar Utility
4.3
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The 9 steps at the top are completely wrong. Selecting “Duplicate desktop on 1 and 2“. does exactly that, it DUPLICATES the screens. It DOESN’T extend them the way the article claims. FAIL!
@Sit: Thanks for your comment. Here is the article content – “But using multiple displays one can also extend taskbar in windows 7.”. It means that you can have the taskbar on the second or multiple monitors also. The meaning should not be taken literally. To extend the taskbar to other monitors, you can use the multiple monitor software tools mentioned below. Thanks.
The article has been updated with new content that fits the requirement of the article.