SOLVED Order of items doesn't survive logoff/logon.

[Kevin N]

Dear Forum:

The Taskbar's 'Desktop' Toolbar has become a mainstay on my machine as I have chosen not to display Desktop icons.
When I click the arrows of the 'Desktop' icon on the Taskbar, a popup appears with all of the items on the Desktop.
I am able to (drag-n-drop) change the order of the items in the popup.
The order 'used to' remain in tact after a logon / logoff / restart.
The order no longer remains in tact and reverts back to it's original order.

I have tried disabling 'Controlled folder access' when changing the order - didn't work.

Not a huge issue but if anyone can offer any advice on how I might be able to restore this functionality, I'd greatly appreciate it.

-Kevin N.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi Kevin,

what version of Win 10 do you have?. How to upgrade Windows 10 to the latest version | Windows 10 Forums

I don't know how to do what you want so maybe you can nose around on the MS support pages?.

How to use the taskbar in Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

 

[davehc]

Agreed. That has to be an out of date version. Today, the items are listed under alphabetical section order. The alphabet cannot, unfortunately be changed without using a third party program.
Upgrade and see if it helps.
I would suggest you also have a look in Settings - Personalisation, - Start. and see if you need to disable a couple of items there. For example, all I have enabled in there is the "Show App list"

This is a small example of what the start menu looks like today

 

[Kevin N]

@Wolfie
Thank you for your reply and the link to support
I had listed my Windows environment in with my 'System Specs'. Here they are again.
Windows 10 Home
Version 20H2
OS Build 19042.746
Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0

@davehc
Thank you too for your reply.
Per my screenshot, this is not a Start menu sort order issue.
This is a sort order issue with the Desktop Toolbar on the Taskbar.

I have a Windows 10 'Pro' laptop where the sort order 'does' survive logoff & restart. I'll try comparing the relevant settings of two to see if anything is different.

I will post back if I resolve the matter.

Thanks again for your replies.

-Kevin N.

 

[davehc]

Ok. A "first" for me. Just tried it and I confess I would not have a great deal of use for it whilst i have the proper menu
But, your query. My order was also scattered on a reboot.
I am using the latest ver' of pro.

 

[Kevin N]

@davehc
Thank you for your confirmation that your sort order did not remain after a reboot.
It's odd that my 'Pro' version works as expected but my 'Home' version doesn't.
I'm not sure what 'proper menu' you're referring to when you say "I would not have a great deal of use for it whilst i have the proper menu."
I think that there's room for debate that it can indeed be useful having access to one's Desktop items from the Taskbar.

 

[Wolfie]

I'm not sure what 'proper menu' you're referring to when you say "I would not have a great deal of use for it whilst i have the proper menu."

Hi Kevin,

Dave means the normal Start Menu.

 

[Kevin N]

@Wolfie

Dave means the normal Start Menu.

The Start menu and a list of one's Desktop items are apples and oranges. No?

 

[davehc]

One click less, and it is all there, neatly arranged. No big deal.
The taskbar desktop shows only a limited number of items, with a deal of help, all of the defaults can be fetched by easier means.
It probably is enhanced if you have a large number of accessible items as Desktop icons.

 

[Kevin N]

I was able to resolve this issue thanks to forum member dorcom, a member of another Windows 10 forum.

The short answer to the solution, oddly enough, is to simply drag a random shortcut from the Desktop onto the chevrons of the Desktop toolbar. The shortcut will land at the top of the list of items. From there on, the user can sort the items as desired and the sort order will survive a logoff / logon or restart.

Here is the link to dorcom's post for those that may need this issue resolved.

https://www.tenforums.com/customization/132235-taskbar-toolgroups-used-retain-menu-order.html#post1653235

 

[davehc]

" I have chosen not to display Desktop icons."
As I said, not accustomed to using it. But, your remark. I find if I delete from the desktop, it automatically is removed from the taskbar desktop. You have apparently not experienced this?
When I first opened it, as a result of reading this thread, all my desktop items (only six) were already shown there, so I had nothing to drag?
fwiw. Trying to rearrange them still did not work for me, after a reboot.

 

[Kevin N]

@davehc

I just tried this solution on another machine and it worked as expected.

Have you tried dragging a random shortcut from your Desktop onto the chevrons of the Desktop Toolbar?

When you do, you should see a small popup displaying a right-facing arrow with the text 'Move to Desktop'.

After you complete the drag-n-drop, that particular shortcut should now be at the top of the list of items displayed in the Desktop Toolbar.

You should then be able to sort items as desired by dragging them up and / or down the list.

They should retain their sort order going forward.

-Kevin N.

 

[davehc]

As I said, I hardly have anything on the desktop, and they are already in the taskbar desktop when I activate it.
But, don’t worry about it - it has no real use for me snyway.

 

[Kevin N]

OK.

But for those playing along, regardless of whether or not the shortcuts are already on the Desktop, dragging one of them onto the chevrons of the Desktop Toolbar should resolve the sort order problem.

 

[Bighorn]

I like putting extra/excess desktop icons in a folder on the desktop then the Toolbar will show a fly-out of the contents of the folder, can help clean things up. Also have God Mode on the desktop with its fly-out.