Dev Center

Learn about Windows 7: Taskbar

In Windows 7, the Taskbar is the access point for programs displayed on the desktop. Users can give commands, access resources, and view program status directly from the Taskbar. Taskbar features include jump lists, thumbnails, thumbnail toolbars, overlay icons, and progress bar.

Video: Welcome to the Windows 7 Desktop (PDC, 2008)

Get Started with the Windows 7 Taskbar

Written Content

The Windows 7 Taskbar (Engineering Windows 7 Blog, November 2008)
Introducing the Taskbar APIs (MSDN Magazine, July 2009)

Videos

Windows 7 New Taskbar An Overview (Yochay Kiriaty, Chaitanya Sareen, Trish Miner, and Stephan Hoefnagels, January 2009)
Windows 7 Taskbar Behind the Scenes (Yochay Kiriaty, Robert Jarrett, and Ben Betz, January 2009)
Designing the Windows 7 Taskbar (Yochay Kiriaty and Stephan Hoefnagels, January 2009)

Sample Applications

AppUserModelIDWindowProperty ( Windows SDK, August 2009)
Automatic Jump List Sample ( Windows SDK, August 2009)
Custom Jump List Sample ( Windows SDK, August 2009)
NotificationIcon ( Windows SDK, August 2009)
Tab Thumbnails ( Windows SDK, August 2009)
Taskbar Peripheral Status ( Windows SDK, August 2009)
Taskbar Thumbnail Toolbar ( Windows SDK, August 2009

Use the Taskbar in your Application

Written Content

Developing for the Windows 7 Taskbar Get to Know Your Application ID (Windows 7 for Developers Blog, June 2009)
Developing for the Windows 7 Taskbar Jump into Jump Lists Part 1 (Windows 7 for Developers Blog, June 2009)
Developing for the Windows 7 Taskbar Jump into Jump Lists Part 2 (Windows 7 for Developers Blog, June 2009)
Developing for the Windows 7 Taskbar Jump into Jump Lists Part 3 (Windows 7 for Developers Blog, July 2009)

Videos

Integrate with the Windows 7 Desktop (PDC, 2008)
Windows 7 Online Training: Taskbar (Windows 7 Online Training: Jaime Rodriguez, Yochay Kiriaty)
Jump into the Windows 7 Taskbar Jump Lists (Yochay Kiriaty, January 2009)
Windows 7 Taskbar Advanced Features (Ben Betz, Robert Jarrett, May 2009)

Learn More

Written Content

Taskbar Extensions (Product documentation, MSDN)
Windows User Experience Guidelines for Taskbar (Product documentation, MSDN)
Shell Developer's Guide (Product documentation, MSDN)
Shell Reference (Product documentation, MSDN)

Videos

Windows 7 Taskbar: Incorporating Your Beta Feedback into RC (Ben Betz and Robert Jarrett, May 2009)

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