How to Enable or Disable “Last Active Click” on the Taskbar in Windows 11

Method 1Using the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor is a special Windows tool that lets you change settings not found in the normal Windows settings ⚙️ menus. This tool provides the fastest way for you to make this change.

Open the Registry Editor

1. Click the Start button ⊞.
2. Type “Registry Editor” in the search 🔍 bar.
3. Click on “Registry Editor” when it appears in the search 🔍 results.
4. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click “Yes” to allow it.

You need to open the Registry Editor to change Windows settings ⚙️. Click the Start button ⊞, then type ‘Registry Editor’ into the search 🔍 bar. Click on the ‘Registry Editor’ app when it shows up. If a security message pops up, click ‘Yes’ to let it open.

Go to the Correct Folder

Once the Registry Editor is open, you must navigate to a specific folder. Type or paste this exact path into the address bar at the top: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced and press Enter. This takes you directly to the 'Advanced' folder where many Windows display and function settings are kept.

The "Advanced" folder, found within Taskbar Settings version 1.0, contains many settings that control how Windows looks and works, offering you direct access to customize your system's behavior.

Find or Create the 'LastActiveClick' Setting

The Registry Editor displays settings on its right side. Look for a setting named 'LastActiveClick'. If 'LastActiveClick' appears, double-click the 'LastActiveClick' setting to change its value. If 'LastActiveClick' is not present, right-click an empty space in the Registry Editor, choose 'New', then 'DWORD (32-bit) Value', and name the new item 'LastActiveClick'.

• If you find it: Double-click on LastActiveClick to open its settings.
• If you don't find it: No problem! We'll create it. Right-click on an empty spot on the right side. Then, go to New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. A new item will appear that you can name. Type LastActiveClick and press Enter. Now, double-click the new LastActiveClick you just made.

Set the Value to Turn the Feature On or Off

The Windows Registry editor allows you to set the 'LastActiveClick' value. To turn the taskbar feature ON, so clicking an app shows its last opened window, change the 'Value data' from 0 to 1. To turn the taskbar feature OFF, so clicking an app shows all open windows, change the 'Value data' from 1 to 0. Click 'OK' when you finish.

• To turn the feature ON (so clicking an app opens the last window you used): Change the "Value data" from 0 to 1.
• To turn the feature OFF (so clicking an app shows all open windows again): Change the "Value data" from 1 to 0.

Click OK when you are finished.

The "Value data" setting controls the "Last Active Click" feature on the taskbar. Entering 0 turns the "Last Active Click" feature off, while entering 1 turns the "Last Active Click" feature on. This setting helps you manage how the taskbar responds to clicks.

Apply the Changes

Close the Registry Editor. Your changes won't take effect until you restart your computer. After it restarts, try clicking an app icon on your taskbar with multiple windows open. You should notice the difference immediately!

Method 2Using the Command Prompt

If you prefer using text commands or are comfortable with the Command Prompt, this is a good alternative. It's also useful for managing multiple computers or automating the process.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type "Command Prompt."
3. Right-click on "Command Prompt" in the search results.
4. Select "Run as administrator."
5. Click "Yes" if asked for permission by User Account Control.

Enter the Command to Turn the Feature On or Off

You can use the Command Prompt to change the 'Last Active Click' setting on the taskbar. To turn the 'Last Active Click' setting ON, type the command `reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f` and press Enter. To turn the 'Last Active Click' setting OFF, type `reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /f`.

• To turn ON the "Last Active Click" feature:
  🗝️Registry

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  reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

• To turn OFF the "Last Active Click" feature:
  🗝️Registry

  Copy

  reg delete "HKCU\Software\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v LastActiveClick /f

What these commands mean:

• reg add or reg delete: These are commands to change the Windows Registry.
• "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced": This is the exact location (registry path) where the setting is saved.
• /v LastActiveClick: This tells the command which value to change, named "LastActiveClick."
• /t REG_DWORD: This means we are setting a number (a DWORD value).
• /d 1 (to turn on) or /d 0 (to turn off): This is the number we are setting – 1 to turn it on, 0 to turn it off.
• /f: This makes the command run without asking for confirmation, which is helpful for automation.

Restart Your Computer

Method 3Using Windows PowerShell

Like the Command Prompt, PowerShell is another powerful text-based tool in Windows. This method is especially useful for IT professionals managing many computers.

Open PowerShell as Administrator

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type "PowerShell."
3. Right-click on "Windows PowerShell" in the search results.
4. Select "Run as administrator."
5. Click "Yes" if asked for permission by User Account Control.

Run the PowerShell Command

PowerShell offers another way to adjust the 'Last Active Click' setting. To activate the feature, type or paste this command and press Enter: Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 1 -Type DWord. To deactivate it, use: Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 0 -Type DWord.

• To turn ON the "Last Active Click" feature:
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 1 -Type DWord

• To turn OFF the "Last Active Click" feature:
  ⬛PowerShell

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  Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "LastActiveClick" -Value 0 -Type DWord

Understanding the command:

• Set-ItemProperty: This is a PowerShell command used to change a property, in this case, a registry value.
• -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced": This shows the exact registry location. The colon after HKCU: is how PowerShell indicates a drive or registry hive.
• -Name "LastActiveClick": This tells PowerShell which specific value in that location to change.
• -Value 1 or -Value 0: This sets the value – 1 to turn it on, 0 to turn it off.
• -Type DWord: This confirms we are working with a number (DWORD) data type.

Restart Your Computer

Close the PowerShell window and restart your computer. Your taskbar should now work the way you want it to.Tip: PowerShell is very powerful. If you want to learn how to automate computer tasks, it's worth exploring!

Summary

The 'Last Active Click' feature in Windows 11 lets you decide if clicking an app icon on the taskbar opens its most recent window or displays all your open windows for that app. You can turn this feature on or off using the Registry Editor, Command Prompt, or PowerShell. Remember that changes usually need a computer restart to take effect.