By default, clicking a taskbar icon in Windows shows you a preview of all open windows for that app—like multiple browser tabs or Word documents. But what if you just want it to switch straight to the last window you were using?

Good news: You can make your taskbar behave that way with a quick tweak. Here’s how to do it.

Why You Might Want This

• Faster multitasking: No need to hover and choose from previews.
• Fewer clicks: One click switches to your last active window instantly.
• More like Windows XP/Vista behavior: Simple and straightforward.

Method 1: Use a Free Utility – 7+ Taskbar Tweaker

The easiest way to change this behavior is by using a lightweight tool called 7+ Taskbar Tweaker.

Step-by-Step:

1. Download 7+ Taskbar Tweaker:
Go to https://rammichael.com/7-taskbar-tweaker

2. Install and launch the tool.
It runs in the background and gives you full control over taskbar behavior.

3. Enable “Switch to last window” option:
In the Tweaker window, find the “Left click on combined item” setting.
Set it to “Switch to last active window”.

That’s it—clicking a taskbar icon will now instantly open the last active window for that app.

Method 2: Use a Registry Tweak (Advanced Users)

If you don’t want to use a third-party tool, you can modify the Windows Registry. But be careful—editing the registry incorrectly can cause system problems.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Right-click the right pane and choose:
New > DWORD (32-bit) Value

4. Name it:
LastActiveClick

5. Double-click it and set the value to:
1

6. Restart Windows Explorer or reboot your PC

Tip: To restart Explorer quickly, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), find Windows Explorer, right-click, and choose Restart.

How to Revert the Change

• Using 7+ Taskbar Tweaker: Just change the setting back or close the app.
• Using Registry: Delete the LastActiveClick key or set its value back to 0.

Final Thoughts

Making your taskbar switch to the last active window is a small tweak—but it makes multitasking a lot smoother. Whether you use a tool like 7+ Taskbar Tweaker or go the manual route with a registry edit, it’s an easy fix that improves your workflow.

Tried it? Let me know how it worked for you in the comments.