Taskbar Display Router

A Windows 11 multi-monitor window manager for moving, gathering, and remembering application windows directly from the taskbar.

Taskbar Display Router adds a configurable modifier + right-click menu to running taskbar applications. Use it to move one window, move every window belonging to an app, gather visible desktop windows onto one display, or remember which monitor an application should open on.

It is designed for people searching for a lightweight taskbar monitor switcher, a way to move windows between monitors, or a Windows utility that remembers which screen an app belongs on. It runs as a normal background application and does not inject code into Windows Explorer.

Download

Download the latest version from GitHub Releases:

• Windows installer - per-user setup with Start Menu and uninstall entries.
• Portable ZIP - extract and run without installing.

No separate .NET installation is required. The application is currently unsigned, so Windows SmartScreen may show an unrecognized-app warning on first launch.

Features

• Move all windows for a taskbar application to a selected monitor.
• Move one specific application window without moving the rest of its group.
• Remember a preferred display so future windows open on the chosen monitor.
• Gather one application's windows from across multiple screens.
• Gather all visible desktop windows onto one display from empty taskbar space.
• Choose Ctrl, Shift, Alt, or Ctrl + Shift as the taskbar menu modifier.
• Manage and remove remembered display rules from a dark Settings window.
• Customize the routing menu's background, text, and highlight colors.
• Preserve maximized state and keep moved windows visible inside the destination work area.
• Recover after Explorer restarts and monitor configuration changes.
• Run at normal user privilege, with an administrator restart option for elevated apps.

How To Use

1. Install or run TaskbarDisplayRouter.exe. The app remains available in the notification area.
2. Hold Ctrl and right-click a running application's taskbar button.
3. Choose Move all windows to, Move a window, or Always open on.
4. Open Settings from the tray icon to change the trigger, colors, startup behavior, or remembered rules.

The default gesture is Ctrl + right-click. Ordinary taskbar clicks and right-clicks remain unchanged when the configured modifier is not held.

Hold the configured modifier and right-click empty taskbar space to gather one program's windows or all visible windows onto a selected screen.

Remember Application Monitor Placement

The Always open on menu saves a display rule for the selected application. Taskbar Display Router matches future windows using Windows AppUserModelID, packaged-app identity, and executable path fallbacks. This supports traditional desktop apps, browsers, Electron apps, Windows Terminal, File Explorer, and many packaged Windows applications.

Saved rules remain available when a monitor is disconnected. The app does not move a window to a random screen while its preferred monitor is unavailable. Each rule can be removed from Settings or cleared from the taskbar routing menu.

Compatibility

• Windows 11 x64
• Validated on Windows 11 Pro build 26200
• .NET 8 self-contained release
• First release targets one primary taskbar and multi-monitor desktop layouts

Taskbar Display Router uses Win32 window-management APIs and UI Automation. It does not use Explorer injection, Windhawk, or taskbar replacement software.

Privacy And Permissions

• Runs locally and does not require an online account.
• Stores settings and rotating diagnostic logs under %LocalAppData%\TaskbarDisplayRouter.
• Does not record keystrokes, window contents, or application command-line arguments.
• Runs without administrator access by default.

Build From Source

Requirements: Windows 11, the .NET 8 SDK, and Inno Setup 6 for installer creation.

.\scripts\build-release.ps1

The release script runs the test suite and creates a self-contained Windows installer and portable ZIP in dist.

For a normal development build:

dotnet build TaskbarDisplayRouter.sln
dotnet test TaskbarDisplayRouter.sln

Common Questions

Can it move a program with several open windows?

Yes. Choose Move all windows to for the entire taskbar group or Move a window for one titled window.

Can it force an application to open on a specific monitor?

Choose Always open on and select a connected display. The saved rule is applied to new matching windows, with bounded retries for applications that reposition themselves during startup.

Does it replace FancyZones or Windows Snap Layouts?

No. Taskbar Display Router focuses on application-level monitor routing from the taskbar and remembered display placement. It can be used alongside layout and snapping tools.

Does it modify the native Windows taskbar or Jump Lists?

No. The utility detects a configurable modifier + right-click gesture and opens its own accessible routing menu. Regular taskbar behavior remains unchanged otherwise.