AppGroup is a free, open-source (MIT) taskbar organizer and app launcher for Windows. It keeps the familiar Windows taskbar workflow: you pin a shortcut, and AppGroup supplies the popup and the group’s contents. Built with WinUI 3, its popups are designed to look and feel like a part of Windows 11, matching the Start menu and the Quick Settings and notification panels, in both Light and Dark mode.
Why AppGroup?
A crowded taskbar slows you down. With AppGroup you can, for example:
- pin one group for work (editor, browser, chat, notes),
- one for games (launchers and Steam shortcuts),
- one for creative apps,
then open the group you need from a single taskbar icon instead of hunting through a long row of icons. A group can also open all of its apps at once with Launch All.
And it doesn’t look bolted on: AppGroup follows Windows 11 design (rounded corners, Mica/acrylic-style surfaces, accent colors) so it blends in with the rest of your system.
Quick start
- Download Setup (Bundled) and run the installer. It includes .NET 8, so there is nothing else to install. (Prefer no installer? Use Portable (Bundled) from the same page.)
- Create a group and add apps. Click + in AppGroup, name the group, then click + inside it or drag apps in from the Start Menu or
shell:AppsFolder.
- Drag the group icon onto the taskbar. Click it to open the popup and launch an app.
How a group works
AppGroup creates a shortcut for each group. When you pin that shortcut, Windows keeps managing the taskbar as usual; AppGroup draws the popup and holds the group’s contents (apps, shortcuts, and subgroups). AppGroup does not replace the taskbar and does not create real folders on it.
See it in action
Left to right: the group list, the group editor, and a group's popup.
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6d37560f-16ea-45a9-b8b2-9d94bced0ff2
Demo video: AppGroup in use.
Pin a group to the taskbar or desktop
Drag a group icon onto the taskbar (left) or the desktop (right).
Subgroups
Open a group inside a group.
System tray
AppGroup can live in the system tray.
Looks like part of Windows 11
The Card layout, styled after Windows 11 Quick Settings. Default and Card layouts both work with the header at the top or bottom.
Import with preview
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ed518124-53a7-40c4-97cb-42d7ac331d63
Preview groups before importing from an .agz file or TaskbarGroups.
Features
Groups
- Create, edit, delete, and duplicate groups
- Subgroups: add a group as an item inside another group; it opens as its own popup
- Reorder groups and apps by drag and drop, or sort groups alphabetically (disables manual reordering)
- Pin a group shortcut by dragging its icon to the taskbar or desktop
- Jumplist actions: Edit this Group and Launch All (toggle in Settings)
Appearance
- Native Windows 11 look: popups styled after the Start menu and Quick Settings, with Light and Dark mode and accent colors
- Icon styles: single icon, or an auto-generated grid icon from the apps’ icons
- Layouts: Default or Card; adjustable grid columns
- Accent-colored group backgrounds; show or hide group name headers (Top or Bottom)
- Dark and Light mode, set independently for the main window and popup
.exe files as custom icons; custom tooltips; per-app launch arguments- App labels (Bottom or Right); toggleable window and content animations
Apps and shortcuts
- Regular and UWP apps, dragged from the Start Menu or
shell:AppsFolder
- PWA apps (via shortcuts) and Steam shortcuts (
.url)
.lnk shortcuts without the arrow overlay (where supported)- Run apps as Administrator
Import, export, and system
.agz (AppGroupZip) files for import, export, backup, and sharing; preview and select groups before importing; imports are appended, never overwriting- Import from TaskbarGroups (migration steps)
- System tray support, run at startup, grayscale taskbar icon option
- Supports taskbars positioned at the top, bottom, left, or right
- Icon cache for faster loading; taskbar icons refresh when group icons change
- Built-in update notifier
Installation
Requires: Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later, including Windows 11. Built with: WinUI 3 and .NET 8.
| Variant |
Installer |
Includes .NET 8 |
Best for |
| Setup (Bundled) |
✅ |
✅ |
Most users (recommended) |
| Setup |
✅ |
❌ |
Machines that already have .NET 8 |
| Portable (Bundled) |
❌ |
✅ |
Running from a folder, no install |
| Portable |
❌ |
❌ |
Portable use with .NET 8 already installed |
Download from the latest release. Setup: run the .exe. Portable: extract the .zip and run AppGroup.exe.
Since v1.6.0, portable versions store groups in their own folder (standard installs use AppData\Local\AppGroup\Groups). If your groups don’t appear after upgrading, export them as an .agz file from the old version and import it into the portable one.
How to Use
Add apps
Click + inside a group, or drag and drop. Regular and UWP apps can be dragged from:
- The Windows Start Menu
shell:AppsFolder: press Win + R, type shell:AppsFolder, and press Enter to see all installed Win32 and UWP apps
Customize a group
- Header: enable Show Header, choose Top or Bottom
- Layout: Default or Card
- Icon style: Regular (pick any icon file) or Grid (auto-generated from app icons)
- Grid columns and Labels (Show Labels, Bottom or Right)
Pin a group to the taskbar
- Option A: drag the group icon onto the taskbar.
- Option B: click ⋮ → Open File Location, then right-click the shortcut → Pin to Taskbar.
Use subgroups
Add an existing group as an item inside another group. Selecting it opens its own popup.
Back up or share groups (.agz)
- Click ⋮ → Export to save groups as an
.agz file.
- To restore: ⋮ → Import →
.agz, check or uncheck groups in the preview, and confirm. Selected groups are appended to your setup.
Coming from TaskbarGroups or TaskbarGroupsFluent?
You can migrate your existing groups:
- Click ⋮ → Import → TaskbarGroups.
- Select the folder that contains
config, then click Select Folder.
- TaskbarGroupsFluent: paste
%APPDATA%\Jack Schierbeck into the address bar, press Enter, then select the taskbar-groups folder.
- TaskbarGroups: locate your TaskbarGroups folder.
- Pick the groups to include and confirm. They are appended to your existing groups.
Select the parent folder, not the config folder itself. Selecting config directly isn’t supported yet.
Security and VirusTotal reports
These VirusTotal reports cover the v1.6.0 release files only. At the time each file was scanned, no security vendor flagged it. VirusTotal results are snapshots: they are not a guarantee or certification of safety, some engines may time out or fail to analyze a file, and they do not apply to later versions.
The source code is public. Download only from this repository’s Releases page.
FAQ
How do I group apps on the Windows taskbar?
Create a group in AppGroup, add your apps, then drag the group icon onto the taskbar. Clicking the pinned shortcut opens a popup where you can launch any app in the group.
Does AppGroup look like it belongs in Windows 11?
Yes. That’s a core design goal. The popup is built with WinUI 3 and styled to match native Windows 11 surfaces such as the Start menu and Quick Settings.
Does AppGroup modify the Windows taskbar?
No. AppGroup creates a group shortcut that you pin. Windows still manages the taskbar; AppGroup provides the popup and group contents.
Is AppGroup free?
Yes. It is free and open source under the MIT License.
Which Windows versions are supported?
Windows 10 version 1809 (build 17763) or later, including Windows 11. Check the release notes for requirements specific to a release.
Can I add UWP / Microsoft Store apps like Calculator or Settings?
Yes. Drag them from the Start Menu or shell:AppsFolder into a group.
Can I launch all apps in a group at once?
Yes, with the Launch All jumplist action (it can be toggled in Settings).
Can I put one group inside another?
Yes. Add an existing group as an item in another group; it opens as its own popup.
Can I migrate from TaskbarGroups?
Yes. See Coming from TaskbarGroups or TaskbarGroupsFluent?.
How do I back up or share my groups?
Export them as an .agz (AppGroupZip) file and import it on another PC.
Is there a portable version?
Yes: Portable and Portable (Bundled) .zip builds. Since v1.6.0 they keep groups in their own folder.
Is AppGroup safe?
The source code is public, and the v1.6.0 release files had no vendor detections on VirusTotal when scanned. That is a snapshot for those specific files, not proof of safety. See Security and VirusTotal reports, and download only from this repository.
Help and support
License
MIT. See LICENSE.
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