How to Enable Windows 8 Taskbar Profile Picture in Windows 7

As near the launch of Windows 8 is coming, the developers are getting high on their work for the beta release. Tools, Tweaks and Utilities have been started modding of the Windows 8 features into Windows 7. As news of Windows 8 new build-in features gets out every day, some developers have begun creating applications which emulate the Windows 8 leaked features like functionality.

Windows 8 has an awesome feature of adding your Profile Picture into your Taskbar giving a strong feeling of a Social look-a-like UI. There’s no point of having a picture out there but still it is a great implementation method for those, who all love to design their desktop with Themes, Style Packs and Widgets. In Windows 8, Windows Live will be integrated in system notification area, and here’s a small utility called Taskbar UserTile (created by AngelWZR) which, however, doesn’t integrate Windows Live features but adds User Profile Picture in Windows 7 taskbar with options to access Control Panel, User Accounts, Log off, Lock PC, and Switch user.

Steps

• Download the Taskbar UserTile Utility from here and Extract it to a Folder or directly run it from the compressed folder. This will give you the feature of adding an image into your Windows 7 as that of Windows 8 Taskbar.

Taskbar_Usertile_Alpha_7_1_Windows7 (1047)

• After extracting it to a folder, Run the UserTile.exe file in Administrator Mode by right clicking upon it.

• So it’s done. You’ll find a picture displaying on your Taskbar. By default it will show a picture of Nature. Now can you change it ? There’s no option or any kind off menu for changing the pic. If you click over it, you’ll only find options to access Control Panel, User Accounts, Log off, Lock PC, and Switch user.

If you want to add an image from external source or a custom image of your choice, then here’s what you are going to do.

1. Copy the image file that you’re willing to put as the Taskbar Picture and Go to the Taskbar UserTile folder, Paste the picture in the resources folder. For example see this screenshot.

2. Open the configuration file from the Taskbar Usertile folder and edit the AvatarPath = Resources\Filename.jpg where Filename.jpg is your image name and format. Replace it with the default one and save the file.

3. Now just right click on the picture at the taskbar and close it and run the UserTile.exe again in the Administrator mode. You’ll find your image in the Taskbar Enjoy.