Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10  

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    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10

    How to Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    08 Oct 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10


    The notification area is located at the right end of the taskbar, and it contains app icons that provide status and notifications about things like incoming email, updates, and network connectivity. You can change which icons and notifications appear there.

    This tutorial will show you how to select which icons appear on the taskbar notification area for your account, specific users, or all users in Windows 10.

    If you choose to hide icons, you won't be notified about changes or updates for that app from the icon. To view hidden icons at any time, click the arrow next to the notification are on your taskbar.



    Contents

    • Option One: Hide or Show All Notification Icons while in Tablet Mode from Taskbar
    • Option Two: Hide or Show All Notification Icons while in Tablet Mode using a BAT file
    • Option Three: Hide or Show Icons in the Notification Area from Settings
    • Option Four: Turn On or Off "Always show all icons in the notification area" using a BAT file
    • Option Five: Enable or Disable "Always show all icons in the notification area" in Local Group Policy Editor
    • Option Six: Enable or Disable "Always show all icons in the notification area" for All Users using a REG file



    EXAMPLE: Notification Area Icons on Taskbar
    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-always_show_all_notification_area_icons.jpg Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-hide_notification_area_icons.jpg





    OPTION ONE

    Hide or Show All Notification Icons while in Tablet Mode from Taskbar


    1 While you have tablet mode turned on, right click or press and hold on the taskbar, and click/tap on Show all notification icons to check (show) or uncheck (hide) it for what you want. (see screenshot below)

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-tablet_mode_taskbar.jpg






    OPTION TWO

    Hide or Show All Notification Icons while in Tablet Mode using a BAT file


    The downloadable .bat files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

    UseTabletModeNotificationIcons DWORD

    0 = On
    1 = Off


    1 Do step 2 or step 3 below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Hide All Notification Icons in Tablet Mode

    This is the default setting.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_Off_Show_all_notifcation_icons_in_Tablet_Mode.bat

    Download


     3. To Show All Notification Icons in Tablet Mode

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_On_Show_all_notifcation_icons_in_Tablet_Mode.bat

    Download


    4 Save the .bat file to your desktop, and unblock the .bat file.

    5 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.

    6 You will now notice your screen flicker as explorer is restarted.






    OPTION THREE

    Hide or Show Icons in the Notification Area from Settings


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Personalization icon.

    2 Click/tap on Taskbar on the left side, and click/tap on the Select which icons appear on the taskbar link under the Notification area section on the right. (see screenshots below)

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-notification_area_icons_settings.png

    3 Do step 4 (all on) or step 5 (select) below for what you would like to do.


     4. To Always show all icons in the notification area

    A) Turn on Always show all icons in the notification area at the top, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-customize_notification_area_icons-2.png


     5. To Select which icons appear on the taskbar notification area

    A) Turn off Always show all icons in the notification area at the top. (see screenshot below)

    B) Turn On (show) or Off (hide) each icon listed for how you want them to appear on the taskbar notification area, and go to step 6 below when finished.

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-customize_notification_area_icons-3.png

    6 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.






    OPTION FOUR

    Turn On or Off "Always show all icons in the notification area" using a BAT file


    The downloadable .bat files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

    EnableAutoTray DWORD

    0 = On
    1 = Off


    1 Do step 2 or step 3 below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Turn Off Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar

    This is the default setting.

    When turned off, each notification area icon will hide or show based on what you have set in step 5 of option three above.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_Off_Always_show_all_taskbar_icons_and_notifcations.bat

    Download


     3. To Turn On Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Turn_On_Always_show_all_taskbar_icons_and_notifcations.bat

    Download


    4 Save the .bat file to your desktop, and unblock the .bat file.

    5 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.

    6 You will now notice your screen flicker as explorer is restarted.






    OPTION FIVE

    Enable or Disable "Always show all icons in the notification area" in Local Group Policy Editor


    You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

    The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

    All editions can use Option Six for this same policy.


    1 Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

    2 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start Menu and Taskbar. (See screenshot below)

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-notification_area_icons_gpedit-1.jpg

    3 In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Turn off notification area cleanup policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


     5. To Enable "Always show all icons in the notification area"

    This option will override Option Three and Option Four.

    A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)


     6. To Disable "Always show all icons in the notification area"

    This is the default setting. This option allows users to use Option Three and Option Four.

    A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

    Not Configured is the default setting.

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-notification_area_icons_gpedit-2.png


    7 When finished, you can close Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

    8 Restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.






    OPTION SIX

    Enable or Disable "Always show all icons in the notification area" for All Users using a REG file


    You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

    The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

    NoAutoTrayNotify DWORD

    (delete) = Disable
    1 = Enable


    1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


     2. To Enable "Always show all icons in the notification area" for All Users

    This option will override Option Three and Option Four.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Enable_Always_show_all_notification_area_icons_for_all_users.reg

    Download


     3. To Disable "Always show all icons in the notification area" for All Users

    This is the default setting. This option allows users to use Option Three and Option Four.

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Disable_Always_show_all_notification_area_icons_for_all_users.reg

    Download


    4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    7 Restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.

    8 You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 7,254
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #1

    Customise notification icons doesnt appear to work in 10130. I cant figure out how to make it so all my icons in systray are showing.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #2

    swarfega said:
    Customise notification icons doesnt appear to work in 10130. I cant figure out how to make it so all my icons in systray are showing.
    The tray link, (Option One/Step 2), seems to be depreciated in Build 10130, go to Settings via the other Steps or directly:

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-000009.png
    Last edited by Edwin; 31 May 2015 at 06:03.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 7,254
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #3

    Hi Edwin, thanks for responding. Its the little upturned arrow beside the icons that iI normally disable so all the systray icons showing on the taskbar rather than a select few.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #4

    swarfega said:
    Hi Edwin, thanks for responding. Its the little upturned arrow beside the icons that iI normally disable so all the systray icons showing on the taskbar rather than a select few.
    Turn this on:

    Hide or Show Notification Area Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10-000011.png
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7,254
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #5

    That did it, thanks.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Tutorial updated. :)
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       #7

    Helpful tutorial


    Thanks for the great tutorial. I'm bummed that I can no longer just customize directly from the hidden icons box, but am glad I found this so I could make some changes.

    I'd love it if TenForums added a "This helped me" voting tool.

    -Chris
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    You're most welcome Chris, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    Just posting is a great way for a "This helped me".
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 64-bit
       #9

    Hello all.

    I've been using this method to cherry-pick which icons I want to always show in the system tray. Unfortunately, these settings don't stick and I quite often have to go back and reconfigure which icons I want shown.

    I have not tried to select showing all icons, as I do not want that...

    I haven't really tried much other than rebooting - not sure why these settings wouldn't stick in the first place.
      My Computer


 

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