How to Enable or Disable System Icons on Taskbar in Windows 10
The Clock, Volume, Network, Power, and Action Center system icons are located on the taskbar notification area (aka: system tray) by default in Windows. When you hover over these icons, you can see their status. You can right click on these icons to access specific options or settings for them.
By default, each user can choose to turn on or off systems icons showing on their taskbars.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable system icons on the taskbar notification area for all or specific users in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable a system icon.
If a system icon is enabled, users will be able to turn on or off the system icon for their account.
If a system icon is disabled, the icon will be removed from the taskbar notification area for all users, and users will not be able to turn on or off the system icon since its setting will be grayed out.
Contents
- Option One: To Enable System Icons on Taskbar for All Users using a BAT file
- Option Two: To Disable System Icons on Taskbar for All Users using a BAT file
- Option Three: To Enable or Disable System Icons on Taskbar for All or Specific Users in Local Group Policy Editor
EXAMPLE: System icons on taskbar notification area
EXAMPLE: System icons enabled and disabled (grayed out)
This is the default setting.
1 Do step 2 (Clock), step 3 (Volume), step 4 (Network), step 5 (Power), or step 6 (Action Center) below for which system icon you want to enable for all users.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Enable_Clock_system_icon.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Enable_Volume_system_icon.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Enable_Network_system_icon.bat
Download
The Power system icon will only be available if the PC has a battery or connected UPS.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Enable_Power_system_icon.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Enable_Action-Center_system_icon.bat
Download
7 Save the .bat file to your desktop.
8 Unblock the .bat file.
9 Right click or press and hold on the downloaded .bat file, and click/tap on Run as administrator.
10 You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly open and close as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.
11 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.
1 Do step 2 (Clock), step 3 (Volume), step 4 (Network), step 5 (Power), or step 6 (Action Center) below for which system icon you want to disable for all users.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Disable_Clock_system_icon.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Disable_Volume_system_icon.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Disable_Network_system_icon.bat
Download
The Power system icon will only be available if the PC has a battery or connected UPS.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Disable_Power_system_icon.bat
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 7 below.
Disable_Action-Center_system_icon.bat
Download
7 Save the .bat file to your desktop.
8 Unblock the .bat file.
9 Right click or press and hold on the downloaded .bat file, and click/tap on Run as administrator.
10 You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly open and close as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.
11 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option One and Option Two
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 Navigate to the policy folder below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
3 Do step 4 (Clock), step 5 (Volume), step 6 (Network), step 7 (Power), or step 8 (Action Center) below for which system icon you want to enable or disable.
A) In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Remove Clock from the system notification area policy to edit it, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below step 2)
A) In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Remove the volume control icon policy to edit it, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below step 2)
A) In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Remove the networking icon policy to edit it, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below step 2)
A) In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Remove the battery meter policy to edit it, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below step 2)
A) In the right pane of Start Menu and Taskbar, double click/tap on the Remove Notifications and Action Center policy to edit it, and go to step 9 below. (see screenshot below step 2)
9 Perform the action below depending on if you want to enable or disable the system icon: (see screenshot below)
A) To enable system icon, select Not Configured (default) or Disabled, and click/tap on OK.
OR
B) To disable system icon, select Enabled, and click/tap on OK.
10 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor.
11 Either restart the explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
That's it,
Shawn
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