News & Interest update and systray issues

Windows 10 Home 21H1 x64 (build 19043.1052)

Just installed the 6/8/21 cumulative security update that includes the News & Interests nonsense I mean taskbar function (KB5003637 for me) and am having a version of the corrupted systray icon issues that have been reported.

For me, on startup and/or reboot, although all startup apps load and run correctly, no systray icons appear unless N&I is ENABLED (regardless of its settings). Area is just blank, no clock, no nothing. If enabled the icons appear correctly, and if enabled and immediately DISABLED they remain, but that process must be repeated each time: enable N&I and then disable (I don't want it).

This holds true for both user accounts, admin and standard. I know this is a known issue but if anybody has any ideas/solutions please speak up

dalchina said:

a. Simply live with the icon, set it not to open on hover.
or
b. Uninstall and hide (block) the update.

Uninstalling it seems ill-advised, since it's flagged as a security rollup addressing such broad issues as:

Security updates to the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Management, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Authentication, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Virtualization, Windows Kernel, Windows HTML Platform, and Windows Storage and Filesystems.

Updates to improve security when using input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, or pen.

Updates to improve Windows OLE (compound documents) security.

Updates for verifying usernames and passwords.

Updates to improve security when Windows performs basic operations.

The taskbar glitches if you disable it on a display with DPI scaling above 100. It's common for many, just gotta hope MS will fix it, or listen to feedback for once.

2021-05-26 11-56-17 Also, the "News and Interests" feature is baked into the Windows File Explorer shell, there is no removing or turning it off, unless you do a roll back to a previous "C:\Windows\explorer.exe" version.

Special said:

The taskbar glitches if you disable it on a display with DPI scaling above 100. It's common for many, just gotta hope MS will fix it, or listen to feedback for once.

2021-05-26 11-56-17 Also, the "News and Interests" feature is baked into the Windows File Explorer shell, there is no removing or turning it off, unless you do a roll back to a previous "C:\Windows\explorer.exe" version.

Scaling may well be the issue, I'm set at 120%. Slight hope because Apple fixed their iTunes for Windows scaling glitch and that only took about a... year... and MS still won't fix the Copy to/Move to dialog sizing... oh well.

Turning off the widget is obviously an option from its own menu and/or HKCU...Feeds regkey so at least preventing it from appearing is the intended option. Seems to work for many.

As to Explorer I'm using Old New Explorer (OldNewExplorer 1.1.9 - StartIsBack+ - MSFN) and so far that still works.

THX

dalchina said:

Has anyone noticed News and Interests has a feedback option - click the ... top right - please use it...

I just sent them some 'helpful' feedback.

Update: as of yesterday I have News & Interests turned off (no icon) and my systray icons are loading and remaining on normally. Perhaps it was fixed in one of the recent updates? In any event I'll mark solved even though I didn't actually solve it... THX all