Windows 7 Tutorial

Show or hide icons from the taskbar in Windows 7

Especially on laptops, icons tend to accumulate and clutter the taskbar in the notification area (system tray, next to the system clock), to the point where little room is left for taskbar buttons and pinned programs. In this tutorial, we will explain how to hide icons from the taskbar, and how to show hidden icons as needed. This allows you to show only relevant icons, while retaining the ability to show them as needed.

 

Hide an icon from the taskbar in Windows 7

Follow these steps to hide icons from the notification area / system tray:

Windows 7 will now display only the icons you want to see; all other icons remain hidden from the taskbar, either between notifications, or always, depending on the settings you chose. 

Note: another quick way to access your notification icons preferences is to simply right-click on the clock in the system tray, as shown on the screenshot below:

Access the notification area icons options in Windows 7

How to show hidden icons in the taskbar (notification area)

Icons hidden from the taskbar's notification area are just that: hidden - but they still exist, and silently reside in the system tray. You can still access them with a click, the following way:

This concludes our Windows 7 tutorial on showing or hiding icons from the taskbar; you now know how to restore icons settings, show or hide individual icons, how to override individual options and display all icons at all times, and finally how to access the show/hide system icons settings as well.

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