Have you pinned some program icons, such as Microsoft Edge, on the taskbar?
But suddenly after Windows 10 upgrade or when you log in to the PC, all the taskbar icons disappeared, like the Volume icon, Battery, and language bar icons.
You can be disappointed as you will no longer to enter some software or programs directly from the taskbar on the Desktop. To make things worse, this taskbar icons blank issue would sometimes come to you along with Start menu not working, which disables you from performing something simply.
To help you fix this missing icon from taskbar problem, this article would offer some useful and feasible advice.
Solutions:
Solution 1: Check for Updates
When you run into the taskbar frozen and did not show any icons, maybe it is high time that you should make sure if there are any updates on your computer. Some new features might have been added that can better suit Windows 10.
1. Go as the path: Start > Settings > Update & security.
2.Under Windows Update, click Check for updates.
Here you can also see the Update history to check if some unknown updates appeared on your computer that can lead to taskbar icons not displayed error.
Windows 10 Taskbar Icons Invisible Door
If any, Windows 10 would automatically install the new updates for you and then restart the computer to take effect.
As long as the system begins, you can notice all the missing taskbar icons are back.
Solution 2: Run SFC and DISM
It is possible that the corrupted files or images cause the icons not showing on taskbar. Under this circumstance, try to use the powerful Windows embedded-in tool-System File Checker to repair the problematic files.
1. Type in Command Prompt in the search box and right click the result to Run as administrator.
2. In Command Prompt, input sfc/scannow and hit Enter to perform this command.
Then the System File Checker will be detecting your computer and correct the files with corruption.
When SFC checking finished, reboot your computer and you can see the taskbar not showing the pinned icons solved.
But if not, why not take advantage of DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) to fix the taskbar disappeared error or icons in taskbar invisible problem in Windows 10.
In Command Prompt, copy DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter to run it.
Once DISM completed, you can easily find the taskbar black with all icons missing issue is away from you.
Solution 3: Restart Windows Explorer
Some users complained that when their turn on the process Windows Explorer, the icons not showing on taskbar error appears.
In this way, you would better manage to restart Windows Explorer to see if the taskbar icons invisible back to normal.
1. Right click Start and select Task Manager from the list.
2. Under Processes, locate Windows Explorer and right click it to Restart.
When the Windows Explorer is re-launched, observe the taskbar icons carefully.
For some people, you can rely on this way to fix icons missing from the taskbar in Windows 10.
Solution 4: Reinstall Taskbar Application
Inbuilt though an application the taskbar is, it is also viable that you uninstalled it unwittingly. And if it is the case, undoubtedly, the blank taskbar will not show any icons on Windows 10.
So reinstall it from Windows PowerShell to make the missing taskbar icons come back.
1. Search PowerShell in the search box and right click the result Windows PowerShell to Run as administrator.
2. In Windows PowerShell, copy and paste the following command and then stroke Enter.
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode – Register“$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}
3. Restart computer.
Now you have successfully reinstalled the built-in applications for Windows 10, the invisible Taskbar will display the pinned items at this time.
Solution 5: Create a New User Account
To avoid the possibility that it is the account corruption give rise to taskbar icons missing from Windows 10 error, you might as well struggle to add a new account to see if the icons can appear in the taskbar.
1. Navigate to Start > Settings > Accounts.
2. Under Family & other people, choose to Add someone else to this PC.
3. In How will this person sign in, select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
4. Choose to Add a user without Microsoft account.
5. In Create an account for this PC, type in the name and password you think out for this newly created user account.
Obviously, you are able to login in with this new account. Or here it is also available to create a Microsoft account if you would like.
Fallout 4 first person camera. When you sign in with the local user account or Microsoft account, you will notice the disappearing taskbar icons have been recovered on Windows 10.
Solution 6: Troubleshoot Windows Store Applications
As one of the program in Windows store application, taskbar can also meet with the icons gone from it issue if there are some troubles with the Windows store app.
Therefore, try to make full use of the built-in tool Windows Troubleshooter to check this icon problem.
1. Type in Troubleshoot in the search box and press Enter to get into it.
2. Under Troubleshoot, find out Windows Store Apps and then click Run the troubleshooter.
Maybe the Windows store problem can be fixed with this tool.
On that occasion, the icons missing from taskbar error would also disappear.
Solution 7: Free up Disk Space
Reports from numerous users show that the full disk usage can also lead to icons on taskbar not showing up in Windows 10, thus it is wise for you to spare disk space.
So long as you have managed the disk space on your PC, the icons would go back to the taskbar if useful.
While the methods to free up disk usage are various, you can attempt to use the most common and efficient one.
1. Go to Start > Settings > System.
2. Under Storage, locate Storage sense and click Change how we free up space.
After that, pick out the way you wish to way to free up space.
You can choose to delete some temporary files or system ones so as to fix the taskbar not displaying icons on Windows 10.
Solution 8: Fix Windows 10 System issues
On the basis of the ways are not effective enough for you to solve the taskbar icons disappearing, the real problem lies in the system troubles, for instance, Windows 10 corruption and system file error.
If you happened to the Windows 10 taskbar icons missing problem and are not at a loss, struggle to factory reset or restore Windows 10.
Hope this system repairing way can help you solve the taskbar disappeared error.
In short, when you come across the taskbar icons are gone problem on Windows 10, go for all troubles to refer to these solutions in this article.
Related Articles:
In Windows 10, many classic Control Panel options were moved to the Settings app. Options related to the taskbar were moved there as well. This is the case since at least build 14271, which is part of Windows 10 'Anniversary Update' (Redstone 1) branch. Let's see how to make Windows 10 always show all tray icons on the taskbar using Settings.
RECOMMENDED: Click here to fix Windows errors and optimize system performance
But default, Windows 10 hides new icons in a special tray in order to keep the taskbar clean. All the new icons are hidden in a panel which can be opened by clicking on the up arrow icon as shown below.
If you have a wide screen or small number of icons, it will be useful to have them visible all the time.
There is a special option to make them visible. There are two methods to enable them.
To always show all tray icons in Windows 10, do the following.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Personalization - Taskbar.
- On the right, click on the link 'Select which icons appear on the taskbar' under Notification area.
- On the next page, enable the option 'Always show all icons in the notification area'.
Tip: If you do not like using the Settings app, there still exists the ability to open the classic Notification Area Icons dialog. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog and type the following in the Run box:
Press the Enter key. The next window will be familiar to many users:
There, tick the option 'Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar'.
See the following article for reference: How to access classic notification area (tray icon) options in Windows 10.
Finally, it is possible to apply a Registry tweak to make all tray icons visible all the time. Here is how.
- Open Registry Editor (see how).
- Navigate to the following Registry key:Tip: How to jump to the desired registry key with one click.
- On the right, create or modify the 32-bit DWORD value named EnableAutoTray.
Set it to 0 to show all notification area icons on the taskbar.
A value data of 1 will hide new icons (this is by default). - To make the changes done by the Registry tweak take effect, you need to sign out and sign in to your user account.
That's it.
RECOMMENDED: Click here to fix Windows errors and optimize system performance
If you are working in your system and you come across a predicament where you don't find icons on your system taskbar anymore, it is seriously going to be a real trouble. Taskbar on Windows is the only location where the user at last prefers to hit the mouse click in order to set things right. Besides, it is through the icons displayed on the taskbar that you can immediately come back to the desktop, alter the system volume magnitude, open the Windows Explorer, check the time and date, and many more with no end to the list of reliable tools it serves.
Thus setting the taskbar back to its normal pace with all its icons available is the foremost step that you should take if you ever see the icons go missing. The article here would serve you the same purpose with few fabulous methods which would fix icon not showing on taskbar with few simple steps.
Part 1: Fix Icon Not Showing on Taskbar by Windows Explorer
The method is one of the simples of all, yet it is very effective in bringing icons back to taskbar in case of hurry. Many a times the background processes or tasks impedes the taskbar from functioning properly, thus setting the taskbar right would automatically resolve your issue with the icons.
Step 1. Firstly press the 'Windows logo key + R' to launch the 'Run' command.
Step 2. After the 'Run' tool box appears on the screen type in 'taskmgr.exe' command and hit 'Enter'. It will open the Task Manager all of its own accord.
Step 3. Click on the tab labeled as 'Processes' from the list of other tabs displayed, and then trace down till you find out 'Windows Explorer' process enlisted in the list of currently running processes.
Step 4. Now click on the 'Windows Explorer' process to select it and then click on the 'Restart' button at the bottom right corner of the windows to restart the process again.
This would terminate the process immediately and would definitely resolve the issue with the icons not appearing. But if the process is still not working, then better head on to the next method to sort it out.
Also read: How to Fix Windows Taskbar Not Working Issue?
Part 2: Fix Icon Not Showing on Windows 10 Taskbar via Registry Editor
This method basically involved the registry key manipulation which at times proves to be critically dangerous for your system if you are not well adept with the technical skills. Thus it is highly recommended to not to use registry editor to resolve your issue if you are a beginner.
Step 1.Press 'Windows Key + R' from the keyboard to open the 'Run' dialogue box. Type in 'regedit' and hit 'Enter' to open the 'Registry Editor'.
Step 2. At the menu bar click on 'Edit' tab and click on 'Find' option from the drop-down menu.
Step 3. A new search window will open up. Type 'iconstreams' on the search box, and hit 'Enter' to initiate the search process.
Step 4. Now delete all the instances from the right side pane.
Step 5. Again type 'pasticonstreams' in the 'Find' search box and delete the right hand side instances.
Step 6. Exit 'Registry Editor' and then reboot the computer to refresh the processes.
Don't miss: How to Clean Registry Windows 10?
Part 3: Re-registering the Taskbar using Windows Powershell
Here in this section, you don't have to manipulate the system settings, rather run certain commands in the powershell, which is enough to do the job. Just follow the steps laid out balow to actuate the method:
Step 1. Click on the 'Windows' key and type 'Powershell'.
Step 2. Right click on the Powershell option in the output list and click on 'Run as administrator' option from the drop down menu to launch it with admin privileges.
Step 3. Now copy-paste the following command in the blue Powershell dialogue box:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register '$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml'}
The process will take some time to execute the output successfully.
Step 4. After the command line has been executed, trace the following location:C:/Users/name/AppData/Local/Replace the 'name' with your user account name and make sure that you hidden files showing feature is enabled.
Step 5. Now scroll down the list of options and find out the file named 'TileDataLayer' and simply delete the folder.
Now move back to the system home screen and check if the icons have re-appeared or not on the taskbar. If you have actuated the steps as exactly as explained then definitely your attempt would be successfully.
Conclusion:
As you know that taskbar is one of the essential parts of your Windows system, thus attending to the issue of not showing icons should be the first priority among all your tasks, lest you would not be able to perform any task any more.The methods mentioned above are very easier to put to use, but you need to have the basic expertise with computers before you can successfully pull over the guidelines as explained.
Mar.21 2018 1 9:49 PM. / Posted by Vicky Tiffany to Windows