How to Show or Hide Windows 11 Taskbar Icons

The Windows 11 taskbar gives you quick access to apps and system features.
By default, not all icons are visible — but you can easily show or hide
taskbar icons in Windows 11 through Settings in just a few clicks.

If you’re using Windows 10, refer to our guide on
How to Show or Hide Windows 10 Taskbar Icons.

How to Show Taskbar Icons in Windows 11

If your taskbar icons are missing or hidden, follow these steps to restore them:

1. Right-click on any empty area of the taskbar and select
   Taskbar settings.
2. Scroll down to the Other system tray icons section.
3. Toggle on the icons you want to display — such as
   volume, battery, and network.

How to Hide Taskbar Icons in Windows 11

Hiding icons follows the exact same steps — just toggle in the opposite
direction:

1. Right-click on any empty area of the taskbar and select
   Taskbar settings.
2. Scroll down to the Other system tray icons section.
3. Toggle off the switch next to any icon you want to
   remove from the taskbar.

The changes apply instantly — no restart needed.

How to Fix Missing Taskbar Icons in Windows 11

If icons are not showing on the taskbar even after toggling them on, try
the following fixes:

1. Reinstall the Affected Application

If a specific app icon is missing, try reinstalling it:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Find the app, uninstall it, then reinstall it from the Microsoft Store
   or the app’s official website.

2. Check for Windows Updates

Missing icons can sometimes be caused by outdated system files:

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates and install anything available.
3. Restart your PC once updates are applied.

3. Clear Icon Cache via Registry Editor

If icons still won’t appear, clearing the icon cache usually fixes it:

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
3. Find and delete the keys named IconStreams and
   PastIconsStream.
4. Open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click
   it and select Restart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my taskbar icons not showing in Windows 11?

The most common reason is that the icons are toggled off in
Taskbar settings → Other system tray icons. If they are
toggled on but still not visible, try restarting Windows Explorer via Task
Manager or clearing the icon cache using the Registry method above.

How do I show all icons in the system tray on Windows 11?

Go to Settings → Personalisation → Taskbar, scroll to
Other system tray icons, and toggle on each icon you want
to show. There is no single “show all” toggle in Windows 11 — each icon
must be enabled individually.

Can I hide the taskbar completely in Windows 11?

Yes. Go to Settings → Personalisation → Taskbar → Taskbar
behaviours and tick Automatically hide the taskbar.
The taskbar will disappear and reappear when you move your mouse to the
bottom of the screen.

Do these steps work for Windows 10 as well?

The steps are slightly different on Windows 10. Refer to our separate guide:

How to Show or Hide Windows 10 Taskbar Icons.

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