Windows 11 - System Tray Icons Disapper For No Reason

[aamirjavaid]

Hello everyone,
I recently installed Windows 11 and I am facing this issue where my notification tray icons disappear entirely including the date/time button and the wifi, Bluetooth toggle buttons.

I don't think I set it to behave this way.

I would like to add that the icons do reappear when I run a program that displays a consistent icon in the system tray like Skype, Spotify etc.

Here is a screenshot with no software that displays an icon in the system tray:

Here is a screenshot after I run Spotify:

I need help in fixing this. I would like the date and time and the wifi and volume buttons to appear all the time.

Windows Build Information:

Edition: Windows 11 Pro
Version: 21H2
Installed on: ‎2/‎12/‎2022
OS build: 22000.527
Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.527.0

Please let me know what I can do to fix it.

Thank You

[#2]

Hello,

Suggest you to run System File Checker scan:

1. Search for 'command prompt' using Cortana or Windows Search.

2. From results, right click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

3. Type sfc /scannow command and press Enter key.

4. Let the command complete and then reboot the machine.

If issue still persists, perform clean boot:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

Let us know if this helps!

[#3]

@Kapil AryaThank you for the reply.

I did try your suggested steps.
Here is the result of the scan:

I did restart the computer afterwards as well. That did not help either.

Please let me know what I can do further to get this resolved.
Thank You

[#4]

Have you tried clean boot as well?

[#5]

I actually did. Didnt work.
Could it be a bug?

[#6]

I too am having this issue, and it seems random. Usually, when I restart the explorer.exe process it comes back but not always. If I find a permanent fix I will post it here.

[#7]

Previously, I would just a launch a program like Spotify or Skype and keep that running.
Now, I have enabled the touch keyboard button. While I don't actually need it, it just keeps the whole thing working.

[#8]

Your's looks like a more "severe" version of an issue I have been getting recently. Every time I start my machine I have noticed that the chevron ^ for the hidden applications menu is gone. All the apps are still running, I just can't access the menu to select and manage any of them.

The only solution I have found is to open the settings menu and go to the "Other system tray icons" section, and turn on all of the applications to always be visible, and then to turn them all off again. When I start turning them off, the chevron re-appears...

Not a clue why this started happening, however I have a feeling it was after the latest update was applied.

[#9]

I have started getting the same issue from yesterday after I updated. Build 22610

[#10]

---

@Benzyme wrote:
Your's looks like a more "severe" version of an issue I have been getting recently. Every time I start my machine I have noticed that the chevron ^ for the hidden applications menu is gone. All the apps are still running, I just can't access the menu to select and manage any of them.

The only solution I have found is to open the settings menu and go to the "Other system tray icons" section, and turn on all of the applications to always be visible, and then to turn them all off again. When I start turning them off, the chevron re-appears...

Not a clue why this started happening, however I have a feeling it was after the latest update was applied.

---

Very odd, but this does seem to work. Nothing else helps though.

[#11]

my issue was: system tray and time dissapear after shut down; every night i couldn't hibernate too, my screen goes black and after several seconds on again; i shut down and no tray and time gone. i think hibernation and disapearing were related in my case. i had found a fix, i used it every time after power on, i prefer to automatically hide the taskbar, and i every time go to the settings and uncheck this setting and check again, system tray and time is back, but hibernation not fixed. after several months i decided to play more with settings and first try was successfull, you have to check and enable the setting 'select the far corner of the taskbar to show desktop' in taskbar settings. my both issues, system tray and hibernation were fixed immediately and permanent. try it yourself, check or uncheck and check, and may be helpful.

[#12]

hibernation not fixed after several successfull atempts, but system tray ok

[#13]

I too am having the same issue and it doesn't seem to be a specific program/icon that has issues.
At first it was the volume control icon, it wouldn't show up on cold boot, so I'd have to go into the taskbar overflow page, turn it off, then turn it back on for it to reappear.
That went on for about 2 weeks.
In the last 4-5 days though I noticed my Soundblaster command icon has gone missing, along with my Agent DVR icon for my webcam
Same issue as the volume icon, it's set to show/on in the taskbar overflow area, but I have to turn it off then back on again to show it.

[#14]

I am also facing exact same issue on windows 11 22H2 build 22621.1194