How to Choose App Icons for Windows 11 Taskbar

How to Open Your Settings

Opening Settings is the first step to change your Windows 11 Taskbar icons. The steps are the same on Home and Pro.

1. Press the Win+I to open the Settings ⚙️ app. You should see the Settings window with a list of categories on the left.
2. Click Personalization in the left menu.
3. Select Taskbar on the right side of the screen. You should now see all the icon controls and display options.

Right-click an empty spot on the taskbar 🖥️ and choose Taskbar settings. It opens the same page.

In the Settings ⚙️ window, click Personalization on the left, then select Taskbar on the right. If you don’t see Personalization, scroll the left menu. It sits below Bluetooth 🔷 & devices, Network & internet and a few other entries.

Inside the Taskbar 🖥️ menu, you will see three main areas that control icons:

• Taskbar items: the built-in buttons such as Search, Task view and Widgets
• System tray icons: extras such as the pen menu, touch keyboard and virtual touchpad
• Other system tray icons: background apps that show in the bottom right corner

Click each section header to expand it and see your choices. Some items only appear on certain devices. For example, the pen menu and touch keyboard options depend on your hardware and build. Below these areas there is also a Taskbar behaviors section, which covers alignment and similar options. This guide does not change it.

Show or Hide Buttons

Managing Windows 11 Taskbar icons lets you remove clutter by hiding default buttons you do not use.

1. Open Settings › Personalization › Taskbar
2. Find the Taskbar items list. It holds system items like Task view, Widgets and Search. The exact list depends on your Windows 11 version.
3. Flip the switch next to any item to Off. Its icon disappears from the taskbar right away.

To bring a button back, flip its switch to On. No restart is needed.

To hide a button on the Windows 11 taskbar, find the switch next to its name and flip it to Off. This removes the icon from your visible taskbar and declutters your workspace.

Apps you pinned yourself don't have a switch here. To remove one, right-click its icon on the taskbar and choose Unpin from taskbar.

You can adjust these buttons to keep your bar simple. Turn off what you never click and leave on what you use daily. You can change your mind at any time by coming back to this page.

Managing the System Tray

Managing your system tray (the small corner area for background apps) keeps your Windows 11 Taskbar icons neat and tidy.

1. Open Settings › Personalization › Taskbar
2. Scroll down to the System tray icons and Other system tray icons sections, and expand them if they are collapsed. Each entry shows an app name with a toggle.
3. Turn off the toggle for any background app you want to hide from the bottom right corner.

A turned-off app keeps running. Its icon moves out of the corner, and you can still reach it from the hidden icon drawer covered further down.

To stop an icon from showing in the corner, flip its switch to Off in the system tray settings section. To show it again, flip the switch back to On.

Hiding icons you don't use will keep your corner area tidy. Leave on the ones you need to see at a glance, such as battery, network or a backup tool.

Using the Overflow Area

The overflow area is a hidden drawer that stores extra Windows 11 Taskbar icons when your screen runs out of space or when you have turned them off in Settings.

1. Look at the right side of your taskbar, next to the clock and system icons.
2. Click the small up-arrow icon. A small panel opens with the hidden icons.
3. Click an icon in the panel to use that app, without opening the full Settings menu.

If you don't see the arrow, nothing is currently hidden. The arrow may also be missing on builds where the hidden icon menu is switched off in the taskbar settings.

The Windows 11 taskbar's hidden icon drawer appears when you click the small up-arrow icon. This drawer shows all extra app icons that do not fit on the main taskbar or that you chose to hide.

Click that arrow to access your hidden icons whenever you need them. You can also drag an icon from the drawer onto the taskbar corner to show it again, or drag one from the corner into the drawer to hide it.

Summary

Customizing your Windows 11 Taskbar icons helps you find your favorite apps faster and keeps your desktop clean. Press Windows + I to open Settings, go to Personalization, and select Taskbar to change what appears on your screen. You can show or hide system items and background apps to fit your daily routine, and pin or unpin your own apps with a right-click.

Hiding unneeded icons makes your taskbar less cluttered, letting important apps stand out. Every change here is reversible, so try a setup for a few days and adjust it.

• Open System Settings with Windows key + I.
• Go to Personalization and then Taskbar to see your options.
• Use the toggle switches to show or hide your buttons and icons. Flip a switch back to On to undo it.
• A tidy taskbar prevents you from missing notifications and improves your daily workflow.