How to Add or Remove Teams Taskbar Icon in Windows 11
The Microsoft Teams taskbar icon in Windows 11 sits in the bottom-right corner of your screen near the clock to give you quick access to your chats and calls. You can easily hide or remove this icon if you want a cleaner taskbar.
You can also stop Teams from opening automatically every time you turn on your PC to keep your system running fast.
To manage the Microsoft Teams icon on your Windows 11 taskbar, you can close the application to temporarily hide it. For permanent control, go to Settings Personalization Taskbar Taskbar corner overflow and toggle the switch for Microsoft Teams. You can also prevent it from starting automatically via Settings Apps Startup
Step 1Close Microsoft Teams to Temporarily Hide the Icon
To temporarily remove the teams taskbar icon, you can completely close the Microsoft Teams app from your system tray . Right-click the Teams icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen near the clock and select Quit or Close. This hides the icon right away until you open the program again.
- Find the Microsoft Teams icon on your taskbar . It’s usually in the bottom-right corner, near the clock and other small icons. It looks like a purple square with a white “T” inside.
- Right-click on the Microsoft Teams icon.
- In the menu that appears, choose Quit.

Step 2Control the Microsoft Teams Icon in Taskbar Settings
Controlling whether the teams taskbar icon appears on your screen is managed through the Windows 11 Personalization settings menu. By opening Settings and navigating to the Taskbar section, you can turn off system tray icons and manage which app shortcuts stay visible on your taskbar.
Open Windows Settings . Press Win+I to open the Settings app.
In the Settings window, click on Personalization in the left-hand menu.
On the right side of the Personalization screen, find and click on Taskbar.
Scroll down to Taskbar corner overflow (labeled as Other system tray icons in some updates). Click on it to see the options.
Each app has a switch next to it. To hide the Microsoft Teams icon from the taskbar corner, turn the Microsoft Teams switch Off. To make the Microsoft Teams icon visible, ensure the Microsoft Teams switch is On.
The Settings window can now be closed. Your changes will take effect immediately.

Step 3Stop Microsoft Teams from Starting Automatically with Windows
Stopping the teams taskbar icon from showing up when you turn on your PC requires disabling the app in your Startup settings. You can do this by opening Settings, going to the Apps menu, selecting Startup, and turning off the switch next to Microsoft Teams so it stays closed until you need it.
Again, open Windows Settings by pressing Windows key + I.
In the Settings menu, click on Apps on the left side.
On the right side of the Apps screen, click on Startup.
You can find the Microsoft Teams application by looking through the list of running programs. This switch controls whether the app runs in the background.
To stop Teams from starting automatically, turn the switch Off for Microsoft Teams. If you want it to start with Windows, turn it back On.


Teams will no longer open automatically after your next computer restart. The Microsoft Teams icon will remain hidden from the taskbar corner until you manually open the Teams application.
Disabling Teams startup can help your computer start up faster and reduce the number of programs running in the background.
Summary
Managing the Microsoft Teams icon on your Windows 11 taskbar involves closing the app to hide it temporarily, adjusting taskbar settings for persistent control, or disabling its automatic startup with Windows.
How do I remove the Teams icon from the taskbar in 🪟 Windows 11?
To add or remove the Microsoft Teams icon in Windows 11, right-click the Teams app to pin or unpin it from the taskbar, adjust Taskbar settings Other system tray icons, or toggle legacy Chat settings in Personalization.
How do I get rid of the Teams bar?
Hover and click the pin icon in toolbar area and then press CTRL+W (CMD+W). The toolbar will hide for the entire session. it will kill the control bar until your next instance of sharing your screen/joining a new call.
How do I get the Teams icon on my desktop 🪟 Windows 11?
Creating a desktop shortcut for the teams taskbar icon in Windows 11 involves opening your Start menu and dragging the app onto your desktop. Click the Windows key, find Microsoft Teams in your list of apps, and drag its name directly onto your background to place a shortcut there.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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