How to Hide or Show System Tray Icons in the Taskbar Overflow Menu on Windows 11

How to Move Icons Using Drag and Drop

Hide Icons (Move from Taskbar to Overflow Menu)

This is the quickest way to hide an icon, and you can use it on any icon that is allowed to move.

1. Click and hold the icon you want to hide on the taskbar 🖥️.
2. Drag it upward, away from the taskbar 🖥️. Keep holding the mouse button.
3. Drop it into the overflow menu area above the taskbar 🖥️. The overflow flyout opens as you hover there. Release the button once the icon is over it.

To check, click the up arrow (^). If the icon snaps back to its old spot, it is probably one of the fixed system icons. Use the Settings ⚙️ method below for that icon instead.

Show Icons (Move from Overflow Menu to Taskbar)

Reverse the process to bring an icon back onto the taskbar 🖥️.

1. Click the little up arrow (^) on the taskbar to open the overflow menu. The icons currently hidden appear in a small flyout.
2. Click and hold the icon you want to show on the taskbar.
3. Drag it down onto the taskbar and release it.

The icon should now sit next to the other tray icons and no longer appear in the flyout. To undo the change, drag it back up into the overflow menu.

Change Which Icons Appear Using Settings

Use Settings if dragging doesn't work, or if you want to see every app icon in one list.

1. Press Win + I keys to open Settings.
2. On the left, click Personalization, then select Taskbar on the right.
3. Click on Other system tray icons to expand the list. You should see one row per app, each with its own switch. An app only appears here after it has run and put an icon in the tray at least once.
4. Turn the switch On to show an icon on the taskbar, or Off to hide it in the overflow menu.

The change takes effect straight away, and no restart is needed. To undo it, flip the same switch back.

The Settings app gives you control over the overflow menu and lets you choose exactly which app icons stay visible. Your screen stays clean, and the important app icons stay easy to reach.

Note for Advanced Users

Windows saves each icon's preference in the system registry. Specific binary values inside these keys dictate whether an icon stays hidden or remains visible.

Settings is safer. If you do edit the registry, export the key first so you can restore it. Changes made here may not show up until you sign out and back in, or restart Windows Explorer.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\NotifyIconSettings\App ID\IsPromoted

• 0 means the icon is hidden (in overflow menu)
• 1 means the icon is shown on the taskbar

About "Always Show All Icons and Notifications"

The "Always show all icons and notifications" option behaves differently in Windows 11 than in older versions. Microsoft removed the direct master toggle from the main settings menu. To force every background app icon to stay visible on the taskbar at all times, you now need a special command in the Run dialog box.

Follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type or paste shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9} and press Enter. This opens the classic notification area icons window.
3. In the window that opens, check or uncheck Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar, then click OK.

If you check the box, the overflow menu will usually empty out because every icon moves onto the taskbar. If the taskbar then feels too crowded, run the same command again and uncheck the box. If the window doesn't open on your build, use the per-icon switches in Settings instead.

Summary

• The taskbar corner overflow menu holds hidden app icons and notifications.
• You can customize which icons show on the taskbar by dragging icons or using Settings.
• Settings are found under Settings › Personalization › Taskbar › Other system tray icons.
• Advanced users can tweak registry settings for more control.
• The "Always show all icons" option is outdated and may not work as expected.
• By following these simple steps, you can keep your taskbar clean and only show the icons you need.