How to Hide or Show System Tray Icons in the Taskbar Overflow Menu on Windows 11
Windows 11 lets you control which icons appear directly on your taskbar and which ones hide in a special menu. This menu, called the taskbar corner overflow, keeps your main taskbar cleaner by tucking away apps you don’t use often.
The system tray, located on the right side of your taskbar, shows icons for running apps and system functions. When too many apps are running, Windows 11 automatically moves some icons into this overflow menu, accessed by clicking the small upward-pointing arrow.
You can choose which apps stay visible on the taskbar and which ones go into the overflow menu. This helps you quickly see important notifications and keeps your taskbar clutter-free.
You can manage taskbar icons by dragging them directly onto or off the overflow menu arrow. Alternatively, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Other system tray icons to toggle icons on or off. This lets you control which icons appear on your taskbar.
How to Move Icons Using Drag and Drop
Hide Icons (Move from Taskbar to Overflow Menu)
- Click and hold the icon you want to hide on the taskbar.
- Drag it upward away from the taskbar.
- Drop it into the overflow menu area (above the taskbar).
Show Icons (Move from Overflow Menu to Taskbar)
- Click the little up arrow (^) on the taskbar to open the overflow menu.
- Click and hold the icon you want to show on the taskbar.
- Drag it down onto the taskbar and release it.
Change Which Icons Appear Using Settings
- Press
Win + Ikeys to open Settings. - On the left, click Personalization, then select Taskbar on the right.
- Click on Other system tray icons to expand the list.
- Turn the switch On to show an icon on the taskbar, or Off to hide it in the overflow menu.
You can change which icons appear on your Windows 11 taskbar or get tucked away in the taskbar overflow menu through the Settings app. Go to Personalization, then Taskbar, and click ‘Other system tray icons’ to see a list of apps. Turn the switch On to show an icon directly on the taskbar, or Off to hide it in the overflow.
Note for Advanced Users
Windows saves your icon preferences in the system registry here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\NotifyIconSettings\App IDIsPromoted0means the icon is hidden (in overflow menu)1means the icon is shown on the taskbar
About “Always Show All Icons and Notifications”
The ‘Always show all icons and notifications’ setting in Windows 11 works differently than in older versions, and doesn’t keep all icons visible on the main taskbar. To find and change this option, you can open the Run command by pressing ⊞ Win+R, type `shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}`, and then press Enter.
If you want to check it anyway:
- Press
Win + Rto open Run. - Type or paste
shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}and press Enter. - In the window that opens, check or uncheck Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar, then click OK.
Summary
The taskbar overflow menu in Windows 11 helps keep your main taskbar tidy by hiding less frequently used app icons. You have full control over which icons appear directly on the taskbar and which ones are tucked away in this overflow section. Managing these settings is possible through the Windows Settings app or by dragging icons.- 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.
How to fix taskbar overflow menu?
Select the restart option from the menu. The taskbar will disappear briefly before reappearing. After that, restart your PC and check the overflow.
How to disable taskbar overflow menu and restore?
While completely disabling the taskbar overflow menu isn’t an option, you can reduce the number of icons it holds by choosing which apps appear on the main taskbar.
What is taskbar overflow?
The taskbar overflow area appears when the taskbar is full and overflow apps are accessible from there.
How do I turn off taskbar overflow in 🪟 Windows 11?
Right-click the taskbar, navigate to Taskbar Settings, and then disable Taskbar Overflow to show all icons.
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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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