Windows 7 - Notification Area Icons - Reset

**Brink**

How to Reset the Notification Area Icons Cache in Windows 7 and Vista

Information

This will show you how reset the Notification Area Icons cache to fix any currupted icons and remove any old icons of uninstalled programs from the Notification area Icons hide or show settings in Windows 7 and Vista.

EXAMPLE: Windows 7 "Notification Area Icons" Before and After Reset

EXAMPLE: Vista "Customize Notification Icons" Before and After Reset

Here's How:

1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Reset_Notification_Area_Icons_Cache.bat

Note

This .bat (batch) file will confirm with you to kill the explorer.exe process, delete the registry keys IconStreams and PastIconsStream, restart the explorer.exe process, and confirm with you to restart the computer.

2. Click on Save, and save the .bat file to the desktop.

3. Double click on the .bat file to run it, click on Run (if prompted by UAC), and follow the onscreen instructions in the command prompt.

4. This is what you will see if the registry keys IconStreams and PastIconsStream have already been deleted.

5. This is what you will see if the registry keys IconStreams and PastIconsStream have not already been deleted.

6. After the computer restarts, the registry keys IconStreams and PastIconsStream will automatically be recreated the next time you make any change to the notification area icons in Windows 7 and Vista.

That's it,
Shawn

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**Dinesh** · 07-16-2009

Thanks Shawn, this is something that i have always wanted for.

My notification area now looks so neat and clean.

**Brink** · 07-16-2009

You're welcome Dinesh.

**Dinesh** · 07-16-2009

Wait, that arrow is gone? How do i get it back?

Nevermind, i looked into control panel and i got notification icons area again. I removed Action Center from the list and its back again. So basically, in order to have that arrow, you should have atleast 1 icon hidden.

Notification Area Icons - Reset-capture.png

**Brink** · 07-16-2009

LOL, yep.

**Dinesh** · 07-16-2009

That's sad. You deserve it for this tutorial.

**Brink** · 07-16-2009

That's ok Dinesh. My main purpose is to help.

**Dinesh** · 07-17-2009

Hi Shawn, we can also reset the notification area icons using CCleaner. Under Advanced, check the Tray notification cache and click Run Cleaner. It will ask to restart explorer.exe.

**Brink** · 07-17-2009

Thank you Dinesh. That's a nice feature to have in CCleaner. I haven't noticed it before. I wonder when they have added it, or how long it has been there.

**Dinesh** · 07-17-2009

Just installed windows 7 build 7600.16384 (my 1st 64bit experience). When i installed Ccleaner, i was going through its options and there i found it.

Windows 7 - Notification Area Icons - Reset

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