System Icons - Turn On or Off

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    System Icons - Turn On or Off

    System Icons - Turn On or Off

    How to Turn System Icons On or Off in Windows 7 and Windows 8
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Turn System Icons On or Off in Windows 7 and Windows 8


       Information
    System icons, including Input indicator (Windows 8 only), Clock, Volume, Network, Power, and Action Center are special icons that are part of Windows. For these icons, you can change how the icons and notifications appear, and also whether they show up at all. You might turn off a system icon if either you or your computer manufacturer have installed a similar program. If you turn a system icon off, you can always turn it back on later.

    This tutorial will show you how to turn a system icon on the taskbar on or off in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

       Note
    The Power icon will be grayed out and off unless your computer is running with battery power. For example, a laptop with it's battery pack connected or a desktop computer on a UPS backup battery.
       Tip
    If a system icon you want to turn on or off is grayed out, then see: How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Notification System Icons

       Warning
    Turning off a system icon will remove the icon from the taskbar and turns off notifications for the icon.


    EXAMPLE: System Icons on the Taskbar
    Here's How:
    1. In Windows 7 open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the System Icons icon, and do step 3, 4, or 5 below.

    OR

    2. Right click or press and hold on the taskbar, and click/tap on Properties.
    A) Click/tap on the Customize button to the right of "Notification area". (See screenshot below)

    B) Click/tap on Cancel to close the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window.
    System Icons - Turn On or Off-taskbar_properties.jpg
    C) Click/tap on the Turn system icons on or off link at the bottom, and do step 3, 4, or 5 below. (See screenshot below)
    System Icons - Turn On or Off-notification_area_icons.jpg
    3. To Turn a System Icon On
    A) Click/tap on the Behaviors drop down menu to the left of the system icon you want to turn on. (See screenshot below step 6)

    B) Click/tap on ON to select it.

    C) Go to step 6.
    4. To Turn a System Icon Off
    A) Click/tap on the Behaviors drop down menu to the left of the system icon you want to turn off. (See screenshot below step 6)

    B) Click/tap on OFF to select it.

    C) Go to step 6.
    5. To Restore the Default System Icons Behaviors
    A) Click/tap on the Restore default icon behaviors link below. (See screenshot below step 6)
    6. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshots below)
    System Icons - Turn On or Off-system_icons.jpg

    System Icons - Turn On or Off-w8_system_icons.jpg
    7. Click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below step 2C)
    NOTE: You will not see this if you had opened the System Icons window from the Control Panel above.
    That's it,
    Shawn










  1. Posts : 56
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #1

    How to enable any system icon if it is disabled in the system icon like the power icon is disabled in your last screenshot?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Niceguy,

    The tutorial below may be able to allow you to do so.

    System Icons - Enable or Disable

    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 56
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #3

    Not working mate, I have even tried as Administrator.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Which ones are you trying to enable?

    Could you post a screenshot of this to see if anything may stand out?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 56
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #5

    Brink said:
    Which ones are you trying to enable?

    Could you post a screenshot of this to see if anything may stand out?
    I was trying to enable Network, battery and Action Center Icon. Actually I have changed the dlls to change the icons in the tray and after changing the dll those icons were disabled, I tried your method but didn't work so finally I have restored my OS and everything is fine now but the icons are default only.

    BTW, thanks for your help but I am now unable to post screenshot as I have already restored my OS.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted. Yep, the tutorial will not help with modified .dll files.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2
    windows 7 at 64 bit
       #7

    how to turn on systems icons on or off in windows 7


    i tried your direction but came up short it wont let me restore my default behavior at all my volume system icon wont appear on my tray i use firefox and i have a gateway nv53 windows 7
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Hello Grinreaper13, and welcome to Seven Forums.

    If your Volume icon is grayed out, then you might see if you may be able to enable the Volume icon using the tutorial below instead.

    System Icons - Enable or Disable

    Hope this helps,
    Shawn
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 73
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (dual-booting XPSP3 and Win7)
       #9

    Here's an odd one. In Control Panel, all my icons are there except "System Icons". But, if I go to "Notification Area" from TaskBar Properties, select Customize, there is a little hotlink to "Turn system icons On or Off", where I see the normal stuff and can turn the icons on and off.
    System Icons - Turn On or Off-untitled.jpg

    Any idea what would make just that one icon disappear from Control Panel?

    Steve
      My Computer


 
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