How to Create a "Notification Area Icons" Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8

   Information
The notification area is a part of the taskbar that provides a temporary source for notifications and status. It can also be used to display icons for system and program features that are not on the desktop.

This tutorial will show you how to create or download a Notification Area Icons customize shortcut that you can use or pin where you like in Windows 7 and Windows 8.


EXAMPLE: Notification Area Icons
Notification Area Icons Shortcut - Create-notification_area_icons.jpg



OPTION ONE

To Download a "Notification Area Icons" Shortcut


1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Notification_Area_Icons.zip
2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3. Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the Notification Area Icons shortcut to your desktop.

4. Unblock the Notification Area Icons shortcut.
Notification Area Icons Shortcut - Create-unblock.jpg
5. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6. In Windows 8 and 8.1, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

7. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.



OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a "Notification Area Icons" Shortcut


1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.

2. Copy and paste either location below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}

OR

%SystemRoot%\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Options_RunDLL 5

Notification Area Icons Shortcut - Create-step1.jpg
3. Type Notification Area Icons for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though.
Notification Area Icons Shortcut - Create-step2.jpg
4. Right click or press and hold on the new Notification Area Icons shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)
Notification Area Icons Shortcut - Create-step3.jpg
6. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste in the location below, and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\System32\taskbarcpl.dll
Notification Area Icons Shortcut - Create-step4.jpg
7. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: You can use any icon that you would like instead though.

8. In Windows 7, you can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

9. In Windows 8 and 8.1, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn




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