Tell tray items to disable when they're not needed

Weboh · 04 Jun 2014

Sorry if it seems like I'm spamming. I had all of these posted on different forums and got no replies. I'm hoping you guys can help.

On Windows XP, there was an option for the power and internet icons to go away if it was plugged in or connected to the internet respectively. Not only does it save tray space, but it also brings to my attention that it's not plugged in/connected. But the only option I can find standard on Windows 7 is to leave it off or on all the time. I don't want that. Is there a third-party app or a way to edit the registry or something to enable this?

andrew129260 · 04 Jun 2014

unfortunately no, I see no way to do this.

This will give you the xp style icon, but not what you want really.

Network Activity Indicator

Berton · 04 Jun 2014

Maybe it's the Show or Hide Notifications in Properties, Customize of the Taskbar?

Slartybart · 04 Jun 2014

The notification / system tray changed in Vista.

The same function is there, but the behavior is different. The icons change when the status changes.

The top image is when power is on AC and there is a wireless network connection (Ethernet icon is more of a box)

Tell tray items to disable when they're not needed-netpwr-c.png

The bottom image is when power is on battery and no network is connected

I know it's not what you were looking for, but you can determine the status of both power and network.

Space? They're tiny - hide icons for unimportant stuff to save space

If you find something that does what you want, please come back and post your solution. There are a lot of people upgrading from XP and they might find your posted solution useful.

Good luck.

carwiz · 04 Jun 2014

If you change them to Notify Only, they get moved to the Combined or Up Arrow group. You could change them all then all you'd see is the up arrow. Be sure the check box (Always show all...) in the lower left is unchecked.

Weboh · 15 Jun 2014

"If you change them to Notify Only, they get moved to the Combined or Up Arrow group. You could change them all then all you'd see is the up arrow. Be sure the check box (Always show all...) in the lower left is unchecked." Yeah, I know how to hide them, but I'd rather them not be there at all unless I need them. I don't like having things in the system tray unless I need them there, and 90% of the time I don't need either of those. But I guess there's nothing I can do.... I wish Microsoft didn't feel the need to take out features when they add new ones that serve a similar function.

Berton · 15 Jun 2014

Unfortunately they are not all Microsoft programs/applications/applets/apps, a number of third-party software publishers deem it necessary to have there 'things' instantly available which is why they run in the background. Some of them will make it possible in their program's Settings, Preferences, Options, etc., to disable showing their icon in the Notification Area but we'd have to go to Start, All Programs to run them which is not always a bad thing, just takes two or three or four clicks to get there.

When Microsoft updates some of the Window's features there may be changes but we've had to live with that for more than the 22 years since I got my first computer and the last 20 years since I started building computers.

andrew129260 · 15 Jun 2014

You are able to turn system tray icons off if you do decide to do that.

Slartybart · 15 Jun 2014

The thing is that you don't the icons there and "steve" absolutely needs those icons there... but "Charlie" wants them there sometimes... now "ann" would like the icons to give her more information, but her husband "issac" is a performance freak and wants nothing chewing up any resources.

There are millions of people using Windows, to satisfy everyone would be impossible, even is it were configurable. That's all the developers would be writing and that's all the end users would be configuring.
"After ten years of configuring, I can now use my PC". :)

There has to be some compromise by everyone, developers and end users.

Anyway, I hope you find something that works for you. There are alternate shells and other add-ons that might make Explorer closer to what you desire. I just don't know what they are.

If you find something, please post what you found and how it works. Try to stick with reputable software aggregators such as FileHippo and BleepingCompter who tend not to let advertising piggyback on their downloads.

There might even be a registry edit that exists in the tutorial section try a search with some of the keywords
notification area, system tray, standard try icons....

Good luck.

Bill

carwiz · 15 Jun 2014

Just change the task bar to Auto Hide then you won't even have to look at the arrow.