Taskbar - Pin Invisible Icon for a Program

How to "Pin to Taskbar" Transparent Invisible Icons for Programs in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to have a transparent invisible icon for any installed program of your choice pinned to the taskbar in Windows 7.

This way you could have hidden pinned programs on your taskbar.

Here's How:
1. Either create a new shortcut or copy a shortcut of the program (ex: CCleaner) that you want to pin to the taskbar to your desktop.
NOTE: If you already have this program pinned to the taskbar, then you will need to unpin it before doing step 2.

2. Right click on the new shortcut (ex: CCleaner) on the desktop, and click on Properties. (see screenshot below)

3. In the Shortcut tab, click on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

4. In the field under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll


5. Select the blank transparent icon highlighted in blue above and click on OK. (see screenshot above)

6. Click on OK. (see screenshot below)

7. Right click on the shortcut (ex: CCleaner) with the new blank icon on the desktop, and click on Pin to Taskbar. (see screenshot below)

8. Delete the shortcut (ex: CCleaner) on the desktop.

9. The invisible program icon is now pinned to the taskbar. Here is how it will look on your taskbar under the conditions below.
A) Invisible program icon pinned to the taskbar, and not opened or without the mouse pointer hovered on it.

B) Invisible program icon pinned to the taskbar, and not opened with the mouse pointer hovered on it.
NOTE: This is handy to know what program the pinned invisible icon is for.

C) Invisible program icon pinned to the taskbar, and opened with the window active.

D) Invisible program icon pinned to the taskbar, and opened with the window not active.

E) Invisible program icon pinned to the taskbar, and opened with the thumbnail preview displaying on the taskbar.

F) Invisible program icon pinned to the taskbar, and opened without grouping taskbar buttons "Always combine, hide labels" selected.
NOTE: When not opened, it looks the same as in steps 9A and 9B.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Use Small or Large Icons on the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Button Grouping
• How to Change the Windows 7 Taskbar Icon Width Size
• How to Center the Taskbar Icons in Windows 7

 

[xxxdannyxxx]

Nice one Shawn.This has popped up a lot just of late.

Danny

 

[Brink]

Thank you Danny. I'm glad that you like it.

 

[StalkeR]

Interesting .... Nice one Brink.

 

[JonathanV]

Thank you Brink! It worked for me.
They think the taskbar has no programs but when he hovered it, he see the button and when he clicks it. It opens a program.

Does it work for Windows 8?

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Jonathan. I haven't tested it yet on Windows 8 yet, but it might since the taskbar still has tranparency in Windows 8.

 

[ibbeebee]

reducing button width

Is there any way to reduce the button width to the size of the icons when using combine. I tried using the registry tweak but it doesn't seem to work with always combine. I would like square buttons to go with the square icons i am using. Or alternatively remove or reduce the highlights on active buttons so that they merge better with the background thanks in advance for any help Regards ibbeebee

 

[Brink]

Hello ibbeebee, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if this may be able to help.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/21233-taskbar-change-icon-button-width-size.html

 

[HoneycombAG]

Just out of curiosity, why would someone want invisible icons on their taskbar?

 

[Brink]

Just out of curiosity, why would someone want invisible icons on their taskbar?

To help make it easier to open something secret from the taskbar that the user would also prefer to make harder to notice I suppose.

 

[ibbeebee]

Hello ibbeebee, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if this may be able to help.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/21233-taskbar-change-icon-button-width-size.html

Yes I bit the bullet & turned off always group & now that works.
One other query is there a way to make the buttons more transparent when they are active or preferably just leave the icon or at least reduce them to a faint outline thanks in advance bb

 

[Brink]

Not that I'm aware of.