Windows Live Messenger - Taskbar or Notification Icon

How to Have Windows Live Messenger with a Windows 7 Taskbar or Tray Icon​

   Information

This will show you how to have the Windows Live Messenger open window icon either as a Windows 7 taskbar icon or as a notification area tray icon.

By default, Windows Live Messenger uses a taskbar icon in Windows 7.

   Tip

You can get information on how to download the latest version of Windows Live Messenger here.

EXAMPLE: Windows Live Messenger taskbar icon

EXAMPLE: Windows Live Messenger notification area tray icon
NOTE: This is after you close (red x) the Windows Live Messenger window to minimize it to the taskbar notification area.

Here's How:
1. If open, close and exit Windows Live Messenger.

2. Right click on the Windows Live Messenger shortcut and click on Properties.

NOTE: If you do not have a shortcut, you can also right click on Windows Live Messenger's exe file below.

• In a 64-bit Windows 7:
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe file.
• In a 32-bit Windows 7:
  • C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe file.

3. For Windows Live Messenger to Minimize to a System Tray Icon
NOTE: Whenever you open Windows Live Messenger it will have a icon on the taskbar until you close it again. Closing WLM doesn't exit you out of WLM, but just minimizes WLM to the system tray and removes the taskbar icon.

A) Under the Compatibilty tab, check the Run this program in compatibility mode for box and select Windows Vista. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 5.
4. For Windows Live Messenger to Use a Taskbar Icon
A) Under the Compatibilty tab, uncheck the Run this program in compatibility mode for box. (See screenshot below)

5. Click on OK. (See screenshot above or below step 3A)

6. Open Windows Live Messenger to see it's icon location now.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Manually Uninstall Windows Live Messenger
• How to Change to Full or Compact View in Windows Live Messenger 2011
• How to Change the Default Sounds in Windows Live Messenger
• How to Minimize Windows Live Mail to the System Tray in Windows 7

 

[Brink]

No problem. There hasn't been any date released yet for a newer version. The link below can keep you up to date on any news about Windows Live Messenger though.

Inside Windows Live Messenger: - Windows Live

 

[awjm]

O yea, forget to ask, when you run it in vista mode, does it still combine the convo windows on the taskbar ? or they become separated ?

 

[Brink]

Awjm,

Yes, a opened conversation window will still combine with the WLM taskbar icon in Vista Compatibility Mode to.

 

[bfontaine]

Thanks a lot, it's working fine for me!!!

 

[pappous soulis]

Hello everyone.

I've been using Windows 7 for quite a while, and from the beginning i've been facing a rather frustrating issue. I've been running WLM on compatibility mode as i wanted to get rid of the icons on the taskbar and have them on the notification area instead. Problem is that if someone sends me a link in the form that includes the http:// thing (like "http://www.google.com") i won't be able to click it. If they send me the link as "www.google.com" it's clickable. I've tried reinstalling the messenger, but nothing. Plus the issue seems not to go away after formating and having a fresh installation of Windows. I've tried running it in compatibility mode choosing all available options of operating systems, and service packs, and still nothing. I also tried running it as an administrator but no luck. So my conclusion is that the compatibility mode is bugged for some reason.

I'd really appreciate your help on this. I'm so tired of copy-pasting links all the time.

 

[Brink]

Hello Pappous Soulis, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Is the http:// type of link clickable for you when not using compatibilty mode with WLM, and having it on the taskbar instead?

If it is, then I don't know of any alternative.

 

[pappous soulis]

Thanks for the quick reply Brink.

Yes, when not in compatibility mode the http:// kind of links are clickable.
On my laptop which is running on Win 7 Pro 32bit, compatibility mode works just fine.
Could this issue, somehow, be connected to the hardware?

By the way, i'm using Eset Smart Security v.4.0.467 if that's of any use.

 

[Brink]

You might see if temporarily disabling/uninstalling Eset may help see if it is the cause of it not working on this one vs the other.

 

[v3id]

I have the same unclickable http link issue pappous soulis described. This issue came up after I switched from Win7 Ultimate x64 to Win7 Enterprise x64. So it did work on Ultimate, which is pretty weird...

I'm not running any antivirus nor antimalware. I run Win7's own firewall.

I might have found the solution: I made IE the default web browser. Now http links were clickable. But I don't use IE so I switched the default back to Opera. Http links still work.

So it seems to have something to do with the default browser setting, at least in my case.

If you currently use IE as the default and http links dont work, you could try installing another browser, making it the default, then making IE default again... maybe it would work.

 

[pappous soulis]

Interesting find v3id. I tried what you suggested but problem is still present.
Maybe it has something to do with IE's settings. I'll look further into it.

 

[Samunition]

THANK YOU it got so annoying having it take up space on the program bar

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Sam, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[Oli1]

New functions disappears

Hi Brink!
Thanks for this tutorial. It was really annoying to have to icons. But instead, I lost something else:
I believe that when I changed the compatibility mode to Vista SP2, the arrows that you can switch between conversations disappeared. This is perhaps a function that comes with Messenger Plus! Live which I am using. Can you see if you have got the same problem? Thanks again.

 

[ucm]

Exactly what I needed; thanks Brink!!!!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Oli and UCM, and welcome to Seven Forums Oli.

 

[Oli1]

Thanks Brink...but do you have an idea to the problems I mentioned ?

 

[Brink]

I think it may be part of the new Windows Live Messenger, but I have been unable to test this yet.

 

[dimorphic]

I'm thankful for this solution.

Perhaps the windows team did not anticipate many people changing their taskbar icons back to the XP style (with words attached). Regardless, it seems that many who have not even done so, prefer the system tray icon. It would be prudent for Microsoft to address easily patched problems like this, since an agitated customer is the worst kind of advertisement.

Bless you!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Dimorphic.

 

[LooseCannon]

Thanks.

Good olde sevenforums.

My first post!? Been lurking yah know.