How to Reset Tray Icons in the Windows 11 Taskbar (Step-by-Step Guide)

The taskbar tray icons in Windows 11, located in the Taskbar Corner Overflow area, can accumulate over time. Whether you’ve customized them or added too many icons, there may come a time when you want to reset them to their original state. Instead of manually disabling each icon, there’s a faster and more effective way to reset tray icons using the Windows Registry.

Follow this guide to fully reset your Windows 11 system tray icons and restore your taskbar to a clean default appearance.

Step 1: Close All Running Applications

Before making changes to the registry, ensure all programs are closed—including Windows Explorer:

1. Use the Win + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Step 2: Navigate to the TrayNotify Registry Path

Inside the Registry Editor:

• Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify

This is where Windows stores information about tray icon behaviors.

Step 3: Terminate Windows Explorer

To safely remove icon data, you need to stop Windows Explorer:

1- Right-click on the Taskbar and open Task Manager.

2- Under the Processes tab, locate Windows Explorer (search for explorer.exe).

3- Right-click it and select End Task to terminate it temporarily.

Step 4: Delete Icon Cache Entries in the Registry

1. Back in the Registry Editor, right-click the following entries:
   • IconStreams
   • PastIconsStream
2. Select Delete for both entries to remove cached icon data.

Note: If you don’t see one or both entries, that’s okay—they may not always be present.

Step 5: Restart Windows Explorer

1. Return to the Task Manager.
2. Click Run new task in the top menu.
3. Type explorer and press Enter.

This will relaunch your desktop and taskbar.

Step 6: Reboot Your PC

Finally, restart your computer to apply all changes. Your taskbar tray icons should now be reset to their default state.

Why This Method Works

Although you can manually manage tray icons through Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Other system tray icons, doing so for each app is time-consuming. Resetting the registry entries offers a one-click approach to revert everything at once.

Conclusion

Cleaning up your Windows 11 taskbar doesn’t have to be tedious. With just a few steps through the Registry Editor and Task Manager, you can reset all system tray icons and restore a clutter-free experience. This method saves time and provides a fresh start for organizing your system tray exactly how you want it.