Taskbar not showing icons on Windows 11? how to fix

How to fix icons not showing up in Windows 11 taskbar

Even if you have a multi-monitor setup, we recommend you start with the following fixes. These fixes focus on Windows components and services that are known to cause this issue on many systems. However, if the issue still plagues your system after these fixes, you can try the multi-monitor fix mentioned below. let's start.

Case One: All Users

Whether you have a single or multi-monitor setup, we recommend that you start with the fixes mentioned below and work your way through it until you manage to resolve the issue.

Fix 1: Remove IRIS Service

This is the official fix Microsoft released when it first started bothering users in September 2021. The fix appears to still be working and should work for all users.

The IRIS service in Windows 11 is a mysterious service and there is almost no information about it. Detailed analysis by some users has led many to believe it is related to Microsoft Ads, Spotlight and Microsoft Teams chat in Windows. Removing and unregistering the same from your system should help you get the taskbar working as expected on your system. Please follow the steps below to help you through the process.

Press Windows R to start Run.

Enter the following and press Ctrl Shift Enter on your keyboard.

#cmd

Note: When you run the registry command below, your system will Automatically restart. We recommend that you close all open applications and save your work before continuing with the following steps.

Now use the following command to remove the registry value of IRIS service from the system. Press Enter once to complete.

reg delete HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IrisService /f && shutdown -r -t 0

you Your system should now restart automatically. If not, please restart your system. After restarting, the taskbar icon should appear on your PC.

Fix 2: Uninstall any recent Windows updates

If you are experiencing this issue after a recent Windows update, then we recommend that you uninstall it and see if that resolves the issue for you . Please follow the tutorial below to help you through the process.

Press Windows i and click Windows Update.

Click Update History.

Click Uninstall updates.

You will now see a list of recently installed updates on your system. Check their dates to find the latest dates. Click Uninstall next to Same.

Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.

That's it! The selected updates will now be uninstalled from your system. Repeat the above steps to uninstall other recent updates from your PC.

Fix 3: Restart Windows Explorer Multiple Times

This is another temporary fix that appears to work on many machines affected by this issue. Please follow the tutorial below to help you through the process.

Press Ctrl Shift Esckeyboard to launch Task Manager. Find and click Windows Explorer from the list on the screen.

Click Restart task.

Ideally, the taskbar icon should appear in the taskbar once Windows Explorer restarts. If not, click Restart Task again.

Repeat the above steps two to three times and the taskbar icon should eventually appear on your system.

Fix 4: Clear your icon cache

A corrupted icon cache is also known to cause issues with taskbar icons on many systems. Clearing the same content and rebuilding the cache can help resolve this issue. Follow the steps below to help clear the icon cache in your system.

Press Windows R to start Run.

Now enter the following and press Enter. When finished, you can also click "OK".

%UserProfile%\AppData\Local

##Click

View and select Show.

Now click on

Hidden items.

Locate the file named

IconCache.db and press the Shift Del keyboard to permanently delete the file.

Click

is .

After deletion, restart the system. If a corrupted icon cache is causing problems with your taskbar icons, now is the time to fix the issue on your PC.

Fix 5: Check your date and time

Incorrect date and time can also cause issues with taskbar icons on Windows 11 systems. The reason why this happens is currently unconfirmed, but it is highly recommended that you check your region and date settings to make sure everything is set correctly. Use the following steps to help you through the process.

Press

Windows R to start Run.

Type the following and press

Enter. You can also click "OK" according to your preference.

control timedate.cpl

Switch to the

Internet Time tab by clicking the same at the top.

Select

Change Settings....

#Now uncheck the box for Synchronize with Internet Time Server.

Click

OK.

Now click on the

date and time at the top.

#First check the current

time zone under the clock. If it is set to a different location, click Change Time Zone... to change it.

Click the drop-down menu and select your time zone.

Click

OK.

Now verify the current date and time set for your system. If it differs from the actual date and time, click

Change Date and Time... to fix it.

Under Date:, set your current date.

Also set the correct time next to the date.

When finished, click OK.

Click OK again to save and apply your changes.

Restart the system for good results. If mismatched times are the reason for missing icons in the taskbar, then the issue should be fixed on your system now.

Fix 6: Change to an older date

This is an older temporary fix that still seems to work for many users. This involves setting your date and time to September 5, 2021, a few days before this bug first started affecting Windows 11 systems. Please follow the steps below to help you make changes.

Press Windows R to start Run.

Now enter the following and press Enter on your keyboard.

control timedate.cpl

Click Internet Time at the top.

Click Change Settings....

Uncheck the Synchronize with Internet Time Server checkbox at the top.

Click OK.

Switch back to the date and time by clicking the same at the top.

Click Change date and time….

Click the current month and year at the top twice.

Click and select 2021.

Click September.

Click and select 5th as your preferred date.

Click OK.

Click OK again to save and apply your changes.

Disconnect your PC from the Internet and restart the system.

The taskbar icon should now be restored to your system. You can now set the correct date and time on your system as usual.

NOTE: This is a temporary working fix and may need to be reapplied after you restart your system. If nothing seems to get your taskbar icons working properly, this is your only option for now until Microsoft releases a future Windows update that fixes this bug.

Fix 7: Delete the icon cache of the taskbar system tray

The system tray icon cache is different from the normal taskbar icon cache. It stores the icons displayed in the taskbar flow. The same reset is known to fix taskbar icons not showing up on Windows 11. Here's how you can get started with the process.

Press Windows R to start running.

Type the following and press Enter or click OK.

regedit

Double-click HKEY_USERS.

Double-click the penultimate value ending with 1001.

Now navigate to the path below the selected value.

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

##Press and hold ## on the keyboard #Ctrl

and select the binary entry mentioned below on the right.

Icon Stream

• Past Icon Stream

Press

Del on your keyboard.

Click Yes to confirm your choice.

Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. Don't panic if your taskbar icon isn't showing up. Let Windows rebuild the registry keys we deleted. Restart Explorer on your system after a few minutes.

Your taskbar icons should now be restored on Windows 11.

Fix 8: Restart Windows Components

If the icon is still missing from your Windows 11 taskbar, then we can try to restart the relevant Windows components. It's a long shot, but it seems to work for systems facing conflicting background services and tasks. This is a common problem with OEM systems and laptops. Please follow the steps below to help you through the process.

Press

Ctrl Shift Esc

your system to launch Task Manager. Click Details.

Now find the process named

ShellExperienceHost.exe from the list.

Click and select the same.

Press

Del on your keyboard.

Click End Process to confirm your choice.

Note:

Windows will automatically restart the process after a few seconds. This is normal and our intention. Repeat the above steps to end the following process.

Search Indexer.exe

• Search Host.exe
• RuntimeBroker.exe
• Resource Manager.exe
Click

at the top to run a new task.

Enter

explorer.exe

and press Enter.

Close Task Manager and wait a few seconds. Once the necessary tasks are restarted along with Windows Explorer, the icon will appear in your taskbar again.

Fix 9: Use System Restore

At this point, it’s time to take some drastic measures. Windows 11 does not allow you to view and uninstall all the latest updates in your system. This can be circumvented by restoring your PC to a previously known working system restore point on your system. You can then avoid updating your PC until this issue is resolved in the next version of Windows 11. Follow the steps below to help you through the process.

Press Windows R to start Run.

Type the following and press Enter or click OK.

rstrui.exe

This will start the System Restore utility on your system. Windows will automatically recommend a restore point. Click Scan for the same affected program.

You will now get a list of recently installed programs and drivers that will be removed when using this system restore point. If it matches the latest updates installed on your system, click Close.

Now click Next to continue the same.

If you want to select a different restore point, click and select Select a different restore point.

Click Next.

Select your preferred restore point from the restore points available on the screen. You can click Scan for affected programs to see a list of drivers and programs that will be removed from your system.

After finding the desired restore point, click Next.

Click Finish and Windows will now begin to restore your PC.

#After the recovery process is complete, the taskbar icons should be restored on your system.

Fix 10: Run SFC and DISM commands

If you do not have the relevant system restore points on your system, then you can run SFC and DISM commands on your system. SFC scan will help repair and repair corrupted system files, while DISM command will help you restore Windows image to its original working state. Use the following steps to help you run the same operation on your system.

Press Windows R to start Run.

Type the following and press Ctrl Shift Enter.

cmd

Type the following command to run an SFC scan. Press Enter to execute the command.

sfc /scannow

Now enter the following command and press Enter to execute the same.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Note: The DISM command may take some time , depending on your system and network. We recommend that you give it some time to run on your system, even if it appears to be stuck. The process should complete automatically after some time.

Use the following command to close CMD.

exit

Restart the system for good measure and the taskbar icons should now be restored on your PC.

Case 2: For Multi-Monitor Users

Users who have a multi-monitor setup but are still facing this issue can try the following fixes.

Fix 1: Disconnect and Reconnect

This may seem redundant, but it has been known to fix the problem of missing taskbar icons on some external monitors, especially those that support crosshair Monitors with additional features such as line adjustment, multi-orientation, aspect ratio and more.

First disconnect the monitor from the system. After disconnecting, restart Windows Explorer using the tutorial above. If the taskbar icons are restored on your original monitor, that's a good sign.

Continue to restart the system. Now plug in the external monitor again without using any OEM utility or display configurator. Let Windows' default behavior take over temporarily. If the taskbar icon appears on your second monitor, you can customize it as needed.

But, if your taskbar icon is still missing, then you can try the second fix mentioned below.

Fix 2: Set a Second Monitor as the Primary Monitor

This is a known fix that helps fix missing taskbar icons in most multi-monitor setups. We will set up your second monitor as your primary monitor and your primary monitor as your secondary monitor. Use the following steps to help you through the process.

Press Windows R to start Run.

Type the following and press Enter or click OK.

ms-settings:display

Click and expand Multiple Displays.

You will now see the monitor connected to your PC. Select your secondary monitor from the top GUI by clicking on it.

Select the Make this my main display checkbox.

The roles will now be reversed and your secondary monitor will now be set as the primary monitor. Close the Settings app and press Ctrl Shift Esc to launch Task Manager. Click and select Windows Explorer from the list.

Click the Restart task option at the top.

After Windows Explorer restarts, your icon should be visible in the taskbar as usual.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about missing icons in the taskbar that should help you quickly get up to date with the latest information available.

Why is the taskbar broken on Windows 11?

This seems to be a common bug that seems to show up again and again in Windows 11. While some systems face this issue due to unique setups, most systems are missing taskbar icons due to IRIS service outage in Windows 11. Deleting its registry value and resetting it will resolve this issue for most users.

Is it safe to delete registry values?

No, it is never safe to delete unknown and unverified registry values ​​from your system. They can disrupt Windows functionality and, in the worst cases, cause crashes that force you to reset your system. It is always a good idea to back up your registry settings before making any changes to the registry.

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