The computer's system tray icon is messy, how to organize it?

Hide the system tray icon without affecting the program operation, only removes the visual display; 2. Completely clean up and disable non-essential startup items through the task manager; 3. To cure the mess, you must uninstall and unbundle software and develop the habit of canceling the bundling and checking during installation, so as to achieve the dual goals of visual refreshing and resource optimization.

When organizing the computer's system tray, the core is to identify which icons are really needed and which only occupy visual space, and then selectively hide or completely disable their self-start using the system's own settings. This is not only a visual refreshing, but also a refined management of computer resources.

Solution

To be honest, every time I turn on the computer, I see a bunch of icons in the lower right corner, and it feels like I stuffed unnecessary debris into the heart of the computer, and it is difficult to breathe. Organizing this thing is actually not that complicated, but it requires a little patience and judgment.

The most direct way is to start with Windows settings. You have to find the Settings app, then click Personalization, and then find the option "Taskbar". There is a "Notification Area" here, which has two key links below: "Select which icons are displayed on the taskbar" and "Open or close the system icon".

Click "Select Which Icons Show on the Taskbar" and you will see a long list of icons for various applications. Many times, those software that you don’t usually use very much, such as a cloud synchronization tool, a player that is not commonly used, or a game launcher, are lying there quietly, consuming your attention. My approach is to turn off all the icons of programs that are not commonly used but do not want to exit completely, so that they can only run silently in the background without taking up tray space. Let them appear only if they have new messages or if I need to operate them manually.

As for the "Open or Close System Icon", this is the icons that come with Windows, such as volume, network, and power. Usually you won't want to turn off these, but if you're a desktop PC and don't use the battery icon, or you're using a separate speaker with a physical volume key, you can also consider turning off some.

This is just a treatment for symptoms. To really solve the root cause, you have to go to the Task Manager to check the "Startup" tab. When installing many programs, they will set themselves to boot by default, even if you don't need it to run as soon as it is powered on. Here, you can disable all "high-impact" but non-essential startup items. For example, I found that many game platforms or chat software always want to be prepared when they are turned on, but for me, I only need them when playing games or chatting, and they are usually a burden. Disabling them will not only make the trays refreshed, but also the boot speed will be significantly improved.

Why is my system tray always so messy?

This question is a direct hit to the soul. My computer system tray was also so messy that I was crazy. If you think about it carefully, there are actually several "masters behind this".

A very important reason is the "bundle sale" of software installation . You downloaded a seemingly harmless tool, but it sneaked into you a bunch of "recommended" software during the installation process, or checked the option "Self-boot" by default. Many users habitually "the next step" all the way when installing software, and will not notice these small traps at all. By the time we discovered it, there were already a bunch of unrecognized icons in the system tray, which were like parasites, silently occupying system resources.

Another reason is that the programmer "does bad things with good intentions" . In order to facilitate users, or to ensure that their functions are online in real time (such as cloud synchronization, antivirus software, instant messaging tools), many software will be set to power on and minimized to the system tray by default. They feel this will provide a better user experience, but it is a disaster for those who do not use it frequently or want the system to remain extremely streamlined. For example, I usually can't use a specific download tool, but it keeps hanging there just for possible download tasks, which is obviously a waste of resources.

And then, our own "laziness" and "forgetfulness" . I installed the new software and threw it aside after using it once or twice, but its self-start item and tray icon are still there. Over time, more and more accumulations will eventually become the messy situation you see. Sometimes I also do this. I install a software and test it. I forgot to uninstall it after using it. As a result, it becomes a "nail owner" in the pallet.

In addition to hiding, what other deep cleaning methods are there?

The light hides the icon, like sweeping garbage under the carpet, the surface is clean, but the essential problem is not solved. To truly make the system pallet refreshed, you have to "clean clean" from the root.

First of all, and the most effective thing is to uninstall unnecessary programs . This is the most direct and thorough way. Open Settings > Apps > Apps and Features and uninstall all software that you don't use at all or already have substitutes. Many times, we have too many software with duplicate functions installed on our computers, such as several players and several image browsers, which may all run in the background or leave traces in the tray. Uninstalling them not only cleans up the pallets, but also frees up valuable hard disk space and even improves system performance. I personally often perform such "resignation" and the effect is very significant.

Secondly, manage the startup items . Task Manager was mentioned earlier, but here we emphasize its importance. Press Ctrl Shift Esc to open Task Manager and switch to the Startup tab. All programs launched with the system are listed here. Carefully check the "start impact" of each program. Those that have "high" impact but you don't want it to run when it is powered on, decisively right-click to select "Disable". For example, game platforms such as Steam and Epic Games can completely disable their startup and self-start unless you have to play games every day. Turn it on manually when you need to play, it will not affect the experience. This is a very effective way to reduce the boot burden and pallet icons.

Going further, for some stubborn programs that you don't want to uninstall but don't want it to start by itself, you can consider using a third-party startup item management tool , or more advanced users can try to modify the registry or group policy . However, for ordinary users, I do not recommend operating the registry directly, because misoperation may cause system problems. But some software, such as CCleaner (although I don't use it often, it has this function), can help you manage startup items more carefully and even disable some system-level services, but this requires you to have a clear understanding of each entry, otherwise it may affect system stability. My advice is to start with the task manager, where the operations are enough to solve most of the problems.

Will hidden icons affect the program's operation?

This is a very common misunderstanding and is also the reason why many people hesitate when organizing system pallets. Simply put, hiding the icon itself will not affect the normal operation of the program.

Think about it, the system tray icon is just a "shortcut" or a "status indicator". It tells you that a program is running in the background, or that it provides an entry to quickly access the program interface. When you choose to "hide" a program's icon in Windows settings, you just let the icon not appear directly on the taskbar, and it will run into the small upward arrow (showing the hidden icon). The program itself, how to run or how to run, whether it occupies memory or occupies memory, or whether it is connected to the Internet. Its background process is not terminated, and the function is not disabled.

For example, your antivirus software icon may always be displayed in the tray. When you choose to hide it, the antivirus software will still silently protect your computer in the background, scan for viruses, and update the virus database. You just can't see its icon. You only need to click that small arrow to find it when you need to open the antivirus interface to set up or view the report.

So, if you are just for visual refreshing, you can hide those uncommon icons with confidence. It's like putting tools that aren't commonly used at home into a toolbox, which are still there and can be taken out at any time, but not on the table.

What really affects the program's running is that you disable its "start item" through the "Task Manager", or "uninstall" it directly. Disabling the startup item means that the program will not run automatically with the system boot, you need to start it manually; and uninstalling is to completely remove the program from the system. This is how to fundamentally stop the program from running and free resources. Therefore, distinguishing between "hidden" and "disable/uninstall" is crucial to understanding the management of system trays.

How to prevent system trays from becoming cluttered again in the future?

Instead of waiting until the pallets are full before cleaning it, it is better to develop some good habits from the beginning, which is the way to last.

First of all, be sure to "customize the installation" when installing the software . This is a cliché but extremely important issue. During the installation process, many software will check the options of "additional software", "boot boot" or "install browser plug-in" by default. My experience is, before seeing "Next", look for the small words next to "Custom Installation", "Advanced Options", or "I accept this protocol". Click in and cancel all unnecessary checks. This can eliminate most junk software and unnecessary self-start items from the source. I would rather spend one more minute to see the installation interface than spend half an hour cleaning up the subsequent trouble.

Secondly, periodically review the initiation items . Don't wait until the computer is as slow as a snail before you remember to go to the Task Manager. I suggest you take a few minutes every month or quarter, open the task manager ( Ctrl Shift Esc ), and go to the "Startup" tab for a walk. See if there are any new startup items that you don't know or feel unnecessary. Disabling them in time can kill chaos in the bud. It's like weeding the garden regularly. The grass is pulled out as soon as it pops up, which is much less labor-saving than waiting for it to grow into a piece before cleaning it.

Furthermore, cultivate the habit of "leave after use" . For tools that only use once or twice, or temporary software,

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