How to Fix ‘Taskbar Icons Not Showing’ issue on Windows 11/10

How to Fix ‘Taskbar Icons Not Showing’ issue on Windows 11/10: Following the installation of the most recent pending update, Microsoft is receiving an increasing number of user complaints that say that they are unable to access the icons that are located on their taskbars. It makes no difference whether they click on the Start button or any of the other icons on the taskbar. It has been established that windows 10 and windows 11 are both affected by this problem. Recent events have brought to our attention the fact that certain users were unable to access the Start Menu, while others discovered that the Wi-Fi feature was not functioning properly in Windows 11.

After doing an investigation into this matter, we came to the conclusion that there are a number of different factors that could be the underlying cause of this kind of problem. Some customers have reported experiencing strange behavior in which the icons on their Windows 11/10 Taskbar do not appear, become invisible, disappear, become empty or blank, or suddenly disappear and reappear. If you have had this problem, the following are some steps that we recommend you take in order to find a solution how to Fix ‘Taskbar Icons Not Showing’ issue on Windows 11/10.

Causes of the ‘Taskbar Icons Not Showing’ issue on Windows 11/10

1. Corrupted Icon Cache: One of the primary causes of the ‘Taskbar Icons Not Showing’ issue is a corrupted icon cache.
2. Explorer.exe Issues: Problems with the Windows Explorer process (explorer.exe) can lead to the disappearance of taskbar icons.
3. System File Corruption: Corruption in essential system files may result in the taskbar icons not displaying correctly.
4. Incorrect System Settings: Incorrect system settings or configurations could contribute to the problem.
5. Third-Party Software Interference: Certain third-party applications or software conflicts may interfere with the proper functioning of taskbar icons.
6. Windows Updates: In some cases, issues with taskbar icons may arise after installing or updating Windows.
7. Malware or Viruses: Malware or viruses can cause disruptions in the system, affecting the visibility of taskbar icons.

How to Fix ‘Taskbar Icons Not Showing’ issue on Windows 11/10

Check Taskbar Settings

1. Right-click on an empty space on the taskbar.
2. Select “Taskbar settings” from the context menu.
3. Ensure that the “Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode” option is turned off.
4. Check if the “Use small taskbar buttons” option is also disabled.

Restart Windows Explorer

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Locate “Windows Explorer” in the list.
3. Right-click on it and choose “Restart.”

Run System File Checker (SFC) Scan

1. Press Win + X and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin).”
2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
3. Allow the scan to complete and follow any prompts to fix detected issues.

Check for Windows Updates

1. Open Settings (Win + I) and navigate to “Update & Security.”
2. Click on “Windows Update” and select “Check for updates.”
3. Install any pending updates and restart your computer if prompted.

Re-register Windows Store Apps

1. Press Win + X and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin).”
2. Enter the command Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
3. Press Enter and wait for the process to complete.

Create a New User Account

1. Open Settings and go to “Accounts.”
2. Select “Family & other users” and click on “Add account.”
3. Follow the prompts to create a new user account.
4. Log in to the new account and check if the taskbar icons are visible.

Conclusion

It appears that a chronic bug has returned, and it is affecting a large number of customers. However, the official version of Windows 11 22H2 is on the horizon. Users all across the world who are running the most recent beta or development release of Windows 11 have been experiencing a problem in which the taskbar just refuses to display any icons, regardless of whether they are pinned icons or the programs that are now active on their machine.

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