Taskbar Icons Not Showing on Windows? Here’s How to Fix It

An annoying minor glitch resolved for you

Is your Windows 10 or Windows 11 taskbar missing your app icons? Those icons may be hidden in the taskbar settings, or the taskbar may be experiencing a minor glitch. You can resolve the issue using a few easy ways andget all your favorite icons back in your PC’s bottom bar. Here’s how.

A few reasons you don’t see app icons on your taskbar are that you’re using Windows’ tablet mode (which hides the taskbar), File Explorer is acting up, Windows’ icon cache has a problem, your core system files are corrupt, and more.

Disable Tablet Mode on Your PC

One reason you don’t see your taskbar and the taskbar icons is that you’ve enabledWindows’ tablet mode. This mode is designed for tablets running the Windows operating system, and the mode makes the taskbar disappear.

In this case, you can turn off the tablet mode and bring your taskbar and your app icons back. Note that you only need to do this on Windows 10 as Windows 11 doesn’t have a tablet mode.

If you don’t find theTablet modeoption inAction Center, head intoSettings>System>Tablet>Change additional tablet settingsand turn off theTablet modeoption.

Your taskbar and its icons are now back in your PC’s bottom bar.

Restart Windows File Explorer

Another reason youdon’t see your taskbar iconsis that Windows’ File Explorer is experiencing issues. In this case, you can give the utility a reboot to potentially fix any minor issues.

Once you’ve done that, your taskbar should start displaying all your app icons.

Enable Your App Icons in the Taskbar Settings

Windows allows you tochoose the icons you’d like to display on your taskbar. If your taskbar is missing certain icons, you or someone else may have disabled those icons in the settings.

It’s quick and easy to fix that, as all you need to do is access your taskbar settings and enable the toggles for the icons you wish to see on your taskbar.

Your taskbar should now display your chosen icons.

Clear Windows’ Corrupt Icon Cache

Like many other items, Windows caches your icons, so the system can display those icons quickly. It’s possible this cache has gone corrupt, causing your taskbarnot to display your icons.

In this case, clear your icon cache, and your issue will be resolved. Deleting the cache doesn’t delete your files or apps. Windows will re-create this cache as you use your PC.

Update Your Display Adapter Drivers

Your display adapter is responsible for drawing content on your screen. It’s possible this adapter’s drivers are corrupt or outdated, causing the taskbar tonot draw your app icons. In this case, update your adapter drivers to the latest version, and your issue will be fixed.

You can use Windows’ built-in Device Manager utility to update your drivers.

Clean Up Junk Files on Your PC

If your taskbar not showing the icons issue persists, your PC may have accumulated a large number of junk files, with those files causing various issues. In this case, you can remove all those unnecessary files from your storage and resolve your issue.

You can use Windows’ built-in Disk Cleanup utility tofind and delete various kinds of junk filesfrom your system.

Fix Corrupt Files on Your Windows PC

Your Windows’ system files may have gone corrupt, causing the taskbar not to display your icons. Corrupt core files can cause many other issues as well, and we highly recommend you fix those files as soon as possible.

One easy way tofix all corrupt Windows fileson your PC is by using the built-in SFC (System File Checker) tool. This tool automatically detects and fixes all corrupt files, allowing you to resolve your problems.

Use System Restore

If your Windows taskbar not showing icons issue remains unresolved,roll back your system to a restore pointin the past to fix your issue. Doing so unchanges any changes you may have made to your PC, fixing the problems created by those changes.

Create and Use a New Windows Account

If your taskbar doesn’t display any icons despite following the above methods, your Windows account settings may have a problem. One way to verify that is tocreate and use a new accounton your system.

If the new account doesn’t have the taskbar issue, you can copy over all your data from your old account and begin using the new account.

Make Windows Taskbar Display All Your Favorite Icons

More often than not, it’s aminor glitch that causes the Windows taskbarnot to display your app icons. You can fix that by using the various methods explained above. Once you’ve applied these fixes, your taskbar should display the default icons as well as any other icons you may have added to it.

Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he’s written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm.Read Mahesh’s Full Bio

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Taskbar Icons Not Showing on Windows? Here’s How to Fix It#

Disable Tablet Mode on Your PC#

Restart Windows File Explorer#

Enable Your App Icons in the Taskbar Settings#

Clear Windows’ Corrupt Icon Cache#

Update Your Display Adapter Drivers#

Clean Up Junk Files on Your PC#

Fix Corrupt Files on Your Windows PC#

Use System Restore#

Create and Use a New Windows Account#

Make Windows Taskbar Display All Your Favorite Icons#

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