IDEA: Simple Application to set all tray icons to always hide

[Super User]

Please make a Simple Application to easily set all tray icons to always hide in xp.

[c.gingerich]

I think I can help, but after I set it to hide the icons (or show) you either need to log off, restart, or I can force kill explorer and restart it.

[Super User]

Thank you for replying. I think either there should be only log off or a optional drop down menu log off/restart/force kill explorer after applying.

[c.gingerich]

Please give this a try. I tested it on my XP box and it worked great. It seems to work on Win 8.1 also. ALL try icons will be hidden, run again to restore.

https://googledrive.com/host/0B8PfRDn6GacXc0RrWUl1clRCRmc/HTI.rar

[Super User]

Thank you for the tool. But i was not trying to totally remove the icons from tray. I am trying to set all tray icons to always hide option so that i can use them when needed and otherwise they will be hidden.
[attach]

[c.gingerich]

Well, you can do that through the properties of the taskbar. Right click on the bar, choose properties and on the Taskbar tab at the bottom is Hide inactive icons and you can also customize it. Is that what you were looking for or am I not completely getting what you want?  

Screenshot: http://snap.ashampoo.com/pYL9EQZ8

[Super User]

Yes i can set the icons to always hide one by one by right clicking the taskbar but i have many icons and i want to set all the icons to always hide mode automatically. Because my icons setting gets changed by other users & i have to do this task again & again setting all icons one by one to always hide gets frustration so i want to some tool which can set all the tray icons to always hide at once.

[rjbull]

Please make a Simple Application to easily set all tray icons to always hide in xp.

Have you considered PS Tray Factory?

PS Tray Factory
The system tray icons management utility

Current version: 3.2
OS: Windows 7/Vista/XP/2K/9X/NT (32 and 64 bit)
License: Try-before-you-buy
Cost: $24.95

PS Tray Factory is a powerful and useful tool meant to flexibly control ALL the other icons in the system tray of the taskbar.

PS Tray Factory is a powerful and handy tool meant to flexibly control ALL the other icons in the system tray of the taskbar. PS Tray Factory will help you to manage all the applications that place their icons in the taskbar tray. When you have installed PS Tray Factory, you will forget about the problem of lack of space in the system tray, and will also get an easy, fast and handy tool to handle those applications. In short, ALL Windows users will get this handy and powerful tool at their disposal, whereas only Windows XP users have an idea of it. For the latter, we have made a nice surprise, as the features of PS Tray Factory exceed the standard built-in ones of this OS. With PS Tray Factory you can quickly hide system tray icons and easy manage them.

Various mentions on DC.  Here are only three:

• Tray Management Utilities Mini-Review
• Tray Management Utility
• Tray-stuff: free tray minimizer: trayIt; free tray ordering: ShellTrayInfo

These are quite old threads, and most of the other tray managers are quite old now, but if you're using XP, maybe that's what you might need.  I'm not sure about your requirement for a Simple Application, though 

[MilesAhead]

This is a registry hack to hide the tray.  I don't know if it applies:

http://samanathon.com/registry-hack-hide-all-icons-in-the-notification-area-system-tray/


Edit: using Regedit as described isn't simple.  But if that setting actually does what you want it could be set programmatically.  ( If you do edit the registry it's a good idea to back it up first using ERUNT and/or Restore Points. )

[sajman99]

The info in MilesAhead's link appears correct. Basically, you can create .reg files to hide or show the XP system tray. To hide, enter into a reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoTrayItemsDisplay"=dword:00000001

To show, enter into a .reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoTrayItemsDisplay"=dword:00000000

Also, you may have to restart explorer.exe for the modification to take effect. I have confirmed on my own XP that this works.

[mouser]

I was a long holdout on windows XP, but after finally moving to windows 7, my advice is that the best solution to managing system tray is to migrate to Windows 7, which lets you choose which icons to show in system tray.

[Super User]

Thanks for trying to help. I have found a solution.

[MilesAhead]

I was a long holdout on windows XP, but after finally moving to windows 7, my advice is that the best solution to managing system tray is to migrate to Windows 7, which lets you choose which icons to show in system tray.

I wish they would enhance the interface a bit.  The only way to avoid clicking a drop down box per icon is to set them all on with the check box.  There should be an option "only hide the annoying preloaded bloatware icons" or something.