Hiding and Displaying the Volume Control

Written by Barry Dysert (last updated January 1, 2018)

The speaker icon, typically located at the right side of the taskbar, gives you quick access to your system's volume control. By clicking the icon you can immediately control the volume level of your speakers or mute them entirely. If you're like some people, though, you don't like this icon taking up space in the system tray.

How you go about removing the speaker icon depends on the version of Windows you are using. If you are using Windows 7 or Windows 8, click the up-arrow at the left side of the system tray. You should see icons appear for other tasks, but you want to click the Customize option. Windows displays the Notification Area Icons dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Notification Area Icons dialog box.

Click the control to the right of the Volume icon and chose Hide Icon and Notifications. When you click OK to close the dialog box, the volume control is removed from the system tray.

If you are using Windows 10, the steps are a bit different. Start by right-clicking anywhere on the taskbar. In the resulting Context menu, choose Taskbar Settings, which displays the Settings dialog box. Scroll down through the available options and click on the Select Which Icons Appear on the Taskbar option. This displays the controls for the individual notification icons. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. Controlling the icons that appear on the taskbar.

Make sure the control to the right of the Volume option is turned off. (You can click the control to turn it on or off.) When you click the control off, you should immediately notice that the volume control is removed from the taskbar.

If you later want to display the volume icon, you can follow the same steps, with the exception that you adjust the controls to display the icon.

 This tip (12213) applies to Windows 7, 8, and 10.

Author Bio

Barry Dysert

Barry has been a computer professional for over 35 years, working in different positions such as technical team leader, project manager, and software developer. He is currently a software engineer with an emphasis on developing custom applications under Microsoft Windows. When not working with Windows or writing Tips, Barry is an amateur writer. His first non-fiction book is titled "A Chronological Commentary of Revelation." ...

MORE FROM BARRY

Adding Items to the "New" Context Menu

You can add your own items to the "New" context menu, but it does take a bit of effort. This tip explains how to do it.

Discover More

Understanding Windows Update

It is important to keep your system updated with the latest software patches. This keeps your computer safer from attacks ...

Discover More

Rebuilding the Search Index

There may be times when you want to reset the search index and rebuild it from scratch. This tip tells you how.

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Pin Items to the Taskbar

You can improve your efficiency at managing your applications through effective use of the taskbar. This tip shows you ...

Discover More

Displaying the Start Menu Using the Keyboard

Need to get to the Start menu, but hate taking your hands off the keyboard? Here are two quick ways you can display the ...

Discover More

Move the Windows 11 Taskbar to the Left

Windows 11's new Taskbar puts the Start menu and apps front and center. In this tip you learn how to move the Taskbar to ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 4 + 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips