Removing taskbar icons in Registry Settings

[gavingilbert]

Hi,

I would like to permanently remove the notification arrow and the show/peek at desktop icons on the far right of the taskbar as I don't need them or want them. I have downloaded God Mode tweaks, various Windows 10 tweaks, Windows 10 Manager etc and for me, nothing works, so please tell me where in the registry settings I can remove them.

Thanks.

 

[Regedit32]

Hi gavingilbert,

Welcome to the Forum.

If you intend on doing this there are two steps you need to do:

Step 1​

• Right-click on Start and select Settings > Personalization
• In the left pane select Taskbar
• Now in the main window locate Use Peek to preview the desktop when you move your mouse to the Show desktop button at the end of the taskbar and Toggle off

Sample image

• Now, scroll down the main window and click on Turn system icons on or off

Sample image

​

• In the window that opens toggle off the Action Center then click the X in top right corner to close Settings

Sample image

Step 2

The Registry values you need only exist by default in one case, so you will need to create one DWORD value, and modify the other existing DWORD value.

Rather than literally open Registry Editor to do this, I will get you to use an elevated Command Prompt:​

• Press your Windows key + S to give focus to your Cortana/Search field
• Type command then in the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
• The User Account Control will now prompt you. Click yes
• In the Administrator: Command Prompt console type or copy & paste the following command:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v DisableNotificationCenter /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Press Enter key to execute. The above command will cause Action Center in your Settings window to be greyed out. You will need to either modify, or delete this value, so as to be able to toggle on the Action Center again.

Now type or copy & paste the following command:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM" /v EnableAeroPeek /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Press Enter key to execute. This second command will grey out the toggle on/off for Peek in the Settings window. You will need to modify it again to allow toggling peek back on.

Sample image

Type exit and press Enter key to close the Administrator: Command Prompt console.

Done!

Sample images of the result

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To reverse these modifications do the following:

• Open an Administrator: Command Prompt console as before
• In the Administrator: Command Prompt console type or copy & paste the following command:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v DisableNotificationCenter /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Press Enter key to execute

Type or copy & paste the following command:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM" /v EnableAeroPeek /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Press Enter key to execute

Type exit and press Enter key​

Notes:

As you created the DWORD 32-bit Value: DisableNotificationCenter you can also reverse your modification by typing or copy & pasting this command to delete the value:

REG DELETE "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v DisableNotificationCenter /f

Press Enter key to execute.


As the other DWORD 32-bit Value: EnableAeroPeek all ready exists by default, you should not delete it.

However you can modify it to be disabled / enabled another way:

• In your Cortana/Search field type performance
• In the search results click on Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
• This will open the Performance Options window which be default has the Visual Effects tab selected.
  • Check Enable Peek & click Apply button to automatically modify the Registry & enable feature.
  • Uncheck Enable Peek & click Apply button to automatically modify the Registry & disable feature.

Sample image

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Regards,

Regedit32

 

[gavingilbert]

Thank you for replying with those detailed answers. Please don't think I'm being ungrateful but unfortunately, the above info is not what I'm looking for even though I tried everything above. I want to permanently remove them so there is nothing on the taskbar at all (apart from the Start button!)

 

[Regedit32]

Can you use your Print Screen button to capture an image then paste that capture in Paint, save the file as jpg or png and post here to show me what you want to remove then, because if you followed the above instructions the Notification icon (aka Action Center) would at the very least not appear on the taskbar, as should the Preview Desktop button on far right.

Also, if you right-click on Start, select Run and type winver in the run dialog then click OK

What version of Windows 10 and what OS Build is being shown to you in the window that open?

e.g. Windows 10 Version 1703, (OS Build 15063.322)