Don’t you hate when you need to adjust the volume on your computer and there is no icon on the taskbar? Here’s a little tip that I decided to write because this happens to me all the time! The process of returning the volume icon is not very difficult, so you’re done! However, it depends on which operating system you are running. In this article, I will mention Windows XP and Windows 7/8.
Windows XP volume icon
First click “Start” and then “Control Panel” to navigate to Computer Settings:
Then click the Sounds and Audio Devices icon in the Control Panel. If you don’t see the icon, you may be in category view. Switch to Classic View by clicking the first option in the upper left corner.
Personally, I like the classic look better, as it makes it easier to quickly get what you want. Once you open the dialog, you should already be on the Volume tab.
You will notice that the option “Place volume icon on taskbar” is checked or unchecked. If it is already checked and the icon is not displayed, uncheck the box and click Apply. Check the box again and click Apply again. Your icon should now appear on the taskbar.
Windows 7/8 Volume Icon
In Windows 7 and Windows 8, the taskbar has undergone huge changes, so the process has completely changed. Also, in Windows 7/8, taskbar icons can now be combined. This is done to save space and reduce the clutter of the taskbar. This is nice, but your volume icon might actually just be in the grouped icons rather than its own system tray icon, so check that first. You can always drag the icon back to the main part of the taskbar.
If you go to Control Panel and click Sounds in Windows 7/8, you won’t see any checkboxes for adding an icon to the taskbar, but instead you will see all the audio inputs and outputs on your system.
It actually makes sense because the taskbar icon needs to be controlled by the taskbar settings. On Windows 7/8, to hide or view the volume icon, you need to customize the taskbar. To do this, simply right-click anywhere on the taskbar and select Properties.
Now you need to click the “Customize” button in the notification area.
There are two things to check in the Notification Area Icons dialog box. First, make sure the volume icon behavior is set to Show icon and notifications.
Then, at the bottom of the screen, click Turn System Icons On or Off.
Make sure the volume icon is set to On.
This is it! Sometimes this happens often, especially after a computer restart or logout. If the sound icon keeps disappearing over and over again, you need to update the driver for your sound card. You can do this by going to the computer manufacturer’s website and downloading it from there, such as Dell support, etc. If you have any questions, please leave a comment. Enjoy!
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