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Windows 7 allows users to hide/show icons in the "notification area" (aka systray).

By default I think they're hidden?

Is it possible to programatically (either through the app or through an installer) to force icons to appear?

Edit: I'm not looking for a way to override the user's request. What I'm asking, is there a way to INITIALLY appear, even if the user then hides you permanantly. i.e., can we make it "opt-out" instead of "opt-in"

John
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    Oh god no! I hope there is no way to do that! Finally the systray moves in a more sensible direction and you want to undo that! – Joachim Sauer Aug 11 '09 at 09:30
  • Yeah I mostly agree with you. The reason I ask is that our application is a backup app. To me this seems to fit in the small category of apps that you might actually want to be able to at a glance check status. I have absolutely no problem with the user having the final say about icons. What I question is whether apps shouldn't be allowed to set the default to visible. – John Aug 13 '09 at 13:03
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    Almost everyone thinks that their application "fits in the small category of apps ...". The truth is: No, the consumer doesn't care. As long as your application does its job, he doesn't want to know about it or see it. It's simply not important to him. And in the rare case that he does want a permanent status information he can easily enable it manually. – Joachim Sauer Aug 13 '09 at 13:08
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    I don't agree. There are some applications out there which so obviously don't need a constant presence. And there are absolutely those which do. e.g., I use the Gmail notifier, which is basically a systray icon that lights up when I have mail. That is literally it's only job. So I'd install it and then have it not appear without user intervention? That doesn't seem right. Anyway, I'm sure this debate is already raging elsewhere ;-) – John Aug 17 '09 at 10:26
  • possible duplicate of [How to always show program tray icons in Windows by *default*?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/904790/how-to-always-show-program-tray-icons-in-windows-by-default) – svick Sep 05 '11 at 10:43
  • I wonder whether there's a way to invoke the windows handling of this - e.g. programmatically get the OS to ask the user whether they want to see the notifications. User still has control. Otherwise it's like when MS started randomly hiding menu options in Word. People stopped using those features. – Adrien Feb 12 '19 at 21:42

1 Answers1

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This from the MSDN seems to suggest that you can't:

There have been changes to the notification area that give the user much more control over what icons appear on the taskbar. All notification icons are now hidden by default and that visibility cannot be programmatically controlled. Only the user is allowed to choose which notification icons appear on the taskbar. When a notification balloon is displayed, the icon becomes temporarily visible, but even then a user can choose to silence them

John
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    Apparently it is possible. I recently installed Dropbox, an online file sync program and its icon appeared right next to my clock. Not in the hidden icons but right next to my battery level indicator. – Alex Essilfie Dec 27 '10 at 01:06