# Windows users: How many icons are in your Systray? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2001, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585 "2001-07-07T12:54:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/1 "2001-07-07T12:54:50Z")
Don’t know how, but I managed to accumulate an even dozen of the things. - McAfee VShield - Task Scheduler - Language selection - Display properties - Speaker volume - GO ExpressSearch - Adaptec DirectCD Wizard - Mouse - RealPlayer - Updates from HP by BackWeb - Connection activity lights - ICQ Is that a record?? ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/2 "2001-07-07T14:37:26Z")
Nope, I have one more than you do, and I’m sure others have even more. Now, how many people have not even ONE icon on their desktop? (I have mind hidden so my pretty picture is uninterrupted.) ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/3 "2001-07-07T15:23:04Z")
I’ve 6 icons in my systray: \*Norton Anti-Virus \*Some settings thing that lets me change my display properties without having to right click on my desktop \*The little speaker thing for my sound properties \*Desktop contents (I love this thing!) - It lets me access anything on my desktop without having to minimize any windows I have up to actually get to my desktop \*ICQ of course \*Live journal entry software thing (it’s a little pencil) **Troubleagain** , how do I “hide” icons on my desktop? Most of the time, I only have three icons, but those three, I can’t seem to move anywhere else. I’ve love to learn how to “hide” them. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/4 "2001-07-07T16:06:34Z")
**Mauvaise,** first, create shortcuts to My Computer and anything else you want by “dragging” them to your task bar. Then right-click on your desktop so that it brings up your menu, click on properties. On the Web tab, click View My Desktop as Web Page. Then go to your Effects tab and click Hide Icons When Viewed as Web Page. Voila! No icons on the desktop! ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/5 "2001-07-07T16:12:25Z")
-internet explorer -@home assistant (cable provider) -desktop -channels -windows media player -outlook express -themes -norton -spinner -musicmatch -msn messenger -realplayer -real jukebox -outlook -character map -video card -AIM -icq -sound settings -dvd/cd/tv player -ftp queue -get-right ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/6 "2001-07-07T16:21:02Z")
I turn my desktop icons into stick figures. Only 10 items on my sys tray though. The only two I use are the desktop and IE ones:) ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/7 "2001-07-07T16:59:02Z")
Ive got ONE the speaker… and Im seriously thinking about getting rid of it. I’m a big fan of msconfig. If I want an icon there I will choose it to be there, I dont want the program deciding for me. 🙂 Then again I havent reinstalled my firewall or antivirus yet… so 2 will be there soon. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/8 "2001-07-07T19:03:01Z")
Hey, **Neidhart** , all that stuff is slowing down your computer. Did you WANT all those things in the systray? If I were you I’d go into settings and disable a bunch of that stuff. Actually, if I were you, what I’d really do is call up my friend and say “Hey, I forgot how to do that thing again, can you explain it to me… again?” ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/9 "2001-07-07T19:20:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > **If I were you I’d go into settings and disable a bunch of that stuff.** I’m sure that this will strike some as a catastrophically dumb question, but consider that I’m a long-time Mac user who recently switched to Windows. Just where is the place that you can modify the system tray? I’ve hunted for it and can never seem to find it. :::donning asbestos suit::: ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/10 "2001-07-07T21:48:32Z")
Just like **Whammo** all I have is my audio control. Everything else is a shortcut on my desktop. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/11 "2001-07-07T21:52:33Z")
When online: -ICQ -Yahoo Messenger (my friends need to stick to one, dagnabbit) -WinAmp agent -Sound settings -IntelliPoint mouse settings thingamajob -Saitek Gaming Extensions auto activate/deactivate (for games. the joystick is festooned with buttons, all of which can be custom programmed for separate programs) -and of course the little modem-connected thingy When offline, the instant messaging crap is off, as is modem doohicky. Winamp usually comes out when gameage is engaged in (if they use mp3, it can interfere), and sometimes I fire up Game Commander 2, which is a nifty voice-recognition thingie that runs in background and works amazingly reliably. I often bind violent curses to quick-load as well as more useful controls that I don’t need in a hurry. Norton Antivirus used to be in there, but I just do all scans manually now. ---
**Author:** ![MIKE\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MIKE\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MIKE_P)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/12 "2001-07-07T22:57:54Z")
Which side is the system tray on? I have little icons on both sides. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/13 "2001-07-07T23:16:30Z")
The first thing I do with any computer is get rid of as much stuff as I can. When i start the computer on the system try I only have the clock and the volume control. Then I connect and I’ll have the DUN icon. Then I’ll start ICQ and that will appear. That’s about it. When I got the computer it had a hundred things there, all crashing into each other and hanging the computer. My advice is to get rid of anything you do not need running. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/14 "2001-07-07T23:26:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MIKE\_P \* > Which side is the system tray on? I have little icons on both sides. Assuming your taskbar is at the bottom of the screen, the system tray is at the right end. I use a utility from PC Magazine called [TrayManager](http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,10615,77591,00.html). It appears in the system tray itself. It allows you to hide tray icons within its own icon and bring them up by right-clicking on it. Another PC Magazine utility is [Tray Magician](http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-1461987-100-5943143.html?tag=stunav.0). It hides the entire tray until you position the cursor at the edge of the taskbar. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/15 "2001-07-07T23:32:26Z")
on startup I have: AV speaker monitor res. program palm hotsync and that task scedular that I don’t know how to get rid of as needed: adaptic cd-r utility #1 adaptic cd-r utility #2 winfax aim zipfolders outlook express new mail and most likely something I can’t remember. I use to have 13 (thanks to an old shareware program tray icon) AV speaker quick res palm hotsync winfax aol zipfolders word\* excel\* calculator\* paperport\* hp copy utility\* and a shortcut to a text file\* - due to tray icon program ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/16 "2001-07-07T23:50:32Z")
VSheild Task Scheduler (that I never use–how do I get it out of the tray?) VirusScan scheduler (also never used) AC Plug (keeps CrapuServe from hanging up while I’m reading something) Mouse Odometer Volume control Display properties ---
**Author:** ![Natural-J-Bankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Natural-J-Bankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Natural-J-Bankie)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/17 "2001-07-08T00:05:12Z")
For those of you who aren’t sure, the icon on the right next to the clock are your system tray. Those are usually representative of small programs that run in the background (ICQ, display settings, etc). Most of those icons are actually representing a running program. To get rid of them you need to find out what those programs are and choose to disable them. There are many ways to do this. (clear out your startup folder, disable the icon by right clicking on them, use a utility like Xteq X-setup, etc) Try your different options. Hiding them with tray mangare will eliminate clutter, but not free up memory. The icons on the left (by default - you can move them) are the quick launch icons, and you can add and remove these at will, they are only shortcuts to programs. I have in my quick launch bar: Show desktop (very handy), Windows explorer, IE, Outlook, Winamp In my tray I have: ZoneAlarm (personal firewall), Webwasher (anti pop-up ad/cookie utility) and ICQ. All of these are free too. On my desktop: Computer, Documents, Network, Recycle Bin. I never adjust my desktop settings, or sounds, except thru an external amp, so I go rid of those, same for the Intellimouse setting and gamepad settings. task scheduler can be disabled my opeing it up and looking thru the menu item for an option that says disable task schedulere (unless you actually scheule tasks, it won’t cause a problem) ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/18 "2001-07-08T00:09:03Z")
From left to right… **Adjust display settings** (I have some 800x600 only games) **Speaker volume** **POW!** (pop-up window killer by AnalogX) **TweakTray 1.1** (UI config app) **WebWasher** (as mentioned above) **TurboNote** (desktop ‘post-it notes’ app) **ZoneAlarm** (personal firewall) **Diamond InControl** (desktop organisation app) ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/19 "2001-07-08T01:35:09Z")
I have 6, wich I think is about 3 too many. Task Scheduler. That one has to go. InocculateIT anitvirus. Volume control. ATI Video settings. That one has to go. Webshots. AIM. ---
**Author:** ![False\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee7513/32.png) [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585/20 "2001-07-08T01:46:41Z")
An even ten. Norton Antivirus Tiny Personal Firewall Speakers Monitor Resolution Logitech wireless mouse Hack Tracer (Excellent utility to find out who’s pinging or accessing you, complete with a map-tracking graphical interface) Silk Quit quit smoking clock Direct CD Wizard Zone Alarm personal firewall utility (yes, I have two firewalls, sue me) Port ICE system security software [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-users-how-many-icons-are-in-your-systray/71585.md?page=2)