Have you ever run into a situation where you want to raise the volume of a downloaded clip to make it audible, only to find that the Volume system icon is missing from the taskbar of your Windows 10 computer? The problem occurs when the behavior of the system icon selection setting is greyed out. The more general approach towards solving this problem is looking for a solution from the Settings program or the Control Panel but or manually setting icons on the notification area.
Volume icon missing from Taskbar
1] Turn Volume System Icon Off and On
From the WinX Menu, open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. Here click on the Turn system icon on or off link.
The Turn System Icons On or Off panel will open, where you can set icons you want to display on the Notification area. Just toggle the slider for Volume to the On position and Exit.
Here you will be able to turn any of the System Icons On or Off in the Windows 10 Taskbar.
To access this panel, you can also right-click on the Taskbar > Properties and click on the Notification areas: Customize button.
2] Restart Explorer
Restart Explorer and see if it helps.
3] Check Group Policy setting
If this does not help, if your version of Windows 10 has the Group Policy, Run gpedit.msc to open the Local Group Policy Editor and navigate to the following setting:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar
Now in the right pane, search for the following setting – Remove the volume control icon. When found, double-click on it to open the following panel.
Ensure that the policy setting is Not configured or Disabled.
This policy setting allows you to remove the volume control icon from the system control area. If you enable this policy setting, the volume control icon is not displayed in the system notification area. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the volume control icon is displayed in the system notification area.
Click on Apply/OK and exit.
Hopefully, your Volume icon should be back on your taskbar.
See this post if Turn system icons on or off is grayed out. Towards the end of this post, you will see a registry setting which you may have to tweak.
55 Comments
In the case of the Power and Volume options being greyed out when in Notifications (i.e. can’t turn them on), just open Task Manager, right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart. Fixed the issue for me.
Thanks m8
Thanks man. It really helped me. :)
I have noticed that I lose the speaker icon when i set my taskbar to auto-hide. If I leave it visible, the icon stays but on auto-hide I lose it within a day or two. Does anyone else have that happen?
My volume option is not only off, it is greyed out. Gee, why can’t things just WORK?
Nice one. (worked)
Hint: Use Control-Shift-Esc to quickly access the Task Manager.
1. Hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete and open Task Manager
2. Click on DETAILS tab
3. Find explorer.exe, right-click, and click on END TASK
4. On the top Menu Bar, click on FILE, RUN NEW TASK
5. Enter explorer.exe in the task entry box and click on OK
6. On the top Menu Bar, click on VIEW and REFRESH NOW
7. Volume icon should reappear after refresh
Thank you, excellent job.
Legendary Angela, that worked a treat for me.
thank you it was driving me crazy win 10 a real learning curve for me
1. Go to Device Manager – Sound, video, & game controller
2. Disable, then enable the audio devices listed (sort of on then off)
3. Restart computer
Same here – thank you!!!
Thanks… That was annoying.
Thanks, I searched the internet only to find this comment that was helpful.
Marvellous! Thank you!
What a help. Thank you.
Thanks! I just went through five different sites with various recommendations and yours is the only one that worked. Took all of 2 seconds.
Thank-you, this one worked for me.!
bingo! Thanks!
Angela, you are a ‘G’. Thank you.
Many thanks.
Another success story checking in. Thanks!
Thanks so much! This actually solved my problem instead of the actual post
yeah it’s funny I saw this because I set mine to auto-hide yesterday and noticed the speaker icon today. Restarting Windows Explorer in the task manager fixed the issue instantly for me
Thanks alot :)
Goddes
XD
Thanks very much.
THIS IS BRILLIANT! Thank you so much!
Worked for me – thank you!
Fixes it every time.
Also, CTRL+Shift+Esc to quickly access task manager.
fantastic, thank you so much for all your help.
I had the problem of the volume icon disappearing from the tray…Did the restart suggested by you and it came back!!! Searched many sites and several solutions…but yours is the only solution that worked…and in seconds..!! Thanks
Thank you worked like a charm
Dude thnx to you i got my volume back TEEHEE ;)!
Mine aren’t greyed out, they aren’t there???
You’ll have to right-click on the task bar, hit Settings all the way at the bottom of the popup window, and then click on “Select which icons appear on the task bar”. If Volume and/or Power are both greyed out, you’ll need to restart Windows Explorer via Task Manager.
Good job! Thanks for the Restart Explorer tip – works for me too!
Good job! Thanks for the tip – works great! If you apply for a job at Mr Gates’ company, I’ll give you a recommendation!
no need to restart computer – read Silent Political Yeoman’s posting above.
Holy Hell! That was easy! Thanks for the tip!!
I can’t believe how Windows 10 can feel like a public alpha test of some software, even though it’s been out a good amount of time. It’s so incredibly broken I’m close to giving Linux a go with a VM for Windows, only for the programs I need it for…
The fix works for me but when I log off my laptop and log back on the volume icon has disappeared again.
Is there a fix that will keep the icon there as it’s very frustrating having to do go through this every time I log off :(
this thing happens to me now after a windows updating, so why do they think it would be good to make it disappear? I don’t get what microsoft is thinking……………………….
it works this way!! thanks! all back
Awesome! It worked for me as well, thanks!
Damn, you sir saved me lot of headache!
how
None of these solutions worked:
1. “turn system icons on or off” does not exist
2. I don’t have explorer, just Chrome and Edge (if you’re wondering, I did have the sound icon before, but after recent update it’s gone)
3. I don’t have windows 10 group policy whatever that is
Wow thankyou it helps for me. Genius. :)
That was really helpful! Thanks a lot, Silent Political Yeoman!
And thanks to AnandK@TWC for writing an article about this, enabling the best and most straightforward solution to be posted as a comment. :-)
wow thank you so much this worked!!!
The sound icon doesn’t show up on the system menu on my computer or taskbar. Other problems I have are that my laptop doesn’t turn off when closed even though I have it set to do that and my battery icon always shows that the battery isn’t present even though it is. I need the charger put in, which automatically turns it on and it works without a battery in.
The “Turn system icon on or off” link is now located in a different place in the 6/18 version of Windows 10.
This is 2018 and this STILL is the one and only solution that worked for me as well! I’ve read and tried many different procedures, but this is the only one that actually works! THANK YOU So MUCH!