This week, Microsoft officially announced Windows 10’s release date, and allowed you to reserve a copy through an icon that appeared in your system tray. But after that, the system tray icon just…stays there. Here’s how to get rid of it.
That icon is pretty handy when it first pops up, and will likely download Windows 10 when it becomes available. It can also help you check your PC’s compatibility for Windows 10, which is neat. But it is a bit of an eyesore.
If you want to hide it from the taskbar, it’s very simple: click the arrow next to your system tray and click Customise. From there, change GWX’s dropdown to “Only show notifications”. It will still show up in your pop-up system tray, but not on the taskbar itself, taking up precious space.
Many of you Windows experts probably know this already — you can actually do this for any persistent system tray icon — but novice users annoyed by the new icon may not.
The folks at AskVG have a few other methods for removing the icon completely, for those that don’t even want to see it in the pop-up tray. Frankly, most are more work than they’re worth, especially considering the icon will probably go away in two months. But if you want to banish it from your computer entirely (say, if you have no plans to upgrade to Windows 10), check out the link below for more permanent solutions.
How to Remove the “Get Windows 10” App and Its Icon from Taskbar? [AskVG]
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11 responses to “How To Hide The ‘Get Windows 10’ Icon From Your Taskbar”
I haven’t had the icon pop up yet. Windows 7.
It was rolled out via the windows update service. If you have it turned off one way or another you won’t get it.
I don’t have auto updates on, but I am up to date regardless.
I got it last night on Windows 7. Maybe run Windows Update and it will appear.
I’m 8.1, fully up-to-date and no icon, either.
Same here. 8.1 pro. Auto updates. No icon.
Tried this already, doesn’t work, it comes back the next day.
Yep same here. Any other ideas?
I uninstalled the update that the icon originated from, we have 3 computers to update should we decide on doing it, and would rather wait for an iso rather than blowing 12gb to update all 3 via windows update.
I have Icon click and registered… Top left click the line icon and “Your PC is ready” click and it says Zero issues for devices and apps.
Does that mean all my equipment printer and scanners will work and all my software or does it mean just apps.
I had a HP scanner that failed Win 7 and HP would not issue new drivers…
On my old win7 pc I got an all drivers and devices compatible. then in win 8 my Sata driver didn’t work. I don’t trust it to much. Check with individual manufacturers on their site or if they have forums whether they will support. Or wait a few weeks and Google if people are having issues.