Volume taskbar icon vanished / greyed-out in Control Panel

Anonymous
2014-04-20T14:08:38+00:00

Hi,

Since installing the latest major 8.1 update, my Volume Notification Area icon has disappeared. (It returned briefly but the default seems for it to inexplicably go away again to not return).

It still shows up as active when I go to Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Notification Area Icons

But toggling this a bubble appears saying "This notification icon is not currently active"

Going then into "Turn system icons on or off", the Volume System Icon is turned off, and greyed-out for access.

Why would this happen?

I see old threads for this happening in Win7, and I'm wary of downloading a registry fix in case my 8.1 computer blows up.

Thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2015-02-19T14:07:54+00:00
  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

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Anonymous
2014-05-06T16:56:20+00:00

I checked and my drivers are up to date.

The problem actually fixed itself as suddenly as it started... no idea what that was about.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-05-11T04:41:57+00:00

    Good news, Heather! Please keep in mind that the volume control icon may disappear again. I've been doing more testing on this bug that Microsoft seems to be ignoring. In any event, I think it's somehow tied in to the security settings associated to User Account Control logic within Windows 8.1, i.e. having to run programs as an administrator by modifying the file properties of the executable. I'm still testing, but I think I'm making some headway towards a possible solution.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-05-11T03:50:07+00:00

    thanks Keiki it worked....no need to uninstall sound card etc....thanks again so much.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-05-07T01:20:22+00:00

    All of the fixes presented on this page so far, including Keiki's, are just temporary workarounds.  The issue can always be solved by doing Keiki's gyrations, or rebooting.  None of them solve the problem that causes the volume Icon to disappear.  I have found a solution for myself that is also only a workaround, but that is at least a PERMANENT work-around, that will stay functional so that you can control your sound volume even when the Notification Area volume icon disappears, again, as it inevitably will.   Basically, just create a Taskbar icon that won't disappear on you.  Here's how:

    1. Go to your Windows Run button and enter "sndvol" to find your windows program (sndvol.exe) that runs the sound volume.  
    2. Once you find it, make note of where it is.  It is probably on your C: drive in the Windows directory and in the System32 subdirectory.
    3. Then set up a shortcut on your desktop by right-clicking the desktop, clicking New, and then Shortcut.  
    4. Then follow the shortcut instructions by typing in the location of your sndvol.exe program that you found or browse to it.
    5.  Once you have created the shortcut, save it to your desktop.  
    6. Then move (click+drag) the new shortcut to your Taskbar.  It will create a permanent shortcut copy to your sound volume control on the taskbar even when the shortcut in your notification area disappears again, as it undoubtedly will.  
    7. You can delete the new shortcut from your desktop as you don't need both shortcuts taking up space.  

    The icon in the notification area will probably reappear next time you boot up or log in, but meanwhile you don't have to go through any of those other annoying gyrations, as you will have an alternate icon you can use on your taskbar. 

    Until Microsoft cares enough about its customers to fix this annoyance, this will probably serve you fine.

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