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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Answer accepted by question author
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
    2017-04-21T14:24:50+00:00

    I went to run new task, for task manager, details tab, and ran 'explorer.exe' which opened the explorer window. However, after selecting the "view" tab, there was not an option to 'refresh now' in the desktop view ribbon...

    I tried to right-click and "refresh" the directory for: 'this pc> desktop', But that did not work. 

    I clicked your "helpful" link below your instructions only to find out it is a vote option to let you know if your instructions were helpful. They were not.

    I also clicked on the solved my problem button, and it also was a vote up link for your instructions that did not help. Now I can not de-select the votes for these instructions.

    If your instruction for step 6 to "refresh now" is an option somewhere in the 'view' ribbon, I can not find it. Could you please be more specific on this piece of instruction?

    I still can not turn the volume system icon "on" in the 'system icons' window. In the "turn system icons on or off' window, the 'volume' option, under the 'behaviors' list, is turned 'off' and subdued. I have tried to 'restore default icon behaviors' but that did nothing as well.

    Please let me know if there is a different way to turn the volume system icon back on for the system tray.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-04-03T01:47:48+00:00

    Keiki - you are AWESOME!! Thank you so much!!!! I spent hours trying what I thought was everything, but you nailed it!!! I can't thank you enough...

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-03-11T11:16:35+00:00

    You rock, Keiki!  So frustrated, then I found your clear, concise solution to the problem.  Many thanks.

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