Disappearance of Windows 11 Taskbar Icons after Switching Virtual Desktops

Anonymous
2023-11-24T09:01:51+00:00

Windows 11 22H2
In Windows 11's built-in virtual desktop feature, there is a high probability that icons of active applications on the current desktop may not be displayed when switching between different virtual desktops. The icons only appear when I click on the respective application. I have attempted to resolve the issue through restarts and using Sfc and Dism for repairs, but the problem persists. An essential configuration to note is that the taskbar is set to display windows only from the current desktop.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-02-14T17:48:01+00:00

    It seems they're going to fix it (finally, after only 3 years or so?) with the latest version.

    I found the info in this thread: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/icons-in-taskbar-went-transparent-after-switching/c8258025-1818-4de5-92f4-a9394b67062c?page=1

    I enrolled to the Windows Insider Programme (you can find it under Windows Update or just search directly for Windows Insider within the Windows search bar), and chose to install the latest version from the Beta Channel. You can either do that or wait until they push it out to everyone on stable release. (There's also the option to "unenroll" from those beta or DEV releases when it gets released to the general public, which I did since I prefer to have a stable build, except when the stable build is an MS joke ;-)).

    It's a bit early still, but so far it seems it got rid of the issue with the icons disappearing from the taskbar when switching between virtual desktops. Fingers crossed. My build is 26120.3073.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-29T11:13:11+00:00

    I'm experiencing the same issue. Windows 11 is such a joke...

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-01-05T00:38:12+00:00

    Same problem. Disabling animations "fixed" it temporarily.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-14T07:30:27+00:00

    A common approach when using Windows: Simply collect all possible workarounds for the many, many errors one needs to live with and consider them "fixed". But it's not and we need to repeately blame MS for their bad quality.

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  5. John Jefferson Doyon 87,320 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-11-24T09:49:56+00:00

    Hi there, I am John J.D., a fellow Microsoft user like you.

    I understand your frustration, thank you for sharing the screenshot. There ia current issue with the recent update, some reports of similar issues with the KB5032190 update, causing Taskbar and visual glitches on Virtual Desktops.

    Could you please check by going to Settings > Windows Update > Update History?

    Please check what KB version you have and let me know in your next response.

    John J.D.

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