Volume or Network Icon Missing from the Windows 11 Taskbar?

The volume (sound) or network (Wi-Fi/Ethernet) icon has disappeared from the bottom-right corner of the Windows 11 taskbar.

Why: These are system icons, not app icons. They can get switched off, hidden in the overflow menu, or wiped out by a stale icon-cache record that Explorer keeps in the registry. Work from the simplest cause down.

Fix 1: Check the hidden icon menu

1. Click the Show hidden icons arrow at the far-right of the taskbar.
2. If the volume or network icon is in the flyout, drag it down onto the taskbar corner to make it permanently visible.

Fix 2: Re-enable the system icon

1. Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings (or open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar).
2. Expand Other system tray icons (and, where shown, Turn system icons on or off).
3. Make sure the icons you want — Volume and Network — are toggled On.

Fix 3: Restart Windows Explorer

If the toggles look right but the icon still won’t draw, the desktop shell needs a refresh.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. On the Processes (or Details) tab, find Windows Explorer (explorer.exe).
3. Select it and click Restart task (or End task, then Run new task, type explorer, and click OK).

The taskbar redraws and missing system icons usually return.

Fix 4: Clear the icon-cache registry values (caution)

Only do this if the icon still won’t appear. Editing the registry incorrectly can cause problems, so back up the registry first (in Registry Editor: File > Export).

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify
3. In the right pane, right-click IconStreams and choose Delete, then do the same for PastIconsStream.
4. Restart Explorer (Fix 3) or reboot. Windows rebuilds these values and re-reads which icons to show.

FAQ

The icon is back but there’s still no sound / no internet. That’s a different problem. The icon only controls display — see Microsoft’s audio and network troubleshooters for the underlying issue.

A third-party app’s icon is the one missing, not volume or network. App icons are managed separately — see show all hidden system tray icons.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Customize the Taskbar in Windows · Microsoft Support — System icons do not appear in the notification area