By default, in the Windows 7 operating system, there is a specific number of system icons displaying the status of the Internet, sound, battery charge and outlining other useful information. However, sometimes situations occur when such pictograms simply disappear. Today we would like to affect this topic, told about the volume control icon. Let us consider in detail all the available methods of solving this problem, starting from the simplest and banal, finished by rare options that can also be useful users.
Correct the error with the missing volume icon in Windows 7
The appearance of such a problem is often associated with small system failures, random or intentional actions of users. There is no universal solution to the difficulty under consideration, so you can only sort out every existing method to find suitable. As always, starting with a light and quick option.Method 1: Setting up the notification area icons
First of all, it is recommended to check whether the display of the icon you need is enabled in the settings of the notification area. Execution of this and subsequent ways are preferably during a session under the name of the administrator, so if you have not yet switched your account, it is better to do it now.
Read more: How to get admin rights in Windows 7
After that, you can safely move to the implementation of the task:
- Open the Start menu by clicking on a specially designated button, and go to "Control Panel" in the window.
- Among all the parameters, find "notification area icons" and double-click on this field with the left mouse button to open the corresponding window.
- Pay attention to the "Volume" icon. Make sure that the icon and notification icon is selected as its behavior.
- Check "Always display all icons and notifications on the taskbar", make the behavior of the pictograms and move to a separate menu by clicking the "Enable or Disable System Icons" link.
- Ensure that the behavior of the desired function is noted "On".
After carrying out these actions, you do not need to restart the computer, everything must be activated automatically. However, if this did not happen, you should proceed to the consideration of other methods.
Method 2: Restarting Explorer
The standard file manager of the Windows OS family manager is the conductor. The behavior of other elements - folders, labels, separate panels and icons depends on the correctness of its work. Sometimes there are failures with this component, which leads to certain consequences. Try restarting it to check whether the conductor is really to blame for the volume of the volume icon. Detailed instructions on this topic can be found in the article Next.Upon completion, do not forget to restart the PC so that all changes take effect, and these parameters were restored in their form default. After that, check if the icon appears in the notification area.
Method 4: Restarting Windows Audio
The standard service responsible for the correctness of the audio operation in the operating system, even indirectly, but still is associated with the icon in question today. If there was some kind of failure in it or she herself stopped, it is quite possible that the pictogram will also be disappeared. This is checked only by restarting the service.
- Open "Start" and go to "Control Panel".
- Here you need the "Administration" section.
- In the list of elements, find "services" and select this application.
- Find the name "Windows Audio". Double-click on the LKM to open properties.
- Stop the service, and then restart to restore correct operation.
It should also be noted that you need to make sure that the service is launched automatically. This is done in the same properties menu. If there are some problems with Windows Audio, and the icon will again disappear, it will be necessary to resort to additional means of debugging its operation.
Read more:
Startup audio service on windows 7
Solving a problem with the lack of sound in Windows 7
Method 5: Removing the blocking registry keys
Sometimes special blocking keys are added to the registry that do not allow display system icons. Add them can be both a system administrator and malicious software. Of course, this rarely happens, however, if the previous methods did not bring any result, we advise you to use this.
- Go to the registry editor by the method that has been demonstrated above, or find this application through the search for "Start".
- Go along the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Currentversion \ Policies \ Explorer.
- If the directories are present "NotrayItemSDisplay", "HideClock", "HidesCapower", "Hidescavolume", "NoautotrayNotify" or "Hidescanetwork" - delete them all to establish the display of icons. As you can see, some of these values are associated with pictograms of other functions, which will help you to fix problems with the display of other elements of the notification area.
Method 6: Installing or updating audio drivers
This method is exactly the same indirect as the where we offered to restart the service, but in some situations it turns out to be effective. You only need to go to the device dispatcher to automatically search for updates for sound drivers.
- Call "Start" and select the section "Control Panel".
- Move to the Device Manager.
- Expand the category "Sound, Video and Gaming Devices".
- Click on the PCM sound playback device and in the context menu, find the "Update Drivers" item.
- Run the automatic search for updated drivers. At the same time, you must actively connect to the Internet.
If this option of searching for updated drivers did not give any result, it is necessary to independently try to solve this issue with the help of additional guides on the following links.
Read more:
Installing audio devices on Windows 7
Download and install audio drivers for Realtek
Method 7: Check for errors and restoration
In extremely rare cases, none of the above methods work properly and the volume icon still does not appear in the area of notifications. In such cases, it is worth resorting to radical solutions, but first it is better to hope for a banal error correction with embedded means. Read more about this below.
READ ALSO: Computer check with Windows for errors
If the tools did not reveal any problems, it remains only to restore the original state of the Windows, roll over to one of the backups or the default parameters. This was the most detailed by our author in another article.
Read more: Restoration of the system in Windows 7
At the end of this material, we want to note that you always need to remember all the actions performed and interact with the system with the mind. It is possible that you put some kind of software, after which the volume icon immediately disappeared. Of course, it is not necessary to see it immediately, but it is better to always use only the official software and delete all suspicious applications, additionally checking the PC to viruses.
See also: Fighting Computer Viruses