Administrator Updated on January 6, 2023 Though your system needs to connect to the network for all basic operations, at times you may face an issue that the network icon remains blanked out in the system tray of taskbar. Whenever you try to start a download or upload data, it just gives you a blue screen and restarts again. So, if you are facing this type of error while starting your computer or internet connection, then don't panic because here is how you can fix Network icon blanked out in Taskbar system tray.
Your computer’s taskbar is one of its most helpful and most used features. Aside from showing which programs or apps are currently open and active, you can also pin several programs’ shortcuts to it for easier accessibility.
Another helpful feature found on the taskbar is the system tray which shows several system icons like the date and time, network, action center, and volume options of your computer. However, sometimes errors occur, and your computer’s Network icon is suddenly gone from the system tray.
While you may still have access to the internet, you can no longer see the Wi-Fi signal bar or the ethernet icon on your taskbar. Sometimes, you even lose your connection altogether and couldn’t access your network settings.
When that happens, there are several steps you can follow to bring back the blanked out Network icon on your taskbar.
First Method: Enabling the Network Icon on the System Tray
1). Go to the Taskbar settings
This can be accessed by opening your Settings menu and selecting the “Personalization” option. This will take you to a window where you can find all the customization options for your computer. On the left-hand side of your window, you can find the “Taskbar” tab where all your taskbar’s settings can be adjusted.
Another way to access your Taskbar settings is by right-clicking your taskbar and selecting “Taskbar settings” in the subsequent drop-down menu.
2). Locate the “Notification area” option
Under this menu, you can find the option to enable or disable system icons via the “Turn system icons on or off”.
3). Toggle the option for “Network” to “On.”
This should enable the Network icon and allow it to appear on your taskbar’s system tray.
Second Method: Restart Your Computer’s Network Services
If the previous method doesn’t work, you may need to restart your computer’s network services, especially if you have lost your internet connection.
1). Open your “Run” dialog box
You can do this by pressing the Windows key simultaneously with the R key on your keyboard or by looking for it via the Search option.
2). Type in “services.msc” and press “Enter”
You can also click on the “OK” button to open the Services menu.
3). Ensure the following services are started
To restart your Network services, you need to locate the following in the Services menu:
- Com+ Event System
- Network Connections
- Plug and Play
- Remote Access Connection Manager
- Remote procedure call
- Telephony
To enable these services, right-click on them and click on “Start.”
Third Method: Changing the Registry
If the above methods don’t work, you can reset your registry settings. However, this is only recommended for those who are more experienced with the Windows registry.
1). Open the “Run” dialog box
Again, you can do this via your keyboard or the Search option. On your keyboard, press the Windows button and R button simultaneously. Via the search bar, type in “Run” and click on the Run app.
2). Type the command “regedit” and press “Enter”
This will open the registry editor where you need to navigate to the key “HKEY_LOCAL-ACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlNetwork” in the registry.
3). Locate the “Config” entry
Once you find it, right-click on it and delete it. After doing so, restart your PC and the config entry will be restricted automatically during the rebooting of your computer.
Note: If you don’t find this key, that’s okay since this method is only for users who have modified their settings either manually or via a third-party program.
Final Thoughts
Your taskbar’s system tray is a helpful feature that allows you to access several options of your computer quickly.
However, issues like a blanked out Network icon on your system tray can suddenly happen and can prove to be inconvenient, especially if a problem occurs with your internet connection.
Hopefully, this tutorial has helped you fix your computer’s network icon issue and returned your computer to normal.
Summary: Fix Network Icon Blanked Out in Taskbar System Tray
- Disable power saving mode of your network adapter driver.
- Change Device Instance Path in registry.
- Enable the network adapter service.
- Reinstall the network adapter driver.
