If you are annoyed with the notification area or system tray and want to customize it by hiding some of the active applications, you will be happy to know that Microsoft has provided some very simple solutions to solve all your queries to Hide active Apps in System Tray or Notification Area and ways to customize it.

How to Hide active Apps in System Tray or Notification Area

Ways to Customize the System Tray:

1. Find a small upward facing triangle on the notification area of your desktop and click it. Press Windows Key + B > Enter.
2. A small window containing various options will pop up, Click on the customize button.
3. A dialogue box containing details regarding notification entries will pop up next.
4. Each of these individual entries has certain drop down menus with three choices – only show notifications, hide icons and notifications and show icon and notifications.
5. After selecting your preferred option, click on OK.

If you do not mind typing a little, an alternate route is present. Type notifications in the search bar from Start and click on Notification area icons. A list will open, from which you can proceed to step 4 directly.
If you want to completely hide every active application, click on turn system icons on and off. A new dialogue box will open. Make sure you click on the correct option, before saving your necessary settings. If you make a faulty choice, feel free to revert to default and try again.
Alternative Method:
If you are having trouble removing active applications from the system tray even after reinstalling Windows, you need to follow these basic steps.

1. Back up registry before proceeding.
2. Navigate through Registry Editor.
3. Open HKCU > Software > Classes > Local Settings > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Current Version > Tray Notify.
4. Find Regedit on the right hand side of your screen and delete Icon Streams.
5. Also delete PastIconStreams, which is located close by.
6. Log off ands back up Registry edit for proper application. Stop explorer.exe and restart the process if need be.

If you are unaware of registry cleaning, try using software such as CCleaner or the Registry Cleaning option from your anti-virus (if you happen to use one).
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