Today we are going to talk about one of the most annoying problem in Windows! As we know Windows shows "Bluetooth" icon in system tray and if you click on it or right-click on it, it shows a menu. The problem starts when "Remove Icon" option is listed at the bottom of the menu and you click on it accidentally and BOOM!!! The bluetooth icon disappears from system tray and you don't find any option to bring it back.
IMO "Remove Icon" should not be listed at the bottom as there are very high chances a user will click on that option accidentally as most of the time the last option in a menu opens the icon Settings. And the worst thing is that it even doesn't ask for any kind of confirmation so that user can cancel his action.
Anyway, if you are also among those frustrated users and have accidentally removed the icon from system tray, here are 2 simple methods to bring the icon back:
- Method 1: Using Hidden Bluetooth Settings Window
- Method 2: Using Registry Editor
Method 1: Using Hidden Bluetooth Settings Window
If you look into Control Panel to change Bluetooth settings, you'll not find it. You can follow following simple steps to access it:
1. Type bluetooth in Startmenu searchbox and it'll show a few entries in result set. Click on "Change Bluetooth Settings" entry.
2. It'll open Bluetooth Settings window where you can enable bluetooth icon by selecting "Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area" option and apply it.
3. That's it. It'll restore the bluetooth icon in system tray.
Method 2: Using Registry Editor
If the above method doesn't work for you, you can follow a very simple registry trick to bring it back:
1. Type regedit in RUN or startmenu searchbox and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.
2. Now go to following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Bluetooth
3. In right-side pane, look for a DWORD value Notification Area Icon. It would be set to 0. Either set its value to 1 or delete it.
4. That's it. Restart or log off your system and bluetooth icon will be back in system tray.
This article was posted by VG in following section: Troubleshooting, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP.
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Uewd
Thanks for the topic. It helped me to restore the bluetooth Icon. But how can I disable and enable Bluetooth? I was able to disable it in xp but in Vista and 7 I was unable?
Nithin
I am unable to find this registry key in windows 7. Do you know the path in Win 7 ?
Yowan
I already knew this...
Krste
Just wanted to say thanks as I accidently removed it.
isham
thnk bro it worked for thnx a tonne,.............
diana
Thank you so much..i got it back wohhhooooo
Vageesh
I accidentally deleted teh Bluetooth icon, now reinstated it after follwoing your clear and simple instructions. Great helap! Keep up the good work.
Doomsland
It sounds, interesting, but I want to do it the other way around, cuz its gone in mine and I want it back.
vinay
Genius. Thanks a lot for you help. Really helped me.
THANKS
Thanks, Method 1 worked perfectly for me :D