Vista - Completely hiding System Tray Icons

I am looking for a way to completely and totally hide icons in the System Tray area. I'm already aware of Window's "Hide inactive icons" ability, but this is not what I am looking for. I want a program that will completely hide/remove the icons I specify from the System Tray, while still allowing the programs they are associated with to run.

I've done a lot of searching, but haven't found anything useful. The best example I can give you guys is a program called HideSRHI.exe which hides the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon. I need something similar to that program, but which will allow me to specify what icons to remove.

Any ideas?

I think you're going to need to just hide them all. Right click on the start orb, Notification Area tab, check "hide inactive icons", hit the "customize" button and go through each icon and change the setting to "hide". Uncheck clock, volume, network, and power as well. You will likely have to go through and do this once in awhile for newly installed programs that automatically load a try icon. some installers give you a choice if you want a tray icon or not. --ch

Added: some programs may allow you to remove the tray icon once the program is installed - if you right click on the icon, there may be a choice to not show again, or go into the program settings/preferences.

But again, I don't want to just hide them the way Windows allows you to do. I want to completely remove the icons. I know it's possible, since the HideSRHI.exe program can do it for a hard-coded icon.

Hi RTAdams89,

You may want to check if this does what you need ....

TrayManager 3: Tame Your Tumultuous Tray - Downloads by PC Magazine

Have not used it myself but the initial write-up suggests it has the degree of control you are looking for

Hello RTAdams,

This may be what you are looking for.

Notification Area - Hide All System Icons

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Tray Manger 3 might work, but I would have to pay to download it and find out...

Brink: I'm not looking to hide everything, just a few selected icons. Thanks though.

Sorry about that ...

The previous version is available here ...

Witts End oldies but Goodies Freeware

Which will allow you to try the program ...

You could also have a look for a program called I think "tray magic" or something similar not sure if it is still available

Do you need the programs? Just go into "msconfig" and tell them not to start on next boot if you don't need them. That might do it.

Thanks. I tried that program, but the installer fails saying it is not compatible with Vista x64...

I want the programs to continue running. I just don't want to their icon to be displayed in the system tray (at all, not hidden, not moved, GONE). Unfortunately the programs don't offer a way to remove their icon.