How to Remove the Chat Icon from Your Windows 11 Taskbar
That Chat icon just sitting there on the Windows 11 taskbar? It can be pretty annoying for a lot of folks. If chat features aren’t really your thing or just get in the way, you can chuck it out. And it’s not too hard — a couple of clicks and you’re sorted, giving your taskbar a nice clean-up. It might take a bit of fiddling at first, but once you’ve cracked it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
Getting Rid of the Chat Icon
No need to mess around with complicated settings or uninstall anything. Just flick a switch in the taskbar settings, and Bob’s your uncle. Here’s how:
Right-Click on the Taskbar
First up, right-click anywhere on a blank part of the taskbar. Fair dinkum, anywhere that’s empty will do — this will bring up the context menu. Then select ‘Taskbar settings’. Some folks miss this step because it seems buried under all the other options, but hang in there. You can also get to it quickly via:
Settings > Personalisation > TaskbarOr just press Win + I to open Settings, then go into Personalisation > Taskbar. Easy as.
Head into the Taskbar Settings
Once you’re in the settings, you’ll see a bunch of options to personalise the taskbar. It’s sorted into sections — like Personalisation, Behaviour, and Widgets. Keep scrolling until you spot the ‘Chat’ toggle. Honestly, it’s a bit tucked away, but no worries — once you see it, it’s a piece of cake to change.
Switch Off the Chat Icon
The toggle’s probably set to ‘On’ by default. Just click it to turn it ‘Off’. The icon should disappear right away — but sometimes there might be a slight delay or you might need to refresh your desktop. If it’s still hanging around, double-check that it’s really toggled off. If nothing works, restart Windows Explorer: open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), find Windows Explorer, and click Restart.
Is It Gone?
Take a look at your taskbar now. If the Chat icon’s gone, beauty! You’ve tidy-ed up. If it’s still there, try retracing the steps. Sometimes toggling it back to ‘On’ and then off again does the trick — a bit of a workaround, but sometimes tech can be fussy. If it won’t budge, signing out and back in, or a quick reboot, might do the job.
Once you’ve sorted it out, your taskbar should feel a lot cleaner and more you. Small change, but it makes a big difference in keeping Windows 11 nice and neat.
Other Tips for Customising Your Taskbar
If removing the Chat icon was handy, you might want to have a look at other ways to tweak your taskbar. You can turn icons back on anytime by flipping the toggle, and while you’re at it, you can tidy up by removing any other icons or shortcuts you don’t need.
Check out the other toggles in ‘Taskbar settings’. There might be other useful options to make your Windows experience more your style. Remember, turning off an icon doesn’t uninstall the app — it just hides it from the taskbar. You can still access it via the Start menu or app list whenever you want.
Quick FAQs about the Chat Icon
Can I add the Chat icon back later?
Sure thing. Just toggle the switch in the same settings menu to ‘On’ whenever you want it back. Easy peasy.
Does hiding the icon remove the app?
Nah, it just hides the icon. The app’s still on your PC — no worries there.
Will this affect any other parts of the taskbar?
Nope. Only the Chat icon. Everything else like notifications and pinned apps will keep ticking along normally.
Can I remove other icons using this method?
Absolutely. Just use the same process to toggle off any other icons you don’t want cluttering up your taskbar. It’s all about making it work for you.
Any shortcuts for taskbar settings?
Too easy. Right-click the taskbar and pick ‘Taskbar settings’, or hit Win + I then go to Personalisation > Taskbar. You can also press Win + T to focus on the taskbar and use arrow keys, or just type “Taskbar” into the search bar with Win + S.
Remember, sprucing up your taskbar doesn’t have to be a chore. Removing that Chat icon is just one quick tweak that makes Windows 11 feel more like your own. Take your time, play around, and see what fits best — customizing’s half the fun!