Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
The volume indicator allows you to control the sound output by your computer. It can disappear, and the option to enable it has moved around a little.
My sound icon has disappeared. How can I find where to make it show back up on my tray at the bottom of my computer screen?
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Not to be confused with an on-screen volume indicator, what we're discussing here is a small icon that sits in the system tray, typically on the right hand side of the screen from which you can adjust the sound output volume.
The good news is that it's typically a simple system setting to display it or not.
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First let's identify the little guy:
The sound icon in Windows XP
The sound icon in Windows Vista
The sound icon in Windows 7
As you can see, it's a small speaker icon. Click on it and you typically get the global volume control, right-click on it and you'll get additional options.
If it's there, that is.
And as it turns out, the option to display it has taken a little trip, moving to three different places in three different versions of Windows: XP, Vista and Windows 7.
Windows XP
In Control Panel, open the Sounds and Audio Devices applet and click on the Volume tab.
Check, or uncheck, the Place volume icon in the taskbar option as you like.
Windows Vista
Right click on the task bar, and click on Properties, then click on the Notification Area tab:
Windows 7
Right click on the clock and click on Properties:
Regardless of where it ran off to, the option's there in all three versions of Windows, so you can elect to show the sound icon, or not, as you wish.
Article C3894 - October 17, 2009
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
Hi i tried the opening the task manager and clicking on explorer.exe etc but my box is still greyed out and my volume icon is still missing
Posted by: David Johnson at February 15, 2011 3:50 PMMy Volume is grey and cannot be checked ... what now?
Posted by: Sally H. at March 14, 2011 9:32 PMhaha simple, very simple, i was having problems with a new audio device from 4rx but i already fix it, thanks.
Posted by: kyon at November 4, 2011 7:04 AMFor those using Vista on laptops who have the "Greyed out" problem with clock, volume, network, or power icons, I have learned by trying tips searched on the web that I can always succeed by powering off, removing the battery and ac power sources, restoring them, and restarting. This apparently restores the BIOS settings or something and restores the icons to their normal condition. I haven't discovered what makes them go away randomly, but that method seems to restore them.
Posted by: Craig Fearing at November 15, 2011 8:54 AMNo matter what i try, i still cannot get the volume indicator back and worse still there is no sound at all, any ideas.
Posted by: Mick Guidera at November 15, 2011 2:31 PMRegards Mick