What to Do if Windows Won’t Show Notification Badges on Taskbar Icons
Typically, apps that are pinned to the taskbar or running on your computer display notification badges on their icons to provide a visual cue for new or unread notifications. Occasionally, however, you might find that Windows won’t show notification badges for some or all the taskbar icons on your computer.
If you are troubled by this issue, don’t fret. We have some quick and easy fixes that will get Windows to display notification badges once again.
1. Modify the Taskbar Behavior
To start, you need to ensure that the taskbar is configured to show notification badges on your computer. Here are the steps for doing the same.
Following this, apps should display notification badges on the taskbar.
2. Make Sure App Notifications Are Enabled
Another reason why badges may not appear on taskbar apps is if you have turned off notifications on Windows. If you are unsure, use these steps to check if notifications are enabled on your computer.
3. Allow Apps to Run in the Background
If your apps do not have the necessary permission to run in the background, they will fail to fetch new data and display any notifications. This may lead you to believe that notification badges are not working for the taskbar apps. To avoid this, you should ensure that your apps are allowed to run in the background on Windows by following the steps below.
Unable to find the background app permissions option in the Settings app? Check our guide onhow to restore a missing background apps permission option in Windows.
4. Restart the Windows Explorer Process
Temporary issues with the taskbar can also prevent apps from displaying notification badges on Windows. This usually happens when the Windows Explorer process, which is responsible for providing the Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the taskbar, experiences problems.
If it’s just a minor glitch, restarting the Windows Explorer process should help fix it. If you need help with the same, check our guide ondifferent ways to restart Windows Explorerand follow the steps outlined there.
Note that your taskbar will disappear for a brief moment when you restart the Windows Explorer process. After that, check if notification badges appear on the taskbar apps.
5. Unpin the Apps From the Taskbar and Pin Them Again
If Windows is failing to display notification badges for only one or two apps, you could try to unpin the affected apps from the taskbar and pin them back again. To do so, use these steps:
Repeat the above steps for all the apps that are not displaying badges on the taskbar.
6. Repair the Problematic App
If the issue remains even after you unpin and re-pin the app, you can try repairing it. This process will allow Windows to identify and resolve any issues with the app without affecting any of the app data. For more information on this, check our guide onhow to repair apps and programs on Windowsand follow the steps outlined there.
7. Enable Taskbar Badges Using the Registry Editor
Windows may not show notification badges on taskbar apps if the feature has been disabled via the Registry Editor. In that case, you will need to modify theTaskbarBadgesDWORD using the Registry Editor to bring back notification badges on Windows.
As you may already know, editing registry files in Windows involves risk. Hence, it’s important to be cautious while using the Registry Editor. If you’re unfamiliar with it, we recommend reading our guide onwhat the Windows Registry is and how to edit it.
Also, it’s a good idea toback up all the Registry filesbefore you make any changes. Once you’ve done that, use these steps to enable taskbar badges on Windows via the Registry Editor:
Exit the Registry Editor window and restart your PC to apply the changes. After that, notification badges should appear on taskbar apps.
Stay on Top of App Alerts With Notification Badges
Taskbar notification badges are useful as they inform you about apps and programs awaiting your attention. Hopefully, one of the above fixes has helped you resolve the underlying issue and Windows is now showing notification badges for taskbar apps.
Finding it hard to notice the taskbar notification badges because of their small size? you’re able to always enlarge the Windows taskbar to make the notification badges more visible.
Tweak the Taskbar to your liking on Windows 11.
The fix was buried in one tiny toggle.
Your phone is a better editor than you give it credit for.
Windows is great, but adding this makes it unstoppable.
Not all true crime is about hacking, slashing, and gore.
My iPhone does it all, but I still need my dumb phone.
