How to Restore the Volume Icon on the Windows 10 Taskbar

If the volume icon has suddenly disappeared from the taskbar in Windows 10, several causes may be responsible, such as system errors, conflicts with updates, or changes in settings. Let’s go through the steps to bring the volume icon back.

1. Check Taskbar Settings

First, make sure that the volume icon wasn’t accidentally disabled in the settings.

  1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
  2. Scroll down to the Notification area section and click Turn system icons on or off.
  3. Find the Volume icon and ensure it is enabled.

2. Restart Windows Explorer

Sometimes, the issue can be resolved by simply restarting Windows Explorer.

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  2. Go to the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer, select it, and click Restart.

3. Restart Windows Audio Service

At times, the Windows Audio service may not function properly, which can lead to the disappearance of the volume icon.

  1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Find the Windows Audio service, right-click on it, and choose Restart.

4. Update Audio Drivers

Issues with audio drivers can also cause the volume icon to disappear.

  1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.
  2. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section, right-click on your audio device, and select Update driver.

5. Check and Repair System Files

Corrupt system files can affect system notification icons. You can check them using the SFC command.

  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
  2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for the process to complete.