Workaround to Hide and Minimize Windows Live Messenger Icon/Button to Notification Area (System Tray) in Windows 7

When running Windows Live Messenger, aka MSN Messenger of latest version (as installed Windows Live Essentials 2009) in Windows 7, the main Messenger Contact window, display picture, and all chat or conversation windows now have full fledged button or icon on Windows Taskbar, even when minimized, instead of placing main WLM Contacts window icon in system tray or notification area.

Windows Live Messenger in Windows 7

In previous Windows Vista, XP or Server operating system, Windows Live Messenger (MSN) Messenger will load itself into notification area, also known as system tray, which located at the far right end of Taskbar beside the clock, while the rest of the windows such as IM chat dialog box have their own Taskbar button when the windows are opened.

Windows 7 has removed the notification area icon for Windows Live Messenger though, thus the main button for Messenger window now appears in Taskbar, along side with all its conversation or chat windows. The Taskbar button icon won’t go away even when Messenger window is minimized. When mouse over the WL Messenger icon on Taskbar, the thumbnail preview may show two confusing Messenger’s windows, where one is actual WLM Contacts main window, and another is display picture (DP, which does not show if user clicks on ‘X’ button to close the main window).

It’s possible to instruct Windows Live Messenger to revert back to classic style, where its main window is represented by notification tray area icon. The hack is to run Windows Live Messenger in Windows Vista compatibility mode in Windows 7 in order to move WLM icon back to system tray.

  1. Exit Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger completely (Right click on WLM button/icon on Taskbar and select Exit).
  2. Go to Start Menu, locate the Windows Live Messenger shortcut.

    Tip: It’s also possible to deal directly with the actual WLM program, msnmgsr.exe located in %ProgramFiles%\Windows Live\Messenger\ folder.

  3. Right click on the Windows Live Messenger shortcut or executable, and select Properties.

    MSN Windows Live Messenger Properties

  4. Go to Compatibility tab.
  5. Tick the check box for Run this program in compatibility mode for under “Compatibility Mode”, and then select Windows Vista from the drop down list.

    Running Windows Live Messenger with Vista Compatibility in Windows 7

  6. Click OK.
  7. Run Windows Live Messenger.

Minimize Windows Live Messenger to System Tray (Notification Area) in Windows 7

With the hack, Windows Live Messenger will minimize to system tray (notification area).


This entry was posted on Thursday, January 15th, 2009 at 12:57 am and is filed under Application & Software. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

139 Responses to “Workaround to Hide and Minimize Windows Live Messenger Icon/Button to Notification Area (System Tray) in Windows 7”

Pages: [6] 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

  1. Christian
    November 24th, 2009 02:00
    139

    SWEET! Thansk my friend! I just got bananas on that stupid taskbar icon! :-)

  2. d
    November 23rd, 2009 05:43
    138

    thanks for solving yet another of microsofts many flaws

  3. Anthony
    November 22nd, 2009 14:35
    137

    That worked beautifully! Thanks. That was so annoying.

  4. Joseph O
    November 20th, 2009 23:31
    136

    Thanks for a quick and easy fix

  5. Cornelia
    November 20th, 2009 16:56
    135

    Thanks a lot! This works flawlessly.

  6. Santi
    November 19th, 2009 20:11
    134

    God. Finally!!!! Thanks a lot. It was driving me mad!!!!!!!

  7. Jonathan
    November 18th, 2009 14:34
    133

    An easy solution. Thank you.

  8. Maddog
    November 16th, 2009 19:59
    132

    thank you!

  9. Q
    November 16th, 2009 16:26
    131

    Thanks!! An annoyning issue solved.

  10. jack
    November 15th, 2009 01:16
    130

    you sir are a legend :)

    annoying the hell out of me too! :D

  11. Iqodo
    November 14th, 2009 15:44
    129

    Thank you so much! it was annoying the hell out of me ;D

  12. Ty
    November 14th, 2009 01:10
    128

    thanks a lot !!!!

  13. MOYcano
    November 12th, 2009 12:48
    127

    Yoooho, it works!

  14. J-Nic
    November 7th, 2009 06:26
    126

    I still have the problem. One of the 2 messenger windows is still on the taskbar. The other one is gone. Is it only me ? Any idea how to remove this ?

    I think it’s the DP picture that make doesn’t make it to the tray.

    I taught 7 was better than vista, it is I think but lot of work to be done to make it stable.

Pages: [6] 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

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