How to Minimize Skype to Windows 7 System Tray (Notification Area)
Due to the new design behavior guideline for Windows Taskbar on Windows 7, more and more software application has now making its icon to locate and stick at Windows 7 Taskbar when minimized, instead of minimizing to system tray (notification area). The most common example in Windows Live Messenger, and now Skype 4.2 (download Skype 4.2 Beta) follows the footstep.
In Skype 4.2 or any newer versions, Skype will be minimized to Taskbar, as an icon or button, when the Skype main window is closed. In previous versions, such as Skype 4.1, 4.0 and 3.0, Skype is typically minimized to system tray, which now known as notification area, right beside the clock on Windows Taskbar when the main window is closed.
Leaving the Skype program running on Windows Taskbar is not very useful to many users, especially notifications alert will pop up informing user when there is new incoming call, instant message (IM), files, contacts, events and etc. The Taskbar icon or button is prone to mistakenly or accidentally click and activate, and the Skype window is also subjected to rotation when user jumping around tasks with Alt+Tab or Win+Tab keyboard shortcuts.
In order to make Skype minimize and hide its icon into notification area or system tray when minimized, users can use the same trick to minimize Windows Live Messenger MSN Messenger to system tray in Windows 7. Here’s how to minimize Skype to notification tray on Windows 7.
Updated Skype Built-In Method
- In Skype, go to Tools -> Options.
- Then, click on Advanced tab to go to Advanced settings.
- Uncheck and untick the Keep Skype in the taskbar while I’m signed in option.
- Click Save button, and the Skype button or icon will be removed from Taskbar on minimize.
Note: You won’t see the option if the Skype is in compatibility mode.
Compatibility Mode Method
- Exit or quit from Skype program.
- Right click on Skype icon on Desktop or Skype shortcut in Start Menu, and select Properties.
- Go to Compatibility tab.
- Under “Compatibility Mode’ section, check and tick the checkbox for Run this program in compatibility mode for: option.
- In the below drop-down box, select Windows Vista (Service Pack 2).
- Click OK.
- Start the Skype program, and now it should minimize to system tray.
Related posts:
- Workaround to Hide and Minimize Windows Live Messenger Icon/Button to Notification Area (System Tray) in Windows 7
- Disable and Turn Off System Tray (Notification Area) to Hide Icons in Windows XP and Vista
- Windows Defender Icon Not Found in System Tray (Notification Area)
- HideOutlook – Minimize Microsoft Outlook to System Tray
- Volume, Battery (Power) or Network Icon Disappear or Missing from Vista Taskbar Notification Area (System Tray)
365 Comments
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thank you thank you thank you!!!
Thank you SO much! You and Google, which brought me to your website. [2]
Oops, my bad. I did not realize that you recommend vista, not xp…
Thanks. However I better set compatibility mode to Vista. It works the same but it does not ask you to give skype permission when you start it.
Thanks!! I was dying to know and then I went to the skype website to see if they could help but it was no help. THanks!
I mean how f****** arrogant do you have to be as a software company to decide that your tool should remain open and take 10% of the taskbar at all times? Especially with a software like Skype, that is supposed to be running in the background most of the time?
Things like this just make me furious – thanks for the workaround.
Thanks, it really helped
Thanks!
Do these companies ever think of their users or just figure they'll do anything to stay in front of your face?
Thank you SO much! You and Google, which brought me to your website.
THANKS! Very annoying 'feature'.
thanks a lot for the info…
thank you! very helpful indeed
Works like a charm! Thank you very much!
relaunch skype and it works
A big thank you!
Doesn't works for me…
Since I've reinstalled my W7 it seems that compatibility mode doesn't works anyway…
does not
Thank you so much for this! I was very annoyed and considered uninstalling skype if I couldn't fix it. I'm glad I don't have to now.
Love you for this tip. Thank you! I dont know why corporations are getting dumber and dumber, who wants a Skype tab open at all times? Its like carrying your landline all the way around the house with you, I used skype once every 3rd or 4th day, why would I want to have it on all the time??
Thanks very much!
@Skype-developers:
Is it sooo difficult to keep a well running software the way it is? I thought like "what a crap!" when I wasn't able to minimize to tray anymore… Poor, very poor.
Nice! Worked amazingly!
Thanks. This situation was annoying. Very easy fix.
Worked like a charm, thanks!
Yes, in compatibility mode it works fine but who the hell has made this annoying function!!!
Thanks for the advice
Very useful.
Obg!
Oh, thank you soooo much! As much as I love Win7 compared to Vista, all of this "new taskbar" stuff is the biggest load of garbage ever. The way I see it it's nothing but a poorly executed attempt to rip off the dock in Mac OS.
I deliberately set all the options to make my taskbar more like the old ones (with full text labels, quicklaunch bar, etc).
Thanks again!
Diky moc…
thanks for orientation
Thanks mate!
thanks a lot!!!! couldnt stand this behavior after skype update
Thanks a ton! This has been frustrating me for weeks and now it's fixed, thanks to your instructions. Much appreciated!
Nice, thanks a lot!
Thank you very much for this valuable hint. The last update of Skype and its strange minimize-behavior drove me nearly nuts.
for some reason i thought this post was in german during posting. i meant to say thanks for the tip! ;D
nice, thanks for the tip!
thanks! worked like a charm
Awesome. Thanks so much. That was very useful
Thanks.. Great….
Thank you so much for this fix!
Thank you so much!!! I love that you put this up… I wasn't running skype anymore because I use labels in my taskbar and I'd have to see skype full blast all the time.
THANK YOU THANK YOU
Nicely done thanks for the solution.
It works immediately.
Ahh, how long have I tried to solve this problem, and how long have I tried to look for the right solution…
Great job, thanks a lot!!!
cool that worx!
GREAT POST ! Thx !
Very good, thank you
Great! Thank you very much!
Wow! Thank you so much!! It's been bothering me since I got Windows 7. As if all the other programs weren't taking up enough space as it was.
So simple, thanks! Can't believe that they think people want things to sit in the taskbar all the time.
Finally – thanks so very much!
I only ever use Skype for one chat room between my friends, so having constant access to the contact list is completely unnecessary for me. In previous versions of Skype, I could split the window into the chat window and the contact list, and minimize the contact list to the tray.
But tonight I came home to a new patch that wouldn't let me minimize the contact list to the tray any more — it just sat there, uselessly, on the taskbar, right next to the icon for my currently open chat room.
Thank you so much for this fix! Now I have more room on my taskbar!