Activating the Show hidden icons arrow in notification area

[jmt356]

I have a laptop running Windows 7 Enterprise.

In the notification area on the bottom right, there are 15 notification icons just to the left of the time. The messy clutter is distracting. How can I enable Show hidden icons arrow such that all I see is the Wifi signal and volume and battery icons with all the rest hidden and accessible by clicking the Show hidden icons arrow.

[HansV]

Right-click the "Show hidden icons" button.
Select "Customize notification icons" from the context menu.
Change the setting for each icon to "Only show notifications" (my preference) or to "Hide icon and notifications" (if you don't want the application to show notifications).
Click OK.

Some applications have their own settings for the notification icon in their Preferences.

[Rudi]

    
Hans has set out a good step by step using the dialog method.

Another method you can use is the drag and drop approach; simply drag the icons from the tray up into the small window to hide the icons (similar to "Show only notifications") or reverse the process by dragging icons from the small window into the tray to always show the icons (similar to "Show icon and notifications").

SC007.jpg

[jmt356]

There is no Show hidden icons button on my task bar.

[HansV]

Right-click the time in the right hand part of the Taskbar.
Select "Customize notification icons" from the context menu.
This dialog can also be activated by pressing the Start button, typing notification in the search box, and selecting "Customize notification icons" in the search results.

Clear the check box "Always Show All Icons and Notifications On the Taskbar" (this setting was preventing the Show Hidden Icons from appearing, since there were no hidden icons to show).

[jmt356]

Thank you Hans. Your suggestion worked.