HIdden Icons sub menu

[Dmagoo22]

When I open up the hidden icons (show hidden icons on taskbar) the sub menu flickers on and off. What can I do to fix this? I just purchased this laptop. I will be out of town for the next week. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Alden4 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dmagoo22,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

The flickering issue with the hidden icons menu on the taskbar could be caused by a variety of factors, such as software glitches, driver issues, or conflicts with background processes. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem.

Restart Explorer.exe

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Find Windows Explorer in the list of processes.
3. Right-click on it and select Restart.
4. Check if the issue is resolved.

Update Graphics Drivers

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Display Adapters.
3. Right-click your graphics driver and choose Update Driver.
4. Select Search automatically for drivers.
5. If no updates are found, visit the laptop or GPU manufacturer's website to download the latest drivers manually.

Adjust Taskbar Settings

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
2. Scroll down to Taskbar behaviors.
3. Disable unnecessary options, such as Automatically hide the taskbar.
4. Check if the flickering persists.

Run System Maintenance Tools

• Run SFC and DISM Commands to fix system file issues:
  1. Open the Command Prompt as Administrator:
     • Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt, and choose Run as Administrator.
  2. Run the following commands one by one:

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
 

1. Restart your computer after the scans complete.

Check for Third-Party Software Conflicts

1. Boot into Safe Mode:
   • Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
   • Under the Boot tab, check Safe Boot and restart.
2. Check if the issue persists in Safe Mode.
   • If it doesn’t, a third-party app or service might be causing the issue.
3. Use Task Manager or MSConfig to disable startup items and services, enabling them one by one to identify the culprit.

[Alden4]

Update Windows

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update and click Check for Updates.
3. Install any pending updates and restart your system.

Perform a Clean Boot

1. Open System Configuration (Win + R, type msconfig).
2. In the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
3. In the Startup tab, click Open Task Manager and disable all startup items.
4. Restart the system and test the issue.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support