New “Windows Update Status Icon” added in Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803) taskbar notification area or system tray if there are some notifications or alerts available from Windows Update (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update).
Windows Update Status Icon
The Windows Update Status Icon is containing an exclamation mark indicating a warning or alert. If you click on the Windows Update Status Icon, it opens Windows Update page in the Settings app.
“Hide for now” option in context menu (right-click menu) of Windows Update Status Icon
Step 1: Right-click on Windows Update Status Icon to open context menu.
Step 2: Click Hide for now option.
Hide for now option for Windows Update Status Icon
Additional note: Sometimes the Windows Update Status Icon appears again after restart or after few weeks when Windows 10 checks for newly available updates again. To completely get rid of the Windows Update Status Icon, follow the below steps to permanently disable and remove Windows Update Status Icon from Windows 10 Taskbar notification area via registry key.
Toggle off Windows Update Status Icon at Taskbar Personalization
Step 1: Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar at left panel.
Step 2: Click on the Select which icons appear on the taskbar link under the Notification area on the right panel.
Personalization settings for Taskbar
Step 3: Toggle OFF Always show all icons in the notification area.
Toggle OFF Always show all icons in the notification area
Step 4: Toggle OFF Windows Update Status.
Step 5: Close settings.
Registry key to permanently disable and remove Windows Update Status Icon showing in Windows 10 taskbar notification area
Step 1: Sign-in Windows 10 as a user with administrator right.
Step 2: 1. To open Registry Editor, press WIN + R keys together to launch RUN dialog box then type regedit in RUN and press Enter.
Step 3: Go to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings
Step 4: In right-side pane, right-click and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value option. Set a new DWORD name as TrayIconVisibility and keep its value as 0.
Set TrayIconVisibility to 0 to disable Windows Update Status Icon
Step 5: Restart the computer to apply changes.
Alex Lim
Alex Lim is a certified IT Technical Support Architect with over 15 years of experience in designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex IT systems and networks. He has worked for leading IT companies, such as Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco, providing technical support and solutions to clients across various industries and sectors. Alex has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and a master’s degree in information security from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the author of several best-selling books on IT technical support, such as The IT Technical Support Handbook and Troubleshooting IT Systems and Networks. Alex lives in Bandar, Johore, Malaysia with his wife and two chilrdren. You can reach him at [email protected] or follow him on Website | Twitter | Facebook
