How to minimize MSN Messenger to the system tray in Windows 7
The inability to minimize MSN Messenger into the system tray in Windows 7 is a nuisance for a many users. By running MSN in compatibility mode and selecting Windows Vista, MSN will no longer remain in the taskbar and will minimize into the system tray instead.
If you’ve applied the Windows 7 Beta watermark patch, this tutorial may not work for you.
How-to:
1) Go to your MSN folder. It’s usually located at: C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger
2) Right click msnmsgr.exe and select Properties
3) Select the Compatibility tab at the top.
4) Check Run this program in compatibility mode for: and select Windows Vista from the drop-down menu
5) Click Apply, then OK, and you’re finished
You’ll need to completely close MSN Messenger and re-open it for changes to take place.
Related posts:
Tags: msn system tray, windows 7, windows 7 msn, Windows 7 Tutorials
To discuss this topic, head on over to our forums!
167 Responses to “How to minimize MSN Messenger to the system tray in Windows 7”
Leave a Reply
To discuss this topic, head on over to our forums!
Loading ...
thanks for the tip
Thank you. Been driving me crazy on how to do this.
as posted on many other win7 sites, this doens’t work, at least not 100%. for me i get an error – application failed to initialize (0xc0000005)
nobody has figured out why
anyone here know why or how to fix?
matt
I have the same problem but I am on build 7022. My friends on build 7000 can use this tweak no problem
for fun i just upgraded from b 7000 to b 7022 and did nothing but change compatability on msn and it worked. my guess is using the blue badge patch to activate and or some of the other things it can do perhaps causes some issues. i’ll find out once i reapply the blue badge patch to activate and then i’ll know i guess
ya i applied the watermark patch which is known to cause some user stability issues. for example some of my items disappeared from the system tray. please update us on what happens
This worked for me, and it SHOULD work for you. I’m using build 7022.
Cool, it works like a charm. Thanks.
tengo una gran duda, tengo el win 7 pero no tengo idea donde ver que version tengo? (lo del msn me funciono sin problema muchas gracias…)
quiero aclarar que a mi no me sale ese dato en el escritorio (cerca del reloj) porque active el win… y no use ningun parche
Worked like a charm on 7068 and glad it did, that was really annoying.
A dica foi ‘maaaaaaaaaaraaa’ kkkk
vlw
This worked great for me. If you get an error when trying to run a program in compatibility mode then you’ve run the patch to get rid of the watermark. This patch edits a file in such a way that DOES NOT allow Windows 7 to run programs in compatibility mode, thus the error you get.
Thank you very much
Thanks , it works
Thank you, Worked like a charm
Great. Thanks.
It worked just finde here =) Thanks a lot.
PS. are running build 7100
muchas gracias =) saludos desde Chile
funcionou certinho…Valeu Amigo parabens.
That was annoying the heck out of me on RC1, where I actually had 2 taskbar instances of Messenger, and this worked like a charm.
Thank you very much for this, worked perfectly on build 7100 (RC)
THank you ,,, it worked 4 me …
thank you v much
.,.,.
Thanksssss!
It just works , even with the removal of the watermark.
You can also “Customize” other programs too.
Select “Show icon and notifications” and there you go.Its visible again in system tray.
did it.. and now the msn wont start.
It says gathering information and thats it, changin compability mode back to old doesnt help either. I’m using RC1.
Thanksssss!
That was annoying!! Thanks for posting the fix for this. It ran through a quick setup when I started msnmsgr.exe up after setting the compatibility to “Windows Vista” and now it’s back on the task bar. FINALLY!!
Oh thank god
I thought there might be an option in the app itself but there wasn’t..
Thanks heaps!
Finally have the damn thing in the sys tray where it belongs lol.
I love you.
Thanks so much.
Its work for me. I have build 7100
Wow it really worked, thanks a lot
Thank you
nice thanks!
Just tested on the RTM from MSDN, all works fine.
Woah man! Thank you! This is sweet!
Thank you. Worked just fine. Sweeeeeeet.
Thanks!!!
I don’t know why f-word MS decided this for me, but it annoyed the f-word s-word out of me… How the f-word dare they do this kind of s-word every f-word they release another version!!?
I almost go bananas when I help ppl. with their PC’s and they have the standard skins (Themes-R-Us) and the standard for every f-word setting is either hidden or clumpsy and fat f-word icons.
Even when installing the server-versions of every OS it HAS TO BE BIG, FAT, HIDDEN and god damn annoying… FFS!!?!
No wonder most users (N0obZ) are slugheads and don’t know what a .EXE is… Bahhh…
Thanks by the way…
Works a charm, I selected Vista SP2, I have final build. There is still a lot of things that need ironing out in windows 7 to get it how I like it.. how we properly all want it. MS must have some right noobs working for them.
Thanks!
AWESOME
thanx a lot !
Thank was really helpful!
AWESOME man..
very thanks
Awesome, thanks for the tip. It was indeed annoying wasting taskbar space for a program that should run in the background until needed.
thanks a lot worked for me …
works tnks
build 7600 awesome, it works. thanks.
F****** brilliant!!
Thanks for the tip. Worked like a charm. You rock.
Work without a prob thx for sharing, win 7 RTM
[...] screen-shots have a look here. Subscribe to the comments for this post?Share this on FacebookAdd this to Google BookmarksStumble [...]
Thanks! Hated it, that it has several instances in the taskbar.
[...] Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door FLT Het enige wat mij blijft ergeren is dat MSN 2 vensters heeft op de taakbalk, en nee ik wil mijn vensters niet groeperen Je kan MSN gewoon in de system tray zetten zoals bij de vorige Windows-versies, veel beter imo -> How to minimize MSN Messenger to the system tray in Windows 7 | Windows 7 Center [...]
Confirmed working on Win 7 Pro. There shouldnt be any issues with all full version editions.
hi
mobile:+9647504633334
Thanksss!! it worked
thx, messenger is back into the tray, where it belongs!
It Works
Halleluiah
Works on Home Premium RTM Ta
Thanks a lot,
Now i can juat have MSN running without cluttering my taskbar up
MK
Thank you!!!
worked on windows 7 64bit perfectly.
thanks
Worked perfectly. Thanks!
Thanks for that, was driving me up the wall! For ref that’s it working on Win7 Pro 64 bit retail.
You can also click on the little arrow next to the notification area, then click on customize.
Select MSN Messenegr and change the default behaviour to “show icon and notifications”
This works for all applications.
Cheers
Luke
what little arroe? where do i find it?
nvm i got it, but it’s still on taskbar how do i get rid of it from the taskbar… not piisnned to it or anything and properties have been set to run on compatibility mode
Thanks!
Works fine
Cheers, worked great.
Thanks….:-)
it does not work for me, its still on tray…what else can i do
I kinda did the same thing …. Used xp sp3 as the compatibility though and works good now…
thanks heaps!!!
works great!!!
thanks it works =)
Thank you! Very useful tip!
Wow, thanks. This was one of the major nuisances for me. It’s so good of you to post the solution.
Ugh, thanks so much! Another brainfart on Microsoft’s side…
great!! thanks alot.. this help alot.. just now was abit upset
Works for me
Danke sehtr
Danke Sehr
this is realy working thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Hey Thank you worked and Im soooo glad!! xxx
it works! tnx
Thanks alot, it is working for me.
Thank you so much! It worked just fine
)
THANKS for this tweak!!!
Very nice – it was pissing me off to no end!
[...] [...]
dude save me from going back to XP
Thx man, you saved me one heavy discussion with my mom to get vista back, I couldn’t stand the MSN thing in my taskbar, but it worked!
Thx =D
That was stupidly simple, thanks!
Thank you ever so much.
Being new to Windows 7, I wondered at first if I could ever get MSN minimized there again.
Thanks.
*****
Works great! thank you =)
Hey guys you seemed to be obsessed with moving the icon from the task bar to the tray, that is the least of my problems i cant get Msn messenger to open. Id’d love to have both icons showing. Can You help I’ve tried everything ex: unplugging router , resetting it and removing all but one messenger( which won’t go) from the task manager/applications. re-downloaded windows live. It keeps teling me I alrady have messenger. Help, Help, Help Thanks
Thanks
I kinda like Love you 
Helped 
;*
hvala brate car si i am from serbia tnx
YES! ITS OVER! THE TEDIOUS DAYS OF MSN IN TASK BAR. I CAN LIVE FREELY NOW. THANK YOU.
works great on windows 7 x64
working great
thank you
tnx windows 7 ultimate 64x build 7600
works
Thank u very much
THANK YOU!
This was driving me crazy.
LIFESAVER!
Thanks dude!!
I concur with Jessica, was soooo annoying!
Kewl site, let me check what else i can play around with.
Tengo un problema en el msm, yo recibo los noe menajes,pero al querer contestar y dar al enviar no me deja enviar nada,si alguien me puede ayudar lo agradecedia.
Great tip. Thanks!
Thanks man! I’ve been looking for a way to do this for so long!
Workss like a charm! congrats
Thanks!!!
Wicked , This works in the full Windows 7 Version not only the beta ! Cheers!
HALELUYA!!! Another soul is saved!!!
good
for turkish
http://virtualsecrets.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/windows-live-messenger-ve-windows-7/
[...] screen-shots have a look here.AKPC_IDS += "131,"; Tags: Microsoft, Windows Messenger Share this [...]
yeah thank u so much… thats awesome!!!! it works perfectly
Works great. Thanks.
Awesome, it works (I use Vista SP2-mode)… Thanks!
windows 7 is so annoying it sucks how users have to go out of there way to change this little annoying thing what ever happened to the minimalistic windows everyone knows and loves?
Wow it works. I honestly would’ve been really pissed if there wasn’t a way to do this. I kinda try to get everything back to the way it was in Vista and XP in terms of layout.
@Syraph – me too! Have given up on the new taskbar layout and gone back to quicklaunch – much much better. This thread MUCH appreciated – worked for me first time.
Seeeeeee! Gracias, al fin lo pude sacar de el menú
Graciela.
thx
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!!!!It works!
It’s a life-savior! The default behavior of MSN wast REALLY annoying! I hope to solve the same problem with Skype.
Although I like Win7, this new taskbar and the fact that the users are forced to use it, is really dumb. Would it hurt anybody to give users a choice between Win7 and Vista/XP taskbar?
good article and post thanks..
THANK U !
IT WORKS
GRACIAS FUNCIONÓ.
thanks! perfect!
Tnx helped me out ,it was driving me crazy since i installed it
Thank you for the handy tip! It works like a charm..
Thx !! Working!!
Now the Skype 4.2 needs it too…
this link will help you in doing that:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2010/01/23/how-to-minimize-skype-to-windows-7-system-tray-notification-area/
it worked
Thanks
thanks for trick!
Great. Thanks.
Works great.
congratz…. nice tip
thanx man thought it wldnt work but it did thanx again
That was the ultra fast tech support in my internet surfing history.
Thanks
!!
Thanks alot!
lolpr0h4x thanks man u rock!! thanks!!!!!!!
I am in love with you. You are a GOD!!!
Thanks so much!
what a relief, thank you sooo much!!
So setting up the comp mode to vista didnt work, so i set it to XP and it worked fine.
One of the best tips I’ve seen in a while…
YOU FORGET TO SAY “THEN RESTART!!”
Thanks a lot!!!
Worked just fine; no re-boot or anyhting
Μπράβο! Σ’ ευχαριστώ!
Whether is an french or italian wedding, we always pay attention to all details
Thanks man!
Thank you. This is very helpful.
awesome! great to have finally got rid of it!
Oh thank god for this walk-through! It’s been bugging me for a while!
Worked perfectly, first time…no problems. Thank you.
Works prefectly
GREAT, thnx!!
THANKS A MILLION!
Im from Brazil and not speak so much in english but this site is the best. I dont found another site like this and its help me
Thanks work great for me
Did not work, still have the damn bar down there. I want my XP back -_- (I liked windows becaus it DIDENT look like a mac)
Ohhhh my god, this had been driving me absolutely insane. I am constantly multi tasking and often have a LOT open. The last thing I needed was this unessecary MSN window in my task bar!
Now if I can figure out how to stop the windows from automatically popping up beside similar ones… I liked it better when they appeared according to the time it was open… if you know what I mean.
Nice Tip Thanks
thanks alot man! it worked perfectly!
awesome fix… worked like a charm…