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Remove QuickTime Icon From System Tray

It drives me crazy when applications install themselves into the system tray without giving me a choice during setup. QuickTime has no good reason to be in the system tray, but it’s there anyway after you install iTunes.

To remove it, all you have to do is right-click on the icon in the system tray, and choose “Quicktime Preferences” from the menu.

Click on the Advanced tab. 

Near the bottom, uncheck the checkbox for “Install QuickTime icon in system tray”

If you are using Windows Vista, you will get this message when you close the dialog window.

Just click the “This control panel works correctly” button, and the icon should be gone forever.

The Geek is the founder of How-To Geek and a geek enthusiast. This article was written on 04/28/07 and tagged with: Vista Tips & Tweaks, Windows, Windows Vista

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Comments (18)

  1. Chris R.

    I can’t tell you how many times I have done this for other people.

    Apple should have made it a lot easier for the average person to remove the icon.

  2. The Geek

    Chris,

    Same here… that’s what inspired this article. =)

  3. Ronny Fenrich

    That is in fact one of the few things I really hate Apple for, even though I normally love the company.
    After every Quicktime/iTunes update the icon reappears and the user has to repeat the steps you described.

    Sad story. Especially because the icon does not provide any useful function for the user.

  4. Digitarius

    Why bother?
    Uninstalle Quicktime. Install Quicktime Alternative. iTunes and everything else can’t tell the difference, and frankly it seems to run more stable.

  5. Wayne London

    I have Vista. My “Quick Time Preference” selection is inactive (not highlighted) and useless. I don’t even have ITunes – whatever that is, but the icon just magically appeared. Is there another remedy? I want it gone along with the URGE nonsense that shouldn’t be there; it’s disabled; but that’s another story. If you can help me, a big thank you in advance. From a disgruntled Vista owner.

  6. Wayne London

    Thanks for publishing my previous query. Now I need help with HISTORY. It is set to “0 days to keep pages in history” but still shows. Is there a remedy? Thanks.

  7. Pete Burke

    New issue with Quicktime – Quick Time Preferenceâ€? selection is inactive (not highlighted) and useless – When I open MSCONFIG and uncheck the qtask selections and then set for normal boot Apple’s virus re-installs itself. Do you have any suggestions as to how to remove it?

    This is the attitude that makes it clear why Apple is for children and PC’s have 90% of the world computer market. How much more irresponsible can Apple be?

  8. The Geek

    You should be able to remove it from the startup in the registry, I assume.

    Apple’s software for Windows may not be stellar, but their own products are quite good.

  9. Wayne London

    To Pete’s MSCONFIG experience – Did the same and had success. Now I have the big balloon banner “Windows has blocked a startup program” in my face every startup and various other times. I’m going back to the tiny QuickTime icon! Now can some one please tell me how to access my Hotmail?
    Don’t like Hotmail (my current Email is much better – no ads of any kind) but I just have to know why I can’t get it on my Vista. Thanks, Wayne

  10. Anonymous Geek

    Apple’s quicktime for windows is decidedly less stable than the free Quicktime alternative. That and the alternative doesn’t repeatedly force itself into the startup and system tray. Apple appears to have deliberately made the software unstable to make windows look bad. Just say no.

  11. Cheryl

    I never had Quicktime or ITunes and I hav a new HP with Vista. Quicktime icon is in my startup and I can not get it off.

  12. Sherry Lefler

    I have Vista & had to uninstall Quick Time. No big loss!

  13. Sanit

    Is there a way of removing it from the system tray via a command line??

  14. Leigh

    Have used your how to be before to remove QuickTime, but it has crept back in there. Now when I right click all options are greyed out except Exit and QuickTime Web Site.

    Running Windows XP

    Any solutions gretafully received.

  15. Kell Brigan

    Thank you thank you thank you thank you.

  16. Mary

    In trying to follow the instructions to remove QuickTime icon,when I right click on the icon,then on preferences the screen shown in the example is not what comes up on my computer.I have no tabs; only a screen showing QuickTime settings with a rolling screen showing copyrights such as QDesign and Qualcom and many more. What can I try now to get rid of this annoying icon?

  17. Qumad

    Mary.
    I had the same problem as You, my screen does noe have any tabs, but a dorpdown menu. From this choose [Browser-plugin] uncheck the checkbox infront of “QuickTime system tray icon” at the bottom.

  18. Mike Smith

    i have 5.0.2 and there is no advanced setting to uncheck the icon in taskbar option. thx for tips to remove icon from taskbar.


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