Windows Taskbar Icon

[myrddin55]

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Why can't I see the Github Icon on the Windows 11 taskbar. I found a fix by restarting the windows explorer using the Task manager but its only a temporary fix. A permanent solution is required. Any ideas please?

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[KaloudasDev]

Hey @myrddin55,

That’s a great question — the disappearing taskbar icon issue in Windows 11 can be frustrating, especially if restarting Windows Explorer is only a temporary fix.

This usually happens due to how Windows handles icon caching or how certain apps register their taskbar presence. Here are a few suggestions that might lead to a more permanent fix:

1. Clear and Rebuild the Icon Cache

Corrupted icon cache is often the culprit. Here’s how to reset it:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator

2. Run these commands one by one:

   taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F
   DEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db"
   shutdown /r /f /t 00

3. This will force Windows to rebuild the icon cache after a reboot.

2. Unpin and Repin GitHub Desktop

If you're using GitHub Desktop:

• Unpin it from the taskbar
• Launch the app from Start Menu
• Once open, right-click the running icon > "Pin to taskbar" again

Sometimes the pinned shortcut gets "orphaned" when the app updates.

3. Check for Windows & GitHub Desktop Updates

Ensure you're running the latest versions of both:

• Windows 11 updates can fix taskbar behavior
• GitHub Desktop updates sometimes patch how the app registers its icon

4. Registry Tweak (Advanced)

Some users have reported success by editing this registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband

Delete the value named FavoritesResolve, then restart Explorer.

(Backup your registry before making changes.)

If the issue persists, let me know your GitHub Desktop version and Windows build — happy to help dig deeper!

Hope this helps make the fix a little more permanent 😊

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[asmusf]

I have a related issue. The icon on the task bar is as expected, but the icon in the list view of open windows is a generic one. This is very frustrating, as I will be scanning for the correct icon and not find it when looking for an open window. I don't want to try the fix proposed for the icon on the taskbar issue in case that ends up making it worse.

This situation is unchanged from first installing github desktop on windows 11.