The latest Windows 10 2004, 20H2, and 21H1 preview update is causing display issues and glitches on the taskbar's system tray.
Last week, Microsoft released the optional Window 10 KB5003214 preview update so that users and the enterprise can test the fixes coming in the mandatory June 2021 Patch Tuesday updates.
This update also enables the new Windows 10 News and Interests taskbar news feed for all users of Windows 10 2004 and later.
Since installing this update, numerous users report that the system tray in the Windows 10 taskbar began having display glitches where tray icons disappear, get pushed to the right, overlay each other, or get pushed off the edge of the screen.
"I'm experiencing an issue that I've traced to the new "News and interests" taskbar feature. I got this feature recently - within the last few weeks, I don't recall exactly because I shut it off immediately - and things were fine," a user posted on Reddit.
"But after a few updates yesterday (21H1, KB5003214, KB5003254), the notification area in the far right edge of the taskbar began behaving strangely."
An example of these display glitches is shown below, where you can see the system tray icons all overlaying each other in a mess.
Source: Reddit
After users experimented with different settings, it was determined that the bug is caused by disabling the News and Interests widget on the taskbar.
Once disabled and a new system tray icon is shown, it triggers the glitch. Once you enable the News and Interests widget again on the taskbar, the icons begin to display correctly.
Windows 10 users affected by this bug found that it could be fixed by uninstalling the KB5003214 preview update, but unless Microsoft fixes the issue before June 8th's Patch Tuesday, all users will be faced with this issue.
H/T WindowsLatest
Comments
Hammerfest - 2 years ago
Does this occur if you use show all icons?
I hate hiding tray icons considering how much malware uses it (I notice my taskbar, if a new icon is there im gonna find out what it is)
kodo - 2 years ago
My custom date set in, Control Panel > Region > Formats > Additional settings ... > Date, will not show until I add enough spaces to my custom time, so that its length is equal, (or greater), to my custom date now shown below it.
RepairGuyT - 2 years ago
I have been reviewing this problem...
It does not affect the task bar if you move it to left side or right side. It only affects the taskbar in the horizontal positions (Top, or Bottom of screen). Also, I removed the update listed above and the next windows update did the exact same thing.
The update that re-caused the problem was "2021-06 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5004476)". It appears that subsequent updates for windows 10 will continue to cause the issue, so not sure at this point what the resolution is other than to move taskbar to left or right on screen, or remove the update again. Removing updates is not the answer because we will eventually need those updates at some point in the future.
Just turning off the news feed did not work in my case. The bar still became scrambled.
Also, does anyone have an insight with Microsoft? Can anyone let us know if Microsoft is looking into fixing this issue?
Riff7 - 2 years ago
I have been wrestling with exactly these symptoms for about 1 week. Indeed, only vertical displays of the taskbar behaved.
I suspected a recent addition to the icon list was the culprit. (ie BootRacer). No cure.
Then thinking the taskbar system was corrupt I did an SFC /scannow and even a DISM.
The overlapping mish-mash of icons persisted.
I ran a special text sequence for the PowerShell and another for CMD to reset the whole taskbar system on reboot (found online).
The overlapping mish-mash of icons persisted.
Today I was looking into resetting Windows 10 and the nightmare of reinstalling countless programs - some without relevant serial numbers.
THEN I TRIED 1 MORE GOOGLE SEARCH and found this (and only this) page informing me about my exact taskbar problems.
I have re-enabled the newsfeed & interests icon and (crossed fingers) the taskbar will behave again.
How a giant of software (Microsoft) can issue updates and new taskbar features that cause such a disaster to the taskbar is beyond me - and just how many affected users have re-installed Windows ??
kodo - 2 years ago
Microsoft Windows has RESOLVED the Custom Date issue I had. I am now able to set my Custom date and Time with normal formatting.