Windows 10: Can't right-click taskbar icons or left-click notification area icons

I have a Surface Laptop 1st gen. Backstory: my keyboard and touchpad stopped working, and to fix that I had to install the driver/firmware package provided by Microsoft for the Surface laptop. Now my keyboard and touchpad work, but I'm having this other strange problem.


I can't right-click on any icons in my taskbar - nothing comes up when I do. I can right-click literally anywhere else and get the correct menu options. I also can't left-click any icons in the notification area, though again I can left-click anywhere else.


Things I've tried:


Installing all pending updates.

Rolling back recently installed updates.

Reinstalling drivers for my graphics card.

Using an external mouse.

Running sfc and DISM.

Restarting the Windows Explorer process.

Ran the powershell command: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Logging in as a different user.

Creating a new user account.


I've read every other Microsoft Answers thread I could find about similar issues, but so far nothing has worked. Help me, Microsoft Answers, you're my only hope.

:)

 

Taskbar icons

Hi,

To address your concern, follow the steps below on how to show hidden icons on the taskbar.

• Open Settings, and click on the Personalization
  icon.
• Click on Taskbar on the left side, and click on the
  Select which icons appear on the taskbar link under the Notification area section on the right.
• Turn on Always show all icons in the notification area at the top

Let us know how it goes.

 

System Icons in Taskbar Bouncing Left and Right?

Hi Rob002,

There might be an application running on and off in the system's background that's why taskbar icons are rearranging from time to time. May we know the result after you perform a clean boot? Also may we ask for a screenshot of your taskbar.

In the meantime, can you try to toggle on Always show all icons in the notification area option in Windows settings. Kindly follow these steps:

1. On your keyboard, press Windows + I.
2. Choose Personalization.
3. Click Taskbar.
4. Under Notification area, press Select which icons will appear on the taskbar.
5. Toggle on Always show all icons in the notification area.

After performing the steps above, check if issue persists.

Keep us posted.

 

Missing Notification area Icon in Windows 10 control Panel

thanks , but you did not understand the problem.

I have since found the solution wlsewhere:

To add a hidden icon to the notification area

• 
  Click the arrow next to the notification area, and then drag the icon you want to move to the notification area. You can drag as many hidden icons to the notification area as you want.
  

To
always show all icons on the taskbar

• 
  Right-click an empty area on the taskbar, and then click Properties.
  
• 
  Under Notification area, click Customize.
  
• 
  Select the Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar check box, and then click
  OK.