Windows 10: File Explorer icon disappears from Taskbar

I just upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 yesterday and overall I've been happy with it. However, I note one strange behavior: the File Explorer icon seems to disappear sometimes from the Taskbar. I created a Desktop shortcut for File Explorer, but when I right click on it there is no option to pin it to the Taskbar. What's going on here?

:)

 

Windows 10 Taskbar Issue

I just realized (I suppose because it's new to Windows 10) that the Task View icon disappears/reappears from the Taskbar in tandem with the File Explorer icon.

 

Windows 10 Taskbar Issue

I should correct myself. Closing Microsoft Outlook 2007 (not Office) causes the File Explorer icon to reappear in the Taskbar after it has disappeared.

 

I've been living with this behavior for more than a week now. The File Explorer icon in the Taskbar intermittently disappears and reappears, seemingly without a single cause. As a workaround I created a Desktop shortcut for File Explorer, but I have not seen reports of this in any other forum. Am I the only one with this problem? And how should I go about trying to solve it? Anyone???

 

You can try to pin it from start menu as shown, just right click on "File Explorer". Since I've already had it pinned to taskbar, the option on yours would be "pin to taskbar":

 

I have some Icons on my desktop that are actually Folders (containing shortcuts). If I have any of those folders open, they replace the File Explorer icon on the task bar. Mystery solved!

 

I try to keep a very clean Desktop, so I don't have any other shortcuts that are Folders.

 

The File Explorer icon in the Start Menu indicates it is already pinned to the Taskbar even when it has disappeared. Clicking on Unpin from Taskbar and then immediately clicking on Pin to Taskbar causes it to reappear, but only temporarily. After that it periodically disappears and reappears just as before.

 

Have you tried running System File Check ? Right click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (Admin) and If you want to verify and repair the OS type sfc /scannow (note the space between sfc and "/")

If you just want to check (verify only) the OS type sfc /verifyonly

 

I'll try running SFC, although I have some legacy apps that use the old Windows XP WinHlp32.exe help file. That drives SFC batty. Microsoft can't seem to wrap its mind around that one.

 

SFC found no problems apart from the aforementioned WinHlp32.exe.

I do seem to be slightly closer to tracing a possible cause of the problem. If the File Explorer icon has disappeared from the Taskbar, closing Outlook 2007 will cause it to reappear, although it will later randomly disappear regardless of whether Outlook 2007 is open. In that case, reopening and closing Outlook 2007 will cause the icon to reappear, even if it later randomly disappears. So I have found a way to make the icon reappear, even if I can't identify what makes it disappear.

It all seems mighty strange. What is the best way to report this behavior to Microsoft?

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus#

Customer service: 1 (800) 642-7676

 

Thanks for the information.

For what it's worth, I've found another way to restore the File Explorer icon to the Taskbar: click on "Show hidden icons."

 

Two things. 1. I do not have the Show Hidden Icons option in "Properties". 2. In my case the "missing" icons appear to be hidden behind the "Search" and "Task View" icons, as switching to "Use Small Taskbar Buttons" gives a normal sized icon for "Search" and reveals all the missing icons. Shame about my cataracts.

 

Just a general observation but, on most PC's, it does not seem necessary to even show the Search Box or Icon. With the search box hidden, clicking on Start and typing automatically mounts the query box above the taskbar.