How to Hide the Bluetooth Places Icon

Hide the standard Bluetooth icons that show on your desktop and taskbar.

More often than not, Windows laptops and desktops are being released with Bluetooth wireless included. While the capabilities that Bluetooth adds are useful, there are many users who wholly ignore them, and would prefer that the circular blue icon not clutter their desktop or taskbar. Here's how to hide both of them, and give your computer display a cleaner look.

Things You'll Need

• Windows computer XP or higher
• Bluetooth or compatible adapter

Instructions

Hide the Bluetooth Desktop Icon (Windows XP)

1. Right-click on an empty area in your desktop. Select "Properties" from the drop-down menu. Click on the second tab at the top of the window, labeled "Desktop."

2. In the "Desktop" tab, click the button in the lower half of the window labeled "Customize Desktop." Another window will appear. Make sure that the "General" tab in this window is activated. If the "Web" tab is active, click on "General."

3. In the section above the icons themselves, un-check "Bluetooth" or "My Bluetooth Places." Click "OK" to exit the "Desktop" Items window, then "OK" again to exit the "Display Properties" window. Your Bluetooth icon has now been removed from your desktop.

Hiding the Bluetooth Icon From the Task Tray

1. Right-click on an empty part of the taskbar -- the bar along the bottom, top or side of your screen where your minimized programs sit. Click "Properties."

2. Check the box next to "Hide inactive icons," if it is not checked already. Windows Vista and Windows 7 do not have this option. Click the button labeled "Customize."

3. Find the Bluetooth icon in the left column, then click on its corresponding text in the right column. A drop-down menu will appear. Choose either "always hide" or "hide when inactive." For Windows Vista and Windows 7 users, your choices are "hide icon and notifications" and "only show notifications", respectively. "Always hide" will completely remove the icon, but "hide when inactive" will allow it to alert you to new connections and maintenance messages, then hide again.

4. Click "OK" in the open window, then click "OK" in the "Taskbar Properties" window. Your Bluetooth icon will now be completely or selectively hidden, based on what you chose.

Tips & Warnings

• Windows Vista and Windows 7 treat desktop icons a little differently. For either of these, right-click on an empty portion of the desktop, select "personalize," then click "Change desktop icons" in the left column. Continue from Section 1, Step 3 to hide the Bluetooth icon. All Windows users take note: these methods work for any desktop system icons or taskbar icons you wish to hide - you can even have a completely bare desktop and taskbar if you wish.

References

• Annoyances: How to Hide the 'My Computer' icon
• Microsoft: Notification Area