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ThioJoe
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 3, 2025

On Windows, Creative Cloud Desktop system tray icon not re-created on Explorer restart

  • July 3, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 285 views

I noticed that whenever Windows Explorer restarts for any reason, the system tray for Creative Cloud Desktop disappears, despite the program still running.

 

The root cause is that Windows by default doesn't re-add system tray icons when it re-creates the taskbar (which can happen if Explorer itself restarts, and I believe also upon certain system settings changes, shell extension installations, etc.)

 

Rather, the app itself has to listen for the "TaskbarCreated" Window Message as described in this Microsoft article:

"the Shell notifies applications that the taskbar has been created. When the taskbar is created, it registers a message with the TaskbarCreated string and then broadcasts this message to all top-level windows. When your taskbar application receives this message, it should assume that any taskbar icons it added have been removed and add them again."

There's an example on that page, and the process is also descirbed in this blog post, but basically you have to use the RegisterWindowMessage method which will give you the ID of that Window Message to listen for, then if you receive it you add it again. 

 

It's not a huge problem but could incorrectly cause people to think Creative Cloud had crashed, and that's the reason the icon isn't there.

 

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System Info:

Windows 11 24H2, Build 26100.4351

Creative Cloud Desktop app version 6.7.0.278

 

 

Here's an example of how to reproduce by force restarting Explorer yourself.

 

1. Initial Condition: See tray icon with Creative Cloud Desktop running at the same time (behind the flyout menu)

 

 

2. Restart Explorer

 

 

3. The icon is gone, despite it still running.

 

2 replies

Tarun Saini
Community Manager
Community Manager
July 7, 2025

Thanks for your patience @ThioJoe ,

 

I'd like to inform you that our product team is now working on it, and once we have an update, we will keep you posted.

 

Regards,

Tarun

Tarun Saini
Community Manager
Community Manager
July 4, 2025

Hi @ThioJoe,

 

Thanks for reaching out! Thank you for reaching out and sharing this detailed insight — we really appreciate the level of clarity and technical background you've provided.

 

I've shared this information with our product team. I'll keep you posted once I hear anything from the team.

 

Regards,

Tarun