Fix OBS Studio Not Minimizing to System Tray

If OBS Studio is not minimizing to the Windows system tray when you click the minimize button, it is usually due to a disabled setting within the application itself or Windows taskbar configurations. This article provides a quick, step-by-step guide to enabling the system tray feature in OBS Studio, ensuring the application runs quietly in the background without cluttering your taskbar.

Step 1: Enable the System Tray Setting in OBS Studio

By default, OBS Studio may not have the system tray option activated. Follow these steps to turn it on:

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Click on File in the top-left menu and select Settings, or click the Settings button in the Controls dock on the bottom right.
  3. In the Settings window, ensure you are on the General tab.
  4. Scroll down to the section labeled System Tray.
  5. Check the box next to Enable.
  6. To ensure it minimizes to the tray instead of the taskbar, check the box next to Always minimize to system tray instead of taskbar.
  7. (Optional) You can also check Minimize to system tray when started if you want OBS to open directly in the background.
  8. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.

Step 2: Check the Windows Hidden Icons Menu

If you have enabled the setting in OBS but still do not see the icon when minimized, Windows might be hiding the icon in the overflow menu.

  1. Click the carrot/arrow icon (▲) on the right side of your Windows taskbar (near the clock).
  2. Look for the OBS Studio icon in the pop-up menu.
  3. If you find it, drag and drop the OBS icon directly onto your main taskbar so it remains permanently visible.

Step 3: Adjust Windows Taskbar Corner Overflow Settings

If the icon is completely missing, Windows may have disabled notifications for the app.

  1. Open the Windows Settings app (press Windows Key + I).
  2. Go to Personalization and then select Taskbar.
  3. On Windows 10, click Select which icons appear on the taskbar. On Windows 11, expand the Other system tray icons menu.
  4. Find OBS Studio in the list and toggle the switch to On.

Once these steps are completed, clicking the minimize button on the OBS Studio window will successfully send the application to your Windows system tray.