Disable Meet Now Taskbar Icon for All Users via Regedit

The Windows “Meet Now” taskbar integration provides quick access to Skype-based video conferencing, but system administrators and users often prefer to remove it across all accounts. This guide explains how to permanently disable the Meet Now icon system-wide for all existing and new user profiles using the Windows Registry Editor (Regedit). By configuring a single machine-level policy, you can eliminate the feature without modifying individual user accounts.

Prerequisites

Administrative privileges on the Windows machine.
Windows 10 (Version 2004 or later) or Windows 11.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open the Registry Editor

Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
Type regedit and press Enter.
Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control (UAC).

2. Navigate to the Policy Key

In the Registry Editor address bar, paste the following path and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Note: If the Explorer key does not exist under Policies, right-click the Policies folder, select New > Key, and name it Explorer.

3. Create the HideSCAMeetNow DWORD Value

Right-click anywhere in the empty space on the right-hand pane.
Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name the new value exactly:
```
HideSCAMeetNow
```

4. Configure the Value Data

Double-click the newly created HideSCAMeetNow entry.
In the Value data field, change the value from 0 to 1.
Ensure the Base is set to Hexadecimal.
Click OK.

5. Apply the Changes

For the changes to take effect across all profiles, restart Windows Explorer or restart the PC:

To restart Windows Explorer:
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Locate Windows Explorer under the Processes tab.
3. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.

Alternative: Command Line Method (Single Command)

You can achieve the same result instantly using an elevated Command Prompt:

Press Windows Key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
Run the following command:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" /v "HideSCAMeetNow" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Restart the explorer.exe process or reboot the machine.

How to Re-enable Meet Now

To restore the Meet Now icon across all user profiles, open the Registry Editor, return to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer, and either delete the HideSCAMeetNow entry or set its value data back to 0.