How to Disable Taskbar Badges Using Regedit

Taskbar badges in Windows provide visual counters and alerts directly on open app icons, indicating unread messages, emails, or pending updates. While helpful to some, these badges can be distracting and clutter your workspace. This guide provides a straightforward method to disable application notification badges across your Windows taskbar by modifying the Windows Registry.

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor

  1. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type regedit into the field and press Enter or click OK.
  3. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to grant administrator privileges.

Step 2: Navigate to the Explorer Advanced Key

In the Registry Editor, use the left sidebar to navigate to the following path, or copy and paste it directly into the address bar at the top:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Step 3: Modify or Create the TaskbarBadges Value

  1. With the Advanced folder selected on the left, look for a value named TaskbarBadges in the right-hand pane.
  2. If TaskbarBadges does not exist:
    • Right-click an empty space in the right pane.
    • Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
    • Name the new value TaskbarBadges.
  3. Double-click TaskbarBadges to edit its properties.
  4. Set the Value data to 0 to disable notification badges.
  5. Ensure the Base is set to Hexadecimal, then click OK.

(Note: To re-enable taskbar badges in the future, change this value back to 1.)

Step 4: Restart Windows Explorer

To apply the changes immediately without restarting your computer:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
  2. Under the Processes tab, locate Windows Explorer.
  3. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.

The taskbar will briefly disappear and reload, and application notification badges will now be permanently disabled.