Minimize Windows Live Messenger to tray in Windows 7

Minimize Windows Live Messenger to tray in Windows 7

Posted by nasal in WLM on Saturday, February 21, 2009 | 21 responses | 11,956 views

If you are using Windows 7 and WLM (it comes with the Windows Live Essentials 2009) and you are reading this, it means that the fact that Messenger minimizes only to the taskbar instead of going into the traybar is bugging you.

There is a very simple trick to overcome this stupid thing. Follow these simple instrunctions.

1. Quit WLM (right click -> close)
2. Find WLM in the start menu (All programs – Windows Live – Windows Live Messenger)
3. Right click on it and click on Properties
4. Go to the compatibility tab
5. Click on “Run this program in compatibility mode for:”
6. Select Windows Vista
7. Click on Ok and start WLM.

It should now normally minimize to the tray.

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21 Comments »

  1. Duffman Says:

    Works great. Thanks.

  2. toz Says:

    thanks has been bugging the hell out of me why it would not minimize to tray

  3. rene Says:

    thanx a bunch!!
    its weird, the open window has to be closed…
    but it’s not a problem cause it still stays open in the tray.
    again: thank you so much!!

  4. kristjan Says:

    Hey m8, gr8 work :D

  5. Rob Says:

    Cheers, this really got on my nerves

  6. Vit0 Says:

    Thank you, it worked!

  7. Rich Says:

    Thanks, working like a charm. Should have thought of that myself, D’oh!

  8. B Q Says:

    Thanks! works like a charm.

  9. n2k Says:

    Nice trick, thanks the info!

  10. awaiK Says:

    Hi and thanks for this great workaround.

    Is this a bug or a feature of WLM?

  11. Edwin Says:

    You would think Microsoft makes it own programs compatible with windows 7.
    BUT even that is to much to ask for Microsoft.

    Tnx for the workaround.

  12. Felipe L.B. Says:

    Thanks. It works great.

  13. Manchine Says:

    Thank you very much, super annoying.

  14. WOW !!! Says:

    Thanks it WORKS!!

  15. w00t Says:

    Thanks man! Good job!

  16. Phillip Says:

    thanks A LOT! it was pissing the hell outta me, god job man.

  17. Q Says:

    Simple solution and it works like a charm!.. You rock!

    P.S. I can’t believe they didn’t consider having an option for WLM to minimize to tray for people that use Win7 in a particular way.

  18. Jonatan Says:

    Thanks man. been going crazy for a few weeks now :)

  19. emiko Says:

    thank you sooo much. This has been really bothering me since I upgraded this past week.

  20. SAti Says:

    there is a better way, then set it to compatible mode, there needs to be an entry in the regestry in Win 7 then it jumps into tray , I just can’t find the right link to it, running in compatible mode is not a nice way IMHO

  21. nasal Says:

    I don’t think that modifying the registry is a better solution than running the program in compatibility mode.. for an average user at least. I am running it in compatibility mode since the first Win7 betas came out and I never had any problem with it, so it would seem that there’s nothing wrong with it.

    Anyway, I think that apatch had a feature that edited the registry as you said and made Messenger minimize to tray (it may have been another patch, I don’t remember).

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