There is no user of the Windows operating system who has not at least once de alt with problems related to sound and sound equipment. Most often, problems arise due to incorrectly installed sound card drivers or their conflict with various programs. Various malfunctions in the operation of the operating system or virus infection may also be involved in breakdowns associated with sound.
One of the annoying problems can be the disappearance of the volume control icon from the system tray. It gives you instant access to a variety of sound options, but perhaps the most important feature for the user is quick access to adjusting the volume of speakers or headphones, as well as viewing applications that are playing sound.
There are several ways to return the volume icon to the Windows 7 taskbar, below you can see in detailread them.

Method one: looking in hidden icons
If you can't find the volume icon in the system tray, check if it's in hidden icons. You will need to right-click on the clock in the lower right corner, and then left-click on the “Set notification icons” item. A window will open with a list of all icons that can be displayed in the taskbar, in which, opposite the “Volume” item, you need to click on the line “Show icon and notifications” in the drop-down menu. This method is the simplest, and the following will help you figure out how to return the volume icon to the taskbar in more detail.

Second method: restart "Explorer"
Most often, the disappearance of the volume control icon is due to a banal glitch of the operating system, and in this case a simple restart of Windows can help. However, in this case, restarting the File Explorer application may be sufficient. To do this, you need to go to the task manager using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc or using the context menu called by right-clicking on an empty area of \u200b\u200bthe taskbar. In the manager window that opens, go to the "Processes" tab and close explorer.exe. Then, on the "Applications" tab, you need to launch a new task by clicking on the appropriate button and manually entering the name of the process with the extension. Confirm the actionby clicking on the "OK" button.

Third method: reset icon settings
Another answer to the question of how to return the volume icon to the taskbar can be to reset the icon settings in the notification bar. It is necessary again, as in the first method, to go to the properties of system icons and now select the item "Restore default icon behavior". However, this method rarely helps.
Fourth method: working with the local group policy editor
This method is related to the local group policy editor. In the search field of the Start menu, you need to find and execute the gpedit.msc command, and then go to "User Configuration". Here, after selecting "Administrative Templates", you need to go to the item "Start Menu and Taskbar" and find the element "Hide volume control icon" in it. Having opened the last item, you must click the "Disable" radio button and apply the changes made. A restart of the operating system will be required to apply the changes.

Fifth method: edit the Windows registry
Based on editing a specific registry branch. The regedit.exe command typed in the search field will help you launch the editor. Next, you need to go to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch and follow the path: Software\Classes\LocalSettings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\TrayNotify. By opening the notification item in the system tray, we will learn how to return the volume icon to the taskbar. It is only necessarydelete two registry entries: IconStreams, PastIconsStream and then restart the explorer process.

In the event that all the previous methods did not have the desired effect and the question of how to return the volume icon to the taskbar is still not resolved, it is recommended to use the Microsoft software application called Fix It. This solution helps to cope with many problems that arise during the operation of Windows, including the above problem.

True, judging by user reviews, the positive effect of using this application can not always be achieved, but this method has the right to life. In addition, at least one of the previous methods should solve the problem. If not, you can try reinstalling the audio hardware driver.