Windows 10 is one of the most widely used operating systems in the world, and it’s used by millions of people on a daily basis. However, there are times when it may malfunction and cause issues that can be very inconvenient. For example, Windows 10 may stop showing app icons in the taskbar, making it difficult to access your frequently used applications. If you’re dealing with this issue, here are some steps to fix it.

Method 1: Restart the Windows Explorer Process

The first and easiest solution is to restart the Windows Explorer process. This process is responsible for managing the taskbar, among other things, and restarting it may resolve the issue. To do this, you need to follow these steps:
1. Right-click the taskbar and select “Task Manager.”
2. In the Task Manager window, select the “Processes” tab.
3. Find “Windows Explorer” in the list of processes and right-click it.
4. Select “Restart” from the context menu.
This will end the Windows Explorer process and then start it again, which should fix the issue.

Method 2: Check Taskbar Settings

If restarting the Windows Explorer process doesn’t work, you should try checking the taskbar settings. Sometimes, app icons may be hidden by default, and you need to enable them manually. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Right-click the taskbar and select “Taskbar settings.”
2. In the Taskbar settings window, find the “Combine taskbar buttons” option under the “Taskbar” section.
3. Make sure that this option is set to “Never.”
4. Below this option, there is a toggle for “Show app icons on the taskbar.” Turn it on.
This should enable the app icons on the taskbar, and you should be able to access your applications without any issue.

Method 3: Check that the App is Pinned to the Taskbar

If the above methods don’t work, you should check that the app is pinned to the taskbar. If it isn’t, you won’t be able to access it from the taskbar. Here’s how you can pin an app to the taskbar:
1. Find the app you want to pin in the Start menu.
2. Right-click the app and select “Pin to taskbar.”
3. The app should now appear in the taskbar, and you can access it from there.
If the app is already pinned to the taskbar, try unpinning it and then pinning it again to see if it resolves the issue.