Taskbar icons blinking often

[Asasinas]

Few months ago I noticed that my taskbar icons started to blink often. This happens at random times, for example, when I surfing web. Blink happens once in 5-10 minutes. The blinking is similar to refresh, icons just quickly blink, just like when you delete files:

Often during the blink there is also spinning mouse circle icon appears for a second. When I see icons blinking, it's starting to annoy me.

Any solutions to fix it? Anyone had similar issue?

 

[Regedit32]

Hi Asasinas,

Welcome to the Forum.


The Flickering / Flashing you are describing is controlled by a couple of Registry DWORD values:

• ForegroundFlashCount > Default Value data: 7 (Decimal), 7 (Hexadecimal)
• ForegroundLockTimeout > Default Value data: 200000 (Decimal), 0x00030d40 (Hexadecimal)

These are both located at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop in the Windows Registry Editor.


Some Users have found changing their default values to zero helps. You can modify both values using an Elevated Command Prompt and executing a couple of commands:

• Press Windows key + S to give focus to your Search field
• In the Search field type command
• In the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
• Click Yes to the User Account Control prompt
• In the Administrator: Command Prompt console type or copy & paste the following command:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v ForegroundFlashCount /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Press Enter key to execute

Now type or copy & paste the following command:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v ForegroundLockTimeout /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Press Enter key to execute

Type exit then press Enter key to close the console.​

• Close any other open programs
• Restart computer for changes to take affect

Note:

To reset the values back to their default, repeat the above steps, but enter the following 2 commands instead:

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v ForegroundFlashCount /t REG_DWORD /d 7 /f

Press Enter key to execute

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v ForegroundLockTimeout /t REG_DWORD /d 200000 /f

Press Enter key to execute

Type exit then press Enter key to close console

Close any other open programs

Restart computer for changes to take affect


Regards,

Regedit32

 

[Asasinas]

Sadly this solution did not work.

 

[Ink]

Perfectly solved my problem! Thanks Regedit32. My windows is education edition, version 1703.

 

[Asasinas]

Well, I have an update for this blinking. This happens when I'm using Chrome (doesn't happen when using other browsers). I tried absolutely everything, but nothing worked.
This is how it looks:
https://streamable.com/81bee
https://streamable.com/b6wg4

I noticed that during the blink dllhost (com surrogate) appears for a second:
https://streamable.com/aznv3
https://streamable.com/fenl6
https://streamable.com/hqwzr

I already trying to fix this in past 6 months. I'm so tired of this. It's so annoying when I see taskbar icons blinking.

 

[Regedit32]

What third party applications are you using on your computer?

For example an antivirus application like McAfee, Norton, etc ...

In terms of trying to resolve this yourself, what things have you tried other than the Registry tweak I posted earlier?

 

[Asasinas]

Yes, but this solution is for completely different blinking and doesn't apply for my problem.

I already did clean windows reinstall 2 times.
This also happens in safe mode.
Tried 2 different video cards.
Blinking DOESN'T happen if I use Chrome in incognito mode.
Tried to change sync settings, both in Chrome and Windows.

I tried everything already.

I use Kaspersky Internet Security. But there is no difference if it's on or off. Blinking happens every few minutes or so while using Chrome. All drivers are updated.

 

[Regedit32]

Have you ever had a Symantec product installed on your computer?

I know they released a executable to prevent flickering, which you had to remove Norton, then run the patch, then reinstall Norton [ if you wanted to continue using Norton ].

The fact you have assemblies like dllhost trying to run seems to suggest some other application is attempting to do something. Whether that is a Store update, or something to do with Chrome or something else is the question.

 

[Asasinas]

I wonder is there are way to forbid interaction between dllhost.exe and app (in my case Chrome)?

 

[Asasinas]

Perfectly solved my problem! Thanks Regedit32. My windows is education edition, version 1703.

What kind of problem you had? Blinking? Flickering? Something else?

 

[Asasinas]

So, no one knows if there is a way to prevent app from using dllhost?

 

[Studio Sanctum]

Does anyone here have any clue why Win10 taskbar icons randomly and periodically blink/refresh? It is driving me bat s#@$ crazy!!! I have searched and searched to no avail. It has been reported time and again on Microsoft’s page as well as here and sadly the generic responses by 'mods' couldn’t be more pathetic. It’s as if when you ask a question they throw up a bunch of canned responses and don’t even really consider the issue. For no apparent reason at all the Windows 10 taskbar icons just blink/refresh randomly and periodically. Do Microsoft not see this GUI eyesore? Are other users so oblivious that they don’t see it either? If you do a Google search you will find that this has been being asked about for many years. How long does it take to fix an issue with Windows? How many years? What does it take to get Microsoft’s attention?