I typically use the default windows taskbars because they work better with windows virtual desktops. Today I installed the KB5003214 update for windows, and immediately after that the taskbar on the primary monitor started behaving poorly while DisplayFusion is running. When launching certain types of programs, or using my hotkeys to switch between monitor profiles, the icons in the notification area of the taskbar will disappear altogether. Sometimes, after disappearing, they will reappear in multiple overlapping layers, which clears when dragging the mouse cursor over them.

This was not happening in the prior version (20H2).

Attached are a short video showing 4 instances of it happening, and a screenshot of the overlapping icons.

Editing my first post, after going through and uninstalling the updates from today, it appears the specific update that is causing the issue is actually update KB5003214.

I have the exact same problem. Plus the Cortana search box tends to turn white or just get corrupted with other icons.

It is not enabled. However, reading another thread about this issue, I can "fix" the issue by enabling the "News and interests" icon.

I just reinstalled KB5003214 to test the New & Interests option. I normally have this disabled.

After installing the update, the described issue came back. Another thing I neglected to mention in my initial post is that while this issue is "active", there is also a noticeable delay when closing the application window for windows explorer, task manager, and the like.

After turning the News & Interests option on for icon only, the issue stopped occurring. I then turned the option off, and the issue was still not occurring. Keeping the News option off, I rebooted my machine, and the issue came back, then went away after re-enabling the News icon. Rebooting after keeping the News option quelled the issue upon startup.

Both sleep and hibernate re-launch without presenting the issue if the News option was at least enabled at any point before hibernate/sleep.

I also repeated the above steps for the Icon & Text option.

Seems like the solutions to this issue at this point are to either uninstall the KB5003214 update, or keep the New & Interests option enabled.

I would say this is not a high priority (for me), but I would hope to see a fix at some point in the future. I personally prefer to keep that News feed off, and I also try to keep my windows up to date.

Also, it seems like this issue either relates to or duplicates Missing System Tray Icons, Graphic glitch since Windows 21H1, and Taskbar Behaves Stangely (Windows part).

Bummer. The taskbar problem is still there. After installing the update, the icons on the right of the tray snapped back in to place, but the search box was still white. After clicking in the search box and then clicking elsewhere, it went back to normal. I thought things were great, but after working for a few minutes, I realized the problem was back. Attached is a screenshot showing the missing icons and another showing the garbled icons that sometimes appear.

Yes. I have a big main monitor (3840x2160), so the recommended scale is 150%.

Yes. Here's my monitor setup.

I have not rebooted yet. Let me finish my current task, and then I'll test it. Explorer version: 10.0.19041.1023

So far so good after rebooting. I'll let you know if anything wonky happens.

It still happens.

I came here because I had the same issue of the clock and tool tray vanishing from the taskbar or otherwise not displaying properly, and was looking for a solution. I am also using two 4K monitors with 150% scaling. I had also noticed the computer running abnormally slow, as if the problem was also triggering some sort of resource leak in Windows.

I rebooted and upgraded DisplayFusion to 10.0β2, and used the new advanced setting to turn off the taskbar hooks. So far the taskbar seems to be working properly and everything is fast again. I'll let you know if it regresses.