system tray

English

Etymology

From the file SysTray.exe, first appearing in Microsoft Windows 95 in 1995.

Noun

system tray (plural system trays)

1. (computing, graphical user interface) The portion of the taskbar that displays the system time and icons for running processes, which can often launch menus for those processes.
   • 2005, Dan Gookin, PCs For Dummies Quick Reference, →ISBN, page 57:

     The system tray sits on the opposite end of the taskbar from the Start menu. If the taskbar is on the bottom of the screen, the system tray is on the right side of the taskbar.

   • 2007, Jeff Friesen, Beginning Java SE 6 Platform: From Novice to Professional, →ISBN, page 103:

     The new System Tray API makes it possible for an application to gain access to the desktop's system tray, which presents the system time and icons of applications that interact with the system tray.

   • 2008, Jonathan Morrison, C++ for VB Programmers, →ISBN, page 183:

     This DLL will enable us to put an icon in the system tray, control that icon while it's in the system tray, and remove it from the system tray when we're done with it.