Windows 11 includes built-in support for digital styluses, designed primarily for Microsoft Surface tablets and 2-in-1 laptops. When the operating system detects a touchscreen environment, it often places a “Pen Menu” icon (a squiggly line icon) on the taskbar near the clock. Clicking this icon opens a quick-access panel for the Whiteboard app and screen snipping tools.
However, if you are using a standard desktop computer without a touchscreen, or if you simply never use a stylus to draw on your laptop, this icon is completely useless and takes up valuable space in your system tray. You can easily remove the Pen Menu icon from your taskbar.
How to Remove the Pen Menu Icon in Windows 11
You can hide this icon directly from the Taskbar personalization settings.
- Right-click on any empty space on your Windows 11 Taskbar.
- Select Taskbar settings from the small pop-up menu.
- The Settings app will open directly to the Personalization > Taskbar page.
- Look for the section titled System tray icons and click on it to expand the menu.
- Locate the setting labelled Pen menu.
- Click the drop-down box next to it and change the setting from “On” to Off.
The squiggly line icon will instantly vanish from the bottom-right corner of your screen, resulting in a cleaner, less cluttered taskbar that only shows the icons you actually use.