Unclutter Your Taskbar: Discovering the Best TrayIt! Alternatives
TrayIt! has long been a go-to utility for Windows users looking to minimize applications to their system icon tray, freeing up valuable Taskbar space. Whether it's Outlook Express, Notepad, Word, or your web browser, TrayIt! helps keep your desktop tidy. However, as software evolves, so does the need for modern, feature-rich, or simply different approaches to window management. If you're looking for a robust TrayIt! alternative, you're in the right place. This guide explores some of the top contenders that offer similar functionality, often with added benefits.
Top TrayIt! Alternatives
While TrayIt! excels at its core function, a diverse ecosystem of tools offers various approaches to minimizing applications to the tray, managing windows, and enhancing your desktop experience. Here are some excellent alternatives worth considering.
RBTray
RBTray is a fantastic, lightweight, and open-source TrayIt! alternative for Windows. It allows almost any program to be minimized to the system tray simply by right-clicking its minimize button. Its portable nature makes it incredibly convenient, requiring no installation and being ideal for use on multiple machines.
Actual Window Manager
Actual Window Manager is a powerful, commercial TrayIt! alternative for Windows that goes far beyond simple tray minimization. It's a comprehensive suite offering 13 tools in one, including multi-monitor support, window docking, and snap windows, providing advanced control over your workspace.
4t Tray Minimizer
4t Tray Minimizer is a freemium TrayIt! alternative for Windows that's both lightweight and powerful. It helps free up desktop and taskbar space by allowing you to minimize windows to the tray. It also offers convenient features like support for keyboard shortcuts and the ability to keep windows on top.
Always on Top
Always on Top is a simple, free TrayIt! alternative for Windows that focuses on one core function: keeping any program window on top of all other windows, even when it doesn't have focus. While it doesn't offer tray minimization directly, it complements other tools that do, by ensuring critical windows remain visible.
eXtra Buttons
eXtra Buttons is a free TrayIt! alternative for Windows and Windows Explorer that enhances your window controls. It allows you to add up to 10 additional buttons to the title bar of each window, including options to minimize to the tray, keep the window on-top, or send it to different locations. It even includes a Windows Explorer extension.
RBTray Fork
RBTray Fork is an open-source and free TrayIt! alternative for Windows, acting as a minor fork of the original RBTray. It provides the same core functionality, allowing almost any window to be minimized to the system tray, maintaining the simplicity and effectiveness of its predecessor.
DM2
DM2 is a free and open-source TrayIt! alternative for Windows, also available as a portable app. It offers several Windows enhancements, with one of its most popular features being the ability to minimize windows to floating icons, providing a unique approach to managing your open applications.
Ghoster
Ghoster is a free TrayIt! alternative for Windows that offers a different kind of window management. While it doesn't directly minimize to the tray, it dims all windows except the active one, allowing you to focus on your current task. It's highly configurable and acts as a system tweaker for visual clarity.
FireTray
FireTray is an open-source and free TrayIt! alternative available for Windows and Linux. It's a system tray extension specifically designed for Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, and other related browsers like Waterfox, Pale Moon, and SeaMonkey. It offers customizable options and integrates seamlessly with these applications, allowing you to minimize them to the tray.
GhostTile
GhostTile is a commercial TrayIt! alternative specifically for Mac users, offering a way to hide running applications from the Dock. While TrayIt! is Windows-centric, GhostTile provides similar uncluttering benefits for Mac users. It offers multiple ways to hide apps, including drag & drop, selection from the Applications folder, or clicking the icon on the Dock.
Choosing the best TrayIt! alternative depends on your specific needs, operating system, and desired features. Whether you prioritize open-source solutions, comprehensive window management suites, or simple, dedicated tools, there's an option out there to help you keep your Taskbar clean and your workflow efficient. Explore these alternatives to find the perfect fit for your desktop.