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RBTray

github.com/benbuck/rbtray System Utilities Open-source projectOpen source

RBTray offers a small Windows utility as a maintained fork of the original project; its repository says it is in maintenance mode.

Visit RBTray 24 alternatives
github.com/benbuck/rbtray
RBTray homepage screenshot

About RBTray

RBTray is a small Windows program, a fork of the original RBTray project, that runs in the background and lets you minimize application windows to the system tray. It can be started from a shortcut and set to launch at startup. It is free and open source under the GNU General Public Licence.

The repository states that RBTray is in maintenance mode. No new features will be added, but bugs may be fixed if they are reported. Not all minimize methods work for every window, and some window types, such as Windows Store application windows like WhatsApp, cannot be minimized properly.

Key features

  • Minimizes a window to the system tray using right-click on its minimize button
  • Minimizes a window to the tray using Shift plus right-click on the title bar
  • Minimizes a window to the tray using the Control-Alt-Down hotkey
  • Restores windows by clicking the tray icon or choosing Restore Window
  • Offers a --no-hook option for software that conflicts with mouse hooks
  • Exits through the tray menu or with a --exit command-line parameter
Best for: Windows users who want to hide running program windows in the system tray and are comfortable installing a small open source utility from GitHub.
Good for
  • Free and open source, distributed under the GNU General Public Licence
  • Provides three different ways to minimize a window to the tray
  • Includes a --no-hook option for compatibility with conflicting software
Watch out for
  • The project is in maintenance mode, so no new features will be added
  • Some window types, such as Windows Store applications like WhatsApp, cannot be minimized properly
  • The mouse-based methods can cause problems with other software; the --no-hook option leaves only the hotkey method working

RBTray at a glance

Type
Open-source project
Pricing
Not confirmed. Check the site
Platforms
Windows
Open source
Yes · Source code
Language
English
Last checked
Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
Listed
Oct 5, 2026
open sourceicon

RBTray alternatives

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Power Toys

github.com/microsoft/PowerToys

Microsoft PowerToys is a collection of Windows utilities for productivity and customization, according to its repository description.

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RBTray FAQ

Can RBTray minimize Windows Store apps?
The repository states that some types of windows cannot be properly minimized, most notably Windows Store application windows such as WhatsApp.
What should I do if the mouse methods conflict with other software?
Run RBTray with the --no-hook option. In that case only the Control-Alt-Down hotkey works, and RBHook.dll is not needed.
Is RBTray still being developed?
The project is in maintenance mode. No new features will be added, but bugs may be fixed if they are reported.
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Listing maintained by Chris McClure and the WebIndexly editors · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · How we rank