Windows 10 KB5003214 update causes taskbar display glitches

The latest Windows 10 2004, 20H2, and 21H1 preview update is causing display issues and glitches on the taskbar's system tray.

Last week, Microsoft released the optional Window 10 KB5003214 preview update so that users and the enterprise can test the fixes coming in the mandatory June 2021 Patch Tuesday updates.

This update also enables the new Windows 10 News and Interests taskbar news feed for all users of Windows 10 2004 and later.

Since installing this update, numerous users report that the system tray in the Windows 10 taskbar began having display glitches where tray icons disappear, get pushed to the right, overlay each other, or get pushed off the edge of the screen.

"I'm experiencing an issue that I've traced to the new "News and interests" taskbar feature. I got this feature recently - within the last few weeks, I don't recall exactly because I shut it off immediately - and things were fine," a user posted on Reddit.

"But after a few updates yesterday (21H1, KB5003214, KB5003254), the notification area in the far right edge of the taskbar began behaving strangely."

An example of these display glitches is shown below, where you can see the system tray icons all overlaying each other in a mess.

System tray display glitches
Source: Reddit

After users experimented with different settings, it was determined that the bug is caused by disabling the News and Interests widget on the taskbar. 

Once disabled and a new system tray icon is shown, it triggers the glitch. Once you enable the News and Interests widget again on the taskbar, the icons begin to display correctly.

Windows 10 users affected by this bug found that it could be fixed by uninstalling the KB5003214 preview update, but unless Microsoft fixes the issue before June 8th's Patch Tuesday, all users will be faced with this issue.

H/T WindowsLatest