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# Use the System Tray While Playing

The PlayAbility system tray menu keeps essential controls available while a game is in front. The tray icon is present while PlayAbility runs; an optional setting also makes closing or minimizing the main window hide it to the tray instead of exiting.

## Keep PlayAbility running when the window closes

1. Open **Settings**.
2. Select **General**.
3. Find **System tray**.
4. Turn on **Keep PlayAbility running in the tray when the window is closed**.
5. Close or minimize the PlayAbility window.

Your profiles, outputs, connections, and overlay continue running. Open the tray icon to restore the main window.

## Use the tray menu

Open the PlayAbility tray icon in the notification area or menu bar. The menu provides:

- **Open PlayAbility** to restore and focus the main window.
- The current profile and output status.
- **Pause output** or **Resume output**.
- **Disable input blocking** when Windows input muting is active.
- **Switch profile** with a list of available profiles.
- **Open overlay window** or **Close overlay window**.
- **Runtime status** for the overlay, Mobile Controller, PlayAbility Receiver, 8BitDo Micro, and input blocking.
- Shortcuts to **Mappings**, **Profiles**, **Overlay settings**, **Gamepads**, **Connectors**, and **Settings**.
- **Quit PlayAbility** to stop the app completely.

If foreground-app rules currently block output, the menu reports which focused app is responsible. Change the foreground-app rule or focus an allowed app before output can resume.

## Verify tray operation

1. Turn on **Keep PlayAbility running in the tray when the window is closed**.
2. Close the main window.
3. Confirm that the PlayAbility tray icon remains visible.
4. Open the tray menu and check the active profile.
5. Select **Pause output**, then reopen the menu and confirm that it reports **Output: paused**.
6. Select **Resume output**.
7. Select **Open PlayAbility** to restore the window.

## Stop PlayAbility completely

Closing the main window does not exit while the keep-running option is on.

1. Open the tray menu.
2. Select **Quit PlayAbility**.

Use **Quit PlayAbility** before unplugging devices or when you do not want mappings to continue running.

## Troubleshooting

### The tray icon is missing on Windows

- Select the notification-area arrow to show hidden icons.
- Open Windows taskbar settings and allow the PlayAbility icon to appear.
- Reopen PlayAbility if it is no longer running.

### Closing the window exits PlayAbility

Return to **Settings → General → System tray** and enable **Keep PlayAbility running in the tray when the window is closed**.

### The profile list is empty

Open PlayAbility and create or import a profile. The tray list does not include the special **Global** profile.

### Resume output is unavailable

Output may be blocked by a foreground-app rule. The tray status identifies this case; focus an allowed app or change the rule under **Settings → Advanced → Focused app**.

### Input blocking is active and the window is hidden

Select **Disable input blocking** in the tray. On Windows, the emergency shortcut **Ctrl+Shift+Alt+F12** also turns input muting off while the input hook is active.

## Limitations

- Runtime status is informational; open **Connectors** for detailed setup or errors.

## Related articles

- [Automatically Switch Profiles for Different Apps](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/automatically-switch-profiles-for-different-apps-f9lmlw/)
- [Automatically Allow or Block Outputs by Foreground App](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/automatically-allow-or-block-outputs-by-foreground-app-gduyjt/)
- [Configure PlayAbility Settings](https://help.playability.gg/en/article/configure-playability-settings-1waq08b/)