Tray

Overview

This guide will take you through the process of creating a Tray icon with its own context menu to the system's notification area.

On MacOS and Ubuntu, the Tray will be located on the top right corner of your screen, adjacent to your battery and wifi icons. On Windows, the Tray will usually be located in the bottom right corner.

Example

main.js

First we must import app, Tray, Menu, nativeImage from electron.

const { app, Tray, Menu, nativeImage } = require('electron')

Next we will create our Tray. To do this, we will use a NativeImage icon, which can be created through any one of these methods. Note that we wrap our Tray creation code within an app.whenReady as we will need to wait for our electron app to finish initializing.

main.js
let tray

app.whenReady().then(() => {
  const icon = nativeImage.createFromPath('path/to/asset.png')
  tray = new Tray(icon)

  // note: your contextMenu, Tooltip and Title code will go here!
})

Great! Now we can start attaching a context menu to our Tray, like so:

const contextMenu = Menu.buildFromTemplate([
  { label: 'Item1', type: 'radio' },
  { label: 'Item2', type: 'radio' },
  { label: 'Item3', type: 'radio', checked: true },
  { label: 'Item4', type: 'radio' }
])

tray.setContextMenu(contextMenu)

The code above will create 4 separate radio-type items in the context menu. To read more about constructing native menus, click here.

Finally, let's give our tray a tooltip and a title.

tray.setToolTip('This is my application')
tray.setTitle('This is my title')

Conclusion

After you start your electron app, you should see the Tray residing in either the top or bottom right of your screen, depending on your operating system.

docs/fiddles/native-ui/tray (33.2.0)Open in Fiddle

main.js
index.html

const { app, Tray, Menu, nativeImage } = require('electron/main')

let tray

app.whenReady().then(() => {
  const icon = nativeImage.createFromDataURL('data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACQAAAAkCAYAAADhAJiYAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAAlwSFlzAAALEwAACxMBAJqcGAAAAVlpVFh0WE1MOmNvbS5hZG9iZS54bXAAAAAAADx4OnhtcG1ldGEgeG1sbnM6eD0iYWRvYmU6bnM6bWV0YS8iIHg6eG1wdGs9IlhNUCBDb3JlIDUuNC4wIj4KICAgPHJkZjpSREYgeG1sbnM6cmRmPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8xOTk5LzAyLzIyLXJkZi1zeW50YXgtbnMjIj4KICAgICAgPHJkZjpEZXNjcmlwdGlvbiByZGY6YWJvdXQ9IiIKICAgICAgICAgICAgeG1sbnM6dGlmZj0iaHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS90aWZmLzEuMC8iPgogICAgICAgICA8dGlmZjpPcmllbnRhdGlvbj4xPC90aWZmOk9yaWVudGF0aW9uPgogICAgICA8L3JkZjpEZXNjcmlwdGlvbj4KICAgPC9yZGY6UkRGPgo8L3g6eG1wbWV0YT4KTMInWQAACsZJREFUWAmtWFlsXFcZ/u82++Jt7IyT2Em6ZFHTpAtWIzspEgjEUhA8VNAiIYEQUvuABBIUwUMkQIVKPCIoEiABLShISEBbhFJwIGRpIKRpbNeJ7bh2HHvssR3PPnPnLnzfmRlju6EQqUc+c++c8y/fv54z1uQOh+/7Glh0TD59TE/TND7lnfa4/64OKsM071QoeZpA/y9WWvk/B4XCC06TUC+Xyw8HTXNQ1+Ww6PpOrMebewXxvBueJ6/XHOdMJBL5J9Y97m2R0SS/wweE6JxkGx5dilWr1S/7dXsEa2o4+LyFmcFcaL5zbX3Y9gh5hpeWYpSB9XV5/H678V89BGYDXnHJlCsWn4gHrGc1K9CXxferOdvPOOKUfF8cH7nUyCtklQZXih/VNNlmirk3GdBSoIcRswW7/vVkLPYi5W2Uze8bh7J+4wLfh4dViFx5/nmrUi7/MhGNvrCkBfpeWqnW/7BUdadqntQ8zwr6vhUV34xpYnDynWvcmwQNaclDXsqgLMqkocPDw7fNx7d5qIX+/PmJxKGD6VdDkeh7ztyqOFfrokGCEWiiZ1mp0uITnuKAosaT7+pNxMYTyefutcQfbA+b1XLpH5fnF97/yD335Fu6mqTqsclDINBVmI4fDxw80KPAvJSt1MZtMcLiGxYUu83p4UkgnJZlqcl3LAj3WnTkIS9lUBYNPJjueVWgg7qocyOgliFqjZsg8gq5tRdiieQTf1gq15Y8CUbRZtyWOzZwc8lEqS3PTCtgqd13ieO68BQ2uNl64tXAewktrFuX2mPdkWAxn3sxnmx7sqUTJGqso8MGS9tbXFz8DMH8bblUX3T9QARVi8RV8qljfcJy0zRlaf6mzHEuzEtmekqCoZB4rqp0OmudHtUnlEWZlE0d1EWd1N3EozourcO65pw4eTIZQTW9VazJtbqvw9XwKVFQMsKDBuNhtp4uvGGFI+IDgKnpMjYyIis3ZsQMBIR7pONsIaMsyqRs6ohY1rPUSd3EQFDqo+kdZ3Fh4aupbdu+99uFQr2A1CBs4uEAjZjIFUMHi4dVxMXzCdCXQj4vBrwVCofl0ulTcv/DAxJJJBUPc8mpoyI2JDw7bFyT+ifTcSubyXytJ51+roWBxwG9Q73WWjZ7eSUU3//nXM0NI+x0PBGrTSgsLS9JFuFxHFrvSqIrJV279gi6tjiVspTza3JjZhY+0CQZj0mlWJSeHTslCro6eFqymCcVVN77kkGjs1p4sy2VOoSlOrFwT+XR+PjkgGaZ+ycKVbRTYUdVrmaImCvzk1dlFCEJdHRJ284+ie/ol0h7p7jFvExcvCCXzp2Rqem3pAMAiqWS6JGYhFI9Mjo6KjevXVUyKEuFHrKpY6JQ8TXT3D8+OTkAHBw6o6LCFo9ag3o4JtlCyTHEt5AxKvS6YUi5kJeZG3Py0NAxlLcJ9xti+K7Mjo/JfGZRuvv6Ze+9+yWEhDZAvzg3JyhX2d6/S7q6e+TimdOS7ElLKBZDwqvmj6rztayr1fVI1IoXi4PAcYZY1tPEEO1wEVlXgRFBDcmIXTqJsS+XyhKLJ5A/OpIVXXptWUYv/UvaenfIocEhMQ2EzHHErlXFCgQl3paU1eVl6QAY8sQTCSmVihKJx1V/ogvgIYF/pACdcMBhqONoHhF88/2d+bojyA6cRvje2IdFjoSjUSnBS8hgyS9lZOzKFdmPxO3o6gQIGzwuDn1dVSCtCKPy1pZXlATXqUsVYMLRmKo87vP4Y1ioqwCdCegmMYx3W/VPn8RrSDwwIMMbcEjkYo29JZVOy+ybI7K4eksODx1VSqvligpReSVLgySM/FI5h2q062jNyL3s7FtoAyGJIlx1225UmwJF6aJRJ3XzHXO9bWvsJa3jQFlBJkz6iuXdu32HzM7MyP0PPNgAU6ko4Qzp6b+flr8MD9OYJg9CwtzL5+T65ITs2bsP3mGxN/ZbBcOn0sk20gAkLQ+huXpFi8vkoY9AoyDjxTR1mbo6Ltt275HpN0dlNxQE40mVM8Ajjxx9VAGhAvQR1akZFCq799ADysMuQqOxh2FNmamEaz51ItGLfFD9+oUJoZkLowHoFA2mljUacqOMflKuVmHpfmnfvlMuvXZeStmMBIMhcWEdjgFJtrUjXI0KchAuAg0ilxLJNoRVBxhIBm0TjjKAuqjTqTs3CQZ6QUUMGFW7eiWMUg6w+yo8YMW7DqtqlZLkUDV2ISfd29KyDwk9MjYmMyOXxQIIKuShqo4VGFNBEgeDQYqVam5N5tEePFQgURIUBCsd1EWd1XrtDUUMLARD9bKaK5ytQ2Gb75g8WMiEP6VkfnZGevv6UF1vSBW5E0PFDAweFRvlfun8WVmamhDNrkmweQ0pwaPt6M4m8mgKTTFXqcrV0ZH1FKBg6qAu6qTuJiCV1Cp2Q0NDr9Uq5Ym+oMEDlSewsoRwrVBEaij7AJ4s7zrOpumxEdm15y6558GHJVe1Zezy6zJx6aJkpq5JFB4z6zVZmBiX1VWUP0IY4CFMYcpQdZ3xqIs6oftCE5DHKwd0q/tzOV8svdDb3nk8VnG9qmgQC0ZURz8Ur91alXgSByZ6ES9kZZTr/PR16UOCh+7dq0CWyyXJ4xqCQ0nKt9YQSlPue2gAeYZzD7yNLk0wmqAreb2WYSxAJ8Dget64wxtEBlDaqVOn/K5dB67t6+t5MhoMJuc8w8UPKiQ9CQR9JK5czhZAQxPt7TKF3OiAIisUViAD2Lg5d0P2HDgoKeRaW0enyqVwBJcO5fFG5dqa7h406qaeX8384uTZL5w9+UqxhYHFp0YLIYA9ddfu3T+4UJF6Rg+YAc9D0+RoIGP1ULhpWspr10evyK7+ftWTrk9PS/++A9KZSm26cih2mMOErem6n/ZsZwA2TM/MPHXs2LEftnSTbh0Q36mIIbx44cLvOnu3f+xUwbWLmoHTCUlF6g2jBQo/GnFrnGNqSHdvr+rIKGMW1KahwEBdzHft98aNwMr8zd8/NDDwccihc0hLi3GubRjY0Bm6H19fPvnZI4c/fHd7PJ2peXYZ+WQ26JufZELjQ6lbAQtnWre0d3apY8TFIdtAo+Qri6mupsB49lBMC+QXF0YefObZT8j0eKWlswVjEyCCOXHihPGb575VCvVuf3lvetsH9rXF0rla3cnhpoIGjgsUPhR3I4TMKYJQV1Z6WO02aEjHa5mNe3OPW3OPRHVrbXFh9Ocvv/KR1372owx1Pf3005uc35Ddgtd8rsf06IdS5777zZ+mUqmPzjm6TPpmvayZOq4LyATeCzkanmiy4qEuC/yXiO8CSMRzvLs1x9phepLNZl868sy3Pyen/5hd1/EfRvWmuvSWNeaRS/RkPDI4+NjE1NSXEoXlpaNB1zqo20abi59/vu/UfM2pie7WUDVq8l3wTwnskeZ+zTbIQ17KoCzKpGzq2KqX32/roRbh8ePHdUzl0s9/5Rv9n/7go19MxCKfCkZiu3V06wrO5gocxL7Dgd/IEobEMH6rejg+auXidL5Y/vWv/vTX53/y/e/MkGajTH7fOt4RUJOY1df4RdtY6ICFRzqTySOhUOA+3Ai3o31H1ZbnlXBruFmt2iMrudy5xx9//BzWV7nXDBGN2xpjbt/5oGUEdhtO3iD47xZOvm8a5CHvpsV38wsUaMwBWsz3rbK5xr0mzdv2t9Jv/f5vhsF4J+Q63IUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=')
  tray = new Tray(icon)

  const contextMenu = Menu.buildFromTemplate([
    { label: 'Item1', type: 'radio' },
    { label: 'Item2', type: 'radio' },
    { label: 'Item3', type: 'radio', checked: true },
    { label: 'Item4', type: 'radio' }
  ])

  tray.setToolTip('This is my application.')
  tray.setContextMenu(contextMenu)
})

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
    <title>Tray</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div>
      <h1>Tray</h1>
      <h3>
        The <code>tray</code> module allows you to create an icon in the
        operating system's notification area.
      </h3>
      <p>This icon can also have a context menu attached.</p>

      <p>
        Open the
        <a href="https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/api/tray">
          full API documentation
        </a>
        in your browser.
      </p>
    </div>
      <div>
          <div>
            <h2>ProTip</h2>
            <strong>Tray support in Linux.</strong>
            <p>
              On Linux distributions that only have app indicator support, users
              will need to install <code>libappindicator1</code> to make the
              tray icon work. See the
              <a href="https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/api/tray">
                full API documentation
              </a>
              for more details about using Tray on Linux.
            </p>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>

    <script>
      // You can also require other files to run in this process
      require("./renderer.js");
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Overview​

Example​

main.js​

Conclusion​

Overview

Example

main.js

Conclusion