How to Remove the Icon from Windows Title Bars Without Losing the Close Button or System Menu

C++ Windows User Interface Mfc

When developing software for Windows using MFC (Microsoft Foundation Classes), developers often seek to create a streamlined and aesthetically pleasing user interface. One common requirement is to remove the icon from the title bar of a window, while still retaining essential components like the close button and system menu. While there are methods to achieve this, they often involve undesirable changes to the window’s functionality, such as disabling the system menu or altering the appearance of the title bar to that of a tool window.

This guide walks you through a reliable solution to meet your needs without sacrificing any critical features of your application.

Understanding the Challenge

In typical Windows applications, the title bar is a crucial element that represents the active window, housing both the window icon and controls such as minimize, maximize, and close buttons. By default, removing the window icon can lead to complications, primarily:

Losing the system menu functionality entirely.
Altering the aesthetics and usability of the title bar, which may not be appealing to users.

The goal is to keep the user experience intact while customizing the application’s interface.

Identifying the Solution

The trick lies in handling Windows messages properly to ensure that the system menu remains accessible, even when the icon is removed. The message we are particularly interested in is WM_NCRBUTTONDOWN, which allows you to detect when the user right-clicks on the title bar.

Step-by-Step Solution

Here’s a streamlined approach to implement this solution in your MFC application:

Override Your Window Procedure: Create a window procedure that listens for the WM_NCRBUTTONDOWN message. This message is sent when a non-client area (like the title bar) is right-clicked.

afx_msg void CYourWindowClass::OnNcRButtonDown(UINT nHitTest, CPoint point) {
    // Call the default handler
    CWnd::OnNcRButtonDown(nHitTest, point);

    // Show the system menu at the cursor position
    CMenu* pSysMenu = GetSystemMenu(FALSE);
    if (pSysMenu != NULL) {
        ClientToScreen(&point);
        pSysMenu->TrackPopupMenu(TPM_LEFTALIGN | TPM_RIGHTBUTTON, point.x, point.y, this);
    }
}

Ensure Message Mapping: Make sure to add a message map entry that ties the WM_NCRBUTTONDOWN message to your newly created function:
```
BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(CYourWindowClass, CWnd)
    ON_WM_NCRBUTTONDOWN()
END_MESSAGE_MAP()
```
Conclusion: After implementing the above code, the window’s title bar will no longer display an icon, but users will still have access to the system menu by right-clicking on the title bar. The close button will remain fully functional, preserving both usability and aesthetics.

Wrapping Up

By leveraging the WM_NCRBUTTONDOWN message effectively, you can achieve a cleaner title bar in your MFC applications while keeping essential elements like the close button and system menu operational. This practical approach not only enhances the user experience but also aligns with modern UI expectations.

Feel free to experiment with this solution and adapt it to your specific application needs!