pystray
Provides systray integration
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need cross-platform tray icon support and can accept that the project is in maintenance mode. The library is stable and widely used, has no known vulnerabilities, and low install friction. The main trade-off is the aging maintenance status—no active feature development, and you may need to verify compatibility with Python versions newer than those listed in classifiers.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires a display server (X11, Wayland, Windows, or macOS); will not run headless.
- Platform-specific dependencies: pyobjc-framework-Quartz on macOS, python-xlib on Linux, and GTK+ or AppIndicator libraries on some Linux distributions.
- Install friction is low; the package is a pure-Python wheel.
License · maintenance · safety
LGPLv3 (copyleft) — Licensed under LGPLv3 (copyleft). Any derivative work or distribution must preserve the license and make source available; static linking or closed-source wrapping is not permitted.
last release 2023-09-17 (1062 days) · last repo commit 2025-03-27 · 571 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 1,100,563 downloads/mo, #4,369 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install pystray
import pystray
icon = pystray.Icon('test')
icon.run()- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions (3.10+) given classifiers only list up to 3.4
- Current state of GTK+ and AppIndicator backend stability on modern Linux distributions
- Whether notifications work consistently across all supported platforms
What it is and what it does
Pystray is a cross-platform library for creating system tray icons with popup menus. It abstracts away platform differences by selecting the appropriate backend (native Windows APIs, Cocoa on macOS, GTK+/AppIndicator/Xlib on Linux) and presenting a unified Python API. You create an Icon object, optionally define a menu with callbacks, and call run() to display it in the system tray.
The package handles the full lifecycle of tray interaction—icon display, menu rendering, notifications, and event dispatch—while managing platform-specific quirks. It supports nested menus, checkboxes, radio buttons, disabled items, and can run in detached mode to integrate with other event loops.
Use it for
- Build a background application that lives in the system tray with a menu for quick access to settings or actions
- Add tray icon notifications to a long-running service or daemon on Windows, macOS, or Linux
- Create a cross-platform GUI tool that minimizes to tray instead of closing, using a single codebase
- Integrate tray icon support into an existing application that uses GTK+ or another event loop via detached mode
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need cross-platform tray icon support and can accept that the project is in maintenance mode.
The library is stable and widely used, has no known vulnerabilities, and low install friction. The main trade-off is the aging maintenance status—no active feature development, and you may need to verify compatibility with Python versions newer than those listed in classifiers.
Install
pystray on PyPI
Before you install
Install friction is low; the package is a pure-Python wheel. Maintenance is aging—the last release was 2023-09-17, though the repository remains active with recent commits and is not archived.
Requires a display server (X11, Wayland, Windows, or macOS); will not run headless. Platform-specific dependencies: pyobjc-framework-Quartz on macOS, python-xlib on Linux, and GTK+ or AppIndicator libraries on some Linux distributions.
License in practice
Licensed under LGPLv3 (copyleft). Any derivative work or distribution must preserve the license and make source available; static linking or closed-source wrapping is not permitted.
Quickstart
pip install pystray
import pystray
icon = pystray.Icon('test')
icon.run()Verify before relying
- Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions (3.10+) given classifiers only list up to 3.4
- Current state of GTK+ and AppIndicator backend stability on modern Linux distributions
- Whether notifications work consistently across all supported platforms
Package facts
| License | LGPLv3 copyleft |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 4 packagesPillowsixpyobjc-framework-Quartzpython-xlib |
| Maintenance | Aging 1,062 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 1,100,563 / month, #4,369 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: GNU Lesser General Public License v3 (LGPLv3)Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: Windows :: Windows NT/2000Operating System :: POSIXProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 2.7Programming Language :: Python :: 3.4 |
Evidence: pystray-0.19.5-py2.py3-none-any.whl
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