diff --git a/Bloxstrap/App.xaml.cs b/Bloxstrap/App.xaml.cs
index 01253807..17b9d508 100644
--- a/Bloxstrap/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/Bloxstrap/App.xaml.cs
@@ -293,6 +293,9 @@ protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
                 {
                     Logger.WriteLine("[App::OnStartup] Bootstrapper task has finished");
 
+                    // notifyicon is blocking main thread, must be disposed here
+                    NotifyIcon?.Dispose();
+
                     if (t.IsFaulted)
                         Logger.WriteLine("[App::OnStartup] An exception occurred when running the bootstrapper");
 
diff --git a/Bloxstrap/UI/Elements/NotifyIconMenu.xaml b/Bloxstrap/UI/Elements/NotifyIconMenu.xaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..373a2b86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Bloxstrap/UI/Elements/NotifyIconMenu.xaml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<ui:UiWindow x:Class="Bloxstrap.UI.Elements.NotifyIconMenu"
+        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
+        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
+        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
+        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
+        xmlns:ui="http://schemas.lepo.co/wpfui/2022/xaml"
+        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Bloxstrap.UI.Elements" 
+        mc:Ignorable="d"
+        Title="NotifyIconMenu"
+        Background="{ui:ThemeResource ApplicationBackgroundBrush}"
+        MinWidth="0"
+        MinHeight="0"
+        Width="0"
+        Height="0"
+        ShowInTaskbar="False"
+        WindowStyle="None"
+        Loaded="Window_Loaded">
+    <ui:UiWindow.ContextMenu>
+        <ContextMenu>
+            <MenuItem Header="_Bold"
+                IsCheckable="True"/>
+            <MenuItem Header="_Italic"
+                IsCheckable="True" />
+            <Separator />
+            <MenuItem Header="I_ncrease Font Size" />
+            <MenuItem Header="_Decrease Font Size" />
+            <MenuItem x:Name="TestMenuItem" Header="test" IsCheckable="True" Click="TestMenuItem_Click" />
+        </ContextMenu>
+    </ui:UiWindow.ContextMenu>
+    <StackPanel VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center">
+        <!--<ProgressBar IsIndeterminate="True" />-->
+        <TextBlock Margin="16" Text="if this stops spinning ur SCREWED!!!!!!!!!" />
+        <ui:ProgressRing Margin="16" IsIndeterminate="True" />
+    </StackPanel>
+</ui:UiWindow>
diff --git a/Bloxstrap/UI/Elements/NotifyIconMenu.xaml.cs b/Bloxstrap/UI/Elements/NotifyIconMenu.xaml.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d8e14d03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Bloxstrap/UI/Elements/NotifyIconMenu.xaml.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using System.Windows;
+using System.Windows.Controls;
+using System.Windows.Data;
+using System.Windows.Documents;
+using System.Windows.Input;
+using System.Windows.Interop;
+using System.Windows.Media;
+using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
+using System.Windows.Shapes;
+
+using Bloxstrap.UI.ViewModels;
+
+namespace Bloxstrap.UI.Elements
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Interaction logic for NotifyIconMenu.xaml
+    /// </summary>
+    public partial class NotifyIconMenu
+    {
+        public NotifyIconMenu()
+        {
+            InitializeComponent();
+        }
+
+        private void Window_Loaded(object? sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            // this is an awful hack lmao im so sorry to anyone who reads this
+            // https://stackoverflow.com/questions/357076/best-way-to-hide-a-window-from-the-alt-tab-program-switcher#:~:text=ShowInTaskbar%20%3D%20false%3B%20Owner%20%3D%20form1,form%27s%20ShowInTaskbar%20property%20to%20false.
+            var wndHelper = new WindowInteropHelper(this);
+            long exStyle = NativeMethods.GetWindowLongPtr(wndHelper.Handle, NativeMethods.GWL_EXSTYLE).ToInt64();
+            exStyle |= NativeMethods.WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW;
+            NativeMethods.SetWindowLongPtr(wndHelper.Handle, NativeMethods.GWL_EXSTYLE, (IntPtr)exStyle);
+        }
+
+        // i tried to use a viewmodel but uhhhhhhh it just didnt work idk
+        private void TestMenuItem_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            Controls.ShowMessageBox($"hi how u doing i am {TestMenuItem.IsChecked}", MessageBoxImage.Warning);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Bloxstrap/UI/NotifyIconWrapper.cs b/Bloxstrap/UI/NotifyIconWrapper.cs
index ceda58e2..14fcbdcc 100644
--- a/Bloxstrap/UI/NotifyIconWrapper.cs
+++ b/Bloxstrap/UI/NotifyIconWrapper.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 using System.Windows.Forms;
 
+using Bloxstrap.UI.Elements;
+
 namespace Bloxstrap.UI
 {
     public class NotifyIconWrapper : IDisposable
@@ -7,9 +9,12 @@ public class NotifyIconWrapper : IDisposable
         bool _disposed = false;
 
         private readonly NotifyIcon _notifyIcon;
+        private readonly NotifyIconMenu _contextMenuWrapper = new();
+        
         EventHandler? _alertClickHandler;
 
-        public NotifyIconWrapper() 
+
+        public NotifyIconWrapper()
         {
             App.Logger.WriteLine("[NotifyIconWrapper::NotifyIconWrapper] Initializing notification area icon");
 
@@ -19,6 +24,21 @@ public NotifyIconWrapper()
                 Text = App.ProjectName,
                 Visible = true
             };
+
+            _notifyIcon.MouseClick += MouseClickEventHandler;
+
+            _contextMenuWrapper.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(_contextMenuWrapper.ShowDialog);
+
+            _contextMenuWrapper.Closing += (_, _) => App.Logger.WriteLine("[NotifyIconWrapper::NotifyIconWrapper] Context menu wrapper closing");
+        }
+
+        public void MouseClickEventHandler(object? sender, MouseEventArgs e) 
+        {
+            if (e.Button != MouseButtons.Right)
+                return;
+
+            _contextMenuWrapper.Activate();
+            _contextMenuWrapper.ContextMenu.IsOpen = true;
         }
 
         public void ShowAlert(string caption, string message, int duration, EventHandler? clickHandler)
@@ -62,8 +82,11 @@ public void Dispose()
             if (_disposed)
                 return;
 
+            App.Logger.WriteLine($"[NotifyIconWrapper::Dispose] Disposing NotifyIcon");
+
+            _contextMenuWrapper.Dispatcher.Invoke(_contextMenuWrapper.Close);
             _notifyIcon.Dispose();
-         
+
             _disposed = true;
 
             GC.SuppressFinalize(this);
diff --git a/Bloxstrap/Utility/NativeMethods.cs b/Bloxstrap/Utility/NativeMethods.cs
index 321fbcfd..b869f071 100644
--- a/Bloxstrap/Utility/NativeMethods.cs
+++ b/Bloxstrap/Utility/NativeMethods.cs
@@ -9,5 +9,17 @@ static class NativeMethods
 
         [DllImport("user32.dll")] 
         public static extern bool FlashWindow(IntPtr hWnd, bool bInvert);
+
+        [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+        public static extern IntPtr GetWindowLongPtr(IntPtr hWnd, int nIndex);
+
+        [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+        public static extern IntPtr SetWindowLongPtr(IntPtr hWnd, int nIndex, IntPtr dwNewLong);
+
+        // i only bothered to add the constants that im using lol
+
+        public const int GWL_EXSTYLE = -20;
+
+        public const int WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW = 0x00000080;
     }
 }