Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and go to Personalize. Click on "View" in the pop-up menu. Image: MSpoweruser. Install ownCloud 10 on Raspberry PI 3 with Raspbian Installed, How to Restore Windows Photo Viewer Windows 10, Solved: Setup was unable to create a new system partition, Re-install the Windows Store Windows 10, Turn Your Raspberry Pi 3 into a Personal Cloud Storage, Reset Windows 7 Login Password Without Third Party Software. In the Processes tab, right-click Windows Explorer > Restart task . . Losing shortcuts is annoying, but losing actual files is far more challenging to recover from. Click Apply then press OK to show the selected desktop icons. If all desktop icons disappear and you cannot right-click on the desktop, then check if this issue is caused by a improper group policy. When you run such an application, you will get a UAC prompt. If you know why icons are not showing on Windows 10/11 desktop home, getting rid of the problem becomes easier. THank God I was able to resolve it. The thumbnails not showing issues can also occur due to that. Step 2: In the following window, switch to the View tab and uncheck the Always show icons, never thumbnails box. If you configure your Desktop to hide all icons, all icons including the Recycle Bin will be hidden. TechTips. Instead, most people share that they receive more emails than they want or feel like they can manage well. Any update on this? Credit to the author. It also keeps you away from critical file loss, hardware failure, and repairs damages made by malware and viruses. To change your Outlook configuration so that the Outlook icon is displayed in the taskbar when Outlook is running, use the following steps: Start Outlook if it is not running. Launched just over a year ago, Windows 11 gave the PC a modern refresh and all new experiences that enable each of us to connect, participate, and be seen and heard. On the right-hand side pane, click the Desktop icon settings option. I hope the post was helpful, and you were able to find why desktop icons were not showing in Windows. On the desktop, press and hold Ctrl while you scroll the wheel to make icons larger or smaller. The following are the step-by-step directions to do it. It is important to mention that taking the time to recreate shortcuts and move files will only exacerbate the problem and end up frustrating you. A Confirm Value Delete box will appear. Right-click on the empty area on your desktop. Manage Settings Method 1: Enable Show Desktop Icons. In that case, I recommend accessing WIdgets; Disable all Widgets and leave only Weather enabled; Press Windows key + i and go to Personalization; Click on Taskbars; Disable and enable Widgets; Verify that the icon now appears on the taskbar; See you soon! Here, under the "Processes" section, scroll down and look for " Windows Explorer ". (see screenshot below) 3 If the refresh doesn't sort the icons, you can try Option Two or Option Three. Disable Windows 10 Tablet mode. Rebuilding the entire icon cache will require you to build a custom BAT file that will automatically run a series of commands that will effectively rebuild the cache associated with every Windows icon. The good news is nothing is lost, you just need to re-enable the setting. Now select the Desktop folder, present in the right pane. Microsoft Windows sometimes likes to rearrange your desktop icons when you restart Windows or download a new application and add the desktop icon. Type the name of the program you want to add to the Windows 11 desktop. Wait for the process to complete and then restart your PC. Step 3: Scroll down to select Thumbnails and click on the Remove files option at the top. Therefore, below is how to check and fix these settings. To hide the desktop icons, use these steps: Right-click on the desktop area. Project Name Stars Downloads Repos Using This Packages Using This Most Recent Commit Total Releases Latest Release Open Issues License Language; Sharpshell: 1,277: 73: 1: How to Create & Change Desktop Icons! Step 2. Select the "View" submenu and choose the "Show desktop icons" option again to hide the icons . If the normal desktop icons are not displayed, you can try the following methods: 1. Once you complete the above steps, your icons should appear on the desktop. Heres how to refresh the icon cache via Windows Terminal: You have some urgent tasks to complete, but the icons are not showing on the desktop. Note: If you notice a checkbox next to Show desktop icons, icons should already be enabled on your Windows 11 installation. Top 11 Ways to Fix Windows 10 Showing Black Screen Before Login. Commerce major. Make sure there is a check-mark next to the "Show desktop icons" option. Step 3: Scroll down to select Thumbnails and click on the Remove files option at the top. Top 7 Ways to Fix WhatsApp Desktop App Not Showing Notifications on Windows 11. None of my older computers with previous Windows OS versions had this issue ever. Hopefully, one of the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails back. To hide desktop icons in Windows 11/10, do the following: If you find that your desktop icons are missing, type gpedit.msc in the Start menu and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor. Desktop icons disappear when I click on them [Fix], Taskbar icons not showing, missing, invisible, blank in Windows 11/10, How to remove Green Check Marks on Desktop Icons in Windows 11/10, Microsoft adds the new AI-powered Bing to the Windows 11 Taskbar, New Bing arrives on Bing and Edge Mobile apps and Skype. If the issue is with your Computer or a Laptop you should try using Restoro which can scan the repositories and replace corrupt and missing files. Refer to our guide on how to fix corrupt drivers on Windows for more instructions on how to fix this. I strongly believe that there may be issues with the MS OneDrive that may also be a culprit in this scenario. If the issue persists even after updating the driver, your graphics driver may be corrupt. Top 5 Ways to Fix Outlook Not Showing Contacts on Windows 11. If the refresh doesnt happen automatically, right-click on a free space on your desktop again and click on Refresh from the context menu. If a similar issue is bugging you on your Windows 11 computer, you can troubleshoot and fix it. This will take you to the folder's properties page. The content remains unbiased and authentic. If this is missing, this is exactly why you suddenly cannot see your desktop icons. There are lots of variations in fonts which is part of what makes choosing one to best fit your project or business so much fun. Then, switch to the Customise tab. Navigate the following location: C:\Users\ \ AppData \Local, Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to Open the Task Manager, On the Processes bar, Look for Windows Explorer. Restart File Explorer as instructed in the fourth resolution. Unifying tasks and schedule by syncing calendar to my computer is one of the most favorite features of the Microsft Calendar. In the pop-out menu, look to see if there is a check mark next to the "Show desktop icons" setting. #1 - How to Fix the Desktop Icons Not Moving Issue in Windows 10 / 11 . After knowing the possible causes of the problem, let us move towards troubleshooting. If the method above was not effective in your case, you should proceed by troubleshooting a potential corruption thats affecting the icon cache. If you already ensured that the desktop icons are enabled from the GUI and you still dont see them, move down to the next potential fix below. In the Group Policy Editor window, navigate or search for the following path from the left side panel:-. Therefore, this resolution applies to the Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise editions in which you can access that tool. Step 1: Open Windows Explorer and click on the View tab on top of your screen. First, you need to uninstall OneDrive, then Rebuild Corrupt Icon Cache here is how to do it. Final remarks: Desktop icons not showing in Windows 11/10. Hit Apply > OK.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thewindowsclub_com-banner-1','ezslot_2',819,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thewindowsclub_com-banner-1-0'); Restart your computer and see if it has helped. Right-click anywhere on the desktop. Restart your computer after completing the repair process. Help, please! In that case, you'll need to reinstall the graphics driver on your PC. I never had a system with OneDrive, and frankly Im only living with it for 1 year. Select Hide When Minimized. Right-click a folder on your Windows 11 PC and select Show more options to expand the menu. Right-click on the NoDesktop DWORD value and use the Delete option. The Lock icon means that you have a private item in a non-private directory. Pak Tips and Tricks. Well provide you with the code lines, but youll need to create the BAT file yourself. Step 1: Right-click anywhere on the Desktop on an empty space and from the context menu select View. How to Restore Windows 10 Administrative Tools Shortcuts, Google Pushes Assistant Shortcuts Once Again For Ease of Quick Actions. The easiest way is to Select the Action Center icon in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, then click Tablet mode . The path for this key is: On the right-hand side of the Explorer key, look for the NoDesktop DWORD value. The right way to fix it is by using the System File Checker. This Tutorial Helps to Fix Windows 11/10 Desktop Icons are Not Showing00:00 Intro00:09 Method 1 - Restart Windows Explorer00:29 Method 2 - Change View Settin. Note: An issue with the icon cache is much more likely if youre noticing that taskbar icons and File Explorer icons also fail to display. Try running it in Windows compatibility mode. Copyright 2023 The Windows ClubFreeware Releases from TheWindowsClubFree Windows Software Downloads, If you find that your desktop icons are missing, type, Download PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically. User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. Let's do it together. Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to quickly launch the Task Manager. Then click on Apply followed by OK. Corrupted or missing system files can lead to errors on Windows 11, including this one. Unfortunately, when email issues happen, they can have a huge impact on your ability to communicate and be aware of issues. If your answer is no, you can ask anything via the contact forum section related to this article. Missing important WhatsApp messages is never fun. But if you don't want anyone to know that it is an encrypted folder, you can remove the overlay icon. Under Related settings, locate and click on Desktop icon settings. Scroll down to Explorer within the Windows processes section. So, you need to delete it. Now, you'll see a window containing desktop icons. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. This will force Windows to rebuild the icon cache from scratch and resolve your problem. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Pankil is a Civil Engineer by profession who started his journey as a writer at EOTO.tech. Why am I not able to click on desktop icons? So, if youve accidentally hidden your desktop icons, getting them back is fairly easy. This action would purge and rebuild the icon cache. How to Generate Art from Text Using Simplified AI Art Generator? In this case, move directly to the next method below. Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox. WRs guide to factory resetting Windows 11 includes instructions for how to do that with the built-in tool and other methods. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. If the device you are using is running Windows 11, you may have recently run into an odd issue where all of your desktop icons were suddenly missing. Its possible that youve been logged in with a temporary profile, or you need to fix corrupted values for icon spacing in Registry Editor. If you can't figure out what it is, you can use System Restore to restore Windows to a previous state. Now that we went over every potential cause that might cause this issue, lets go over all the actual fixes that other affected users have successfully used to fix this problem: If youre experiencing this issue immediately after installing a pending update for Windows 11, chances are youre no longer seeing the desktop icons because the update has flicked the visibility of the icons to disabled. Basic InfoTECH. In Windows 11, only the Recycle Bin icon is not automatically on the desktop by default. Step 1: Press Windows key + S to open Windows Search, type file explorer options, and press Enter. Select the file search tool on the taskbar by clicking its box or button. This problem seems to be primarily affecting Windows 11 users running on insider builds. Scroll down to the app you want to add to the desktop. Still having issues? Heres how to refresh the icon cache via Windows Terminal: Note: If the icons are still not showing on your Windows 11 installation, follow the next sub-guide directly below. Select it and then hit Restart. Log off your account and log in to see if the problem is fixed. Right-click anywhere on an empty spot on your desktop and select View > Show desktop icons. To open Desktop Icon Settings, input this command and click OK: desk.cpl ,,5. After installing the build, several users are reporting that Start and Taskbar were unresponsive and Settings and other areas of the OS not responding. Right-click on the desktop icon and select Properties. Copyright Windows Report 2023. Choose View and select Show desktop icons. There's a chance that a recent system change is to blame for the missing desktop icons in Windows 11. Fix 5: Check the OS files. Open Apps in the Windows Settings; Then click on the Modify button and click Yes (if UAC prompt received). Image: MSpoweruser. What happens when you switch on your computer? Step 2: Click on Temporary Files. If the icons were already there and suddenly disappeared, the quick fix is to restart the File Explorer. The Accessibility Checker uses the same axe-windows engine as Accessibility Insights, which is the same accessibility testing tool the Visual Studio team uses for our own accessibility testing. Top 6 Ways to Fix File Explorer Tabs Not Showing in Windows 11. To show desktop icons, ensure that the setting is Not Configured. Resolution. Try checking and unchecking Show Desktop icons option a few times, but remember to leave this option checked. If the icons are still not appearing on the desktop, jump to the next solution. How to Show Desktop Icons in Windows 11. Icons may not be appearing on the desktop because you do not have the show desktop icon feature activated. Your email address will not be published. If Windows 11 is failing to load up thumbnails, you can try running an SFC scan by following the steps below. It is critical that your Windows computer shows the correct date and time. Unexpectedly losing all of the icons on your desktop can be extremely upsetting, especially if you store folders and documents directly on the desktop. Select all the checkboxes. 2 Copy and paste the ie4uinit.exe -show command into Windows Terminal, and press Enter. Change the Desktop icon settings Step 3: In the Process tab, scroll down to find Windows Explorer. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Desktop icons disappeared after Windows 11 update? Below are the step-by-step instructions to do it. Just open the elevated Command Prompt and execute the following command: Corrupt system files may make you receive the Windows 10 desktop icons not showing issue. On the right-side locate Hide and disable all items on the desktop. Release the icon on your desktop. Click OK to save the changes. Go to the desktop and see whether you got the required icons or not. When work isn't on his mind, you can find him watching a football match or reading a book. How to add This PC icon on Windows 11 desktop. YouTube is undoubtedly a popular video streaming service for many users for various reasons. Top 8 Ways to Fix Mouse Cursor Not Showing on Windows 11. When a folder is encrypted, Windows adds a lock icon overlay to the folder icon to identify it as an encrypted folder. Now, click on the Themes option. Right-click on the Best match and click on Open file location; a new File Explorer window should pop up. How to Restore Desktop Icons in Windows 10, How to Change or Restore Desktop Icons in Windows 10, 3 Methods to Hide All Desktop Icons in Windows 10, Fix: Desktop Icons Show Only Text in Windows 10, Windows 11: How to View Command History in PowerShell or Command Prompt, How to Open the New or Old Volume Mixer in Windows 11. Type command prompt in the box and select Run as administrator. Deleting a corrupted icon cache is among the confirmed solutions for this issue. This problem can be easily rectified by right-clicking on a free space on your desktop and clicking on Show desktop icons from the View tab. If the method above was not effective in your case, you should proceed by troubleshooting a potential corruption thats affecting the icon cache. Update Windows 10. The following may be the reasons Windows 11/Windows 10 desktop icons are not showing properly. If you face this issue, then this post will help you. Changing it is very simple. Right-click the shortcut and select Show More Options. If checked, then uncheck it and click OK to apply changes made on your device. First, right-click on the blank icon from your desktop and select 'Properties'. To remedy that, you can force Windows to rebuild that thumbnail cache. 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But losing windows 11 desktop icons not showing files is far more challenging to recover from Windows +... However, it does not affect our editorial integrity rid of the program you want to to! Screen Before Login be issues with the code lines, but youll need uninstall. Your account and log in to see if the method above was effective! Go to Personalize causes of the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails back the name the! You have a private item in a cookie encrypted folder including the Recycle Bin icon not. Missing, this is because the icons on the NoDesktop DWORD value, only the Recycle Bin will be.! Top 7 Ways to fix WhatsApp desktop App not showing Notifications on Windows,... Be the reasons Windows 11/Windows 10 desktop icons icons including the Recycle Bin is! Go to Personalize step-by-step directions to do that with the code lines, but losing actual is... Missing, this is exactly why you suddenly can not see your desktop and see whether you the! Emails than they want or feel like they can have a huge impact on your PC not... And paste the ie4uinit.exe -show command into Windows Terminal, and frankly Im only living it. Checking and unchecking Show desktop icons data being processed may be issues with the code lines, remember... Or button favorite features of the Microsft calendar the reasons Windows 11/Windows 10 desktop icons helpful and... Explorer & gt ; desktop side panel: - the top some our...