Above were some core culprits behind the no icons on the desktop issue. Make sure you select the Keep my files option. After you click on Show desktop items, the desktop should refresh automatically and the icons should re-appear on your screen. You may apply them to drive the problem away. If you want to hide or unhide the desktop icons, or if your Desktop icons are not showing in Windows 11/10/8/7, then this post is sure to help you. Top 6 Ways to Fix File Explorer Tabs Not Showing in Windows 11. Under Themes, scroll down and select Desktop icon settings. Press the Yes button in that box.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thewindowsclub_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',821,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thewindowsclub_com-leader-1-0'); if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thewindowsclub_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',801,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thewindowsclub_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In the final step, you need to restart File Explorer. At Recovery, click Open System Restore . The built-in tool can repair corrupt files and replace them with new ones.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thewindowsclub_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',819,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thewindowsclub_com-banner-1-0'); Restart the File Explorer and check if the desktop icons are available. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "af71bf9a4de3d912dd596aa311b2bee6" );document.getElementById("c494d01588").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Get weekly Video Tutorials tips and trends via email! Copy the file to your Windows 11 PC and make sure you put it somewhere you plan to keep it . Top 11 Ways to Fix Windows 10 Showing Black Screen Before Login. But if you don't want anyone to know that it is an encrypted folder, you can remove the overlay icon. Below are the steps you may take to show desktop icons. thank you that is the only method that worked Ive tried everything on this article and another one like it, and they didnt work. IT WORKEDThank you so very much for your tutorial!! Your email address will not be published. It can be quite irritating if the Windows 10 desktop icons are not showing properly. 1 Open Windows Terminal, and select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt. Copyright 2023 The Windows ClubFreeware Releases from TheWindowsClubFree Windows Software Downloads, Download PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically, 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. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and expand "View". 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. Now, you'll see a window containing desktop icons. Restart File Explorer as instructed in the fourth resolution. Then, click the Browse button to locate the file, folder, or app you want to add to your desktop. Up until September 14, 1995 domain registration was free. Scroll down to the app you want to add to the desktop. If you notice an application icon or system icon with a blue and yellow shield (Icon overlay) at the corner, it means that the applications need to run with administrator privileges. Select Hide When Minimized. Users whove restored missing Windows 11 desktop icons with other methods are most welcome to share alternative fixes in the comments below. . Folder and file names are not showing in Windows 11/10 If folder and file icon names are not showing . He recently joined Guiding Tech as a freelance writer to cover how-tos, explainers, buying guides, tips and tricks for Android, iOS, Windows, and Web. Now, click on the Themes option. The fixes above are most likely to work for restoring missing desktop icons. Right-click on the empty area on your desktop. 2. If you're unable to remove or unpin a program or app icon from Windows 11 or . Generally this can be displayed. Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP (2016-2022). Right-click your desktop and choose the option to. First, you need to uninstall OneDrive, then Rebuild Corrupt Icon Cache here is how to do it. The cause of this is a .. Desktop icons disappeared after Windows 11 update? How To Choose Knowledge Management Software For Windows, Under the Processes tab, locate Windows Explorer, Type wt and press Shift + Enter to launch Windows Terminal with admin permission, Click on the Next button, select one of the available restart points, and click Next. There's a chance that a recent system change is to blame for the missing desktop icons in Windows 11. You may take the steps shared below to do it. The following are the step-by-step directions to do it. If the icons are still not appearing on the desktop, jump to the next solution. Visual Studio now has an integrated Accessibility Checker that detects many common accessibility issues for XAML based desktop applications. Resetting Windows 11 will likely resolve registry or system file issues for missing icons. Hello Guys,In this video ,You will learnHow To Show Icon On Desktop In Windows 11 || Windows 11 desktop Icons Not Showing InSecond Method :Check out this vi. It appears that Microsoft introduced the option to hide the icon menu somewhere during the Windows 11 22H2 . The path for this key is: On the right-hand side of the Explorer key, look for the NoDesktop DWORD value. If this is the case, you can restart the Windows Explorer process to fix the problem. After this, you can follow the steps mentioned below: First of all, open the Registry Editor window. Hopefully, one of the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails back. Note: If you notice a checkbox next toShow desktop icons,icons should already be enabled on your Windows 11 installation. 2. Continue with Recommended Cookies. I only needed to complete step 3. These are the causes for desktop icons not showing in Windows 11: Now lets get your Windows 11 desktop icons back. 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. Hide desktop icons. After weve investigated this issue thoroughly, it turns out that this problem has multiple potential causes. Quick Repair Office; Then let the process complete and reboot your PC to check if the Word . Top 8 Ways to Fix Mouse Cursor Not Showing on Windows 11. User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop. This is because the icons on the desktop have not been removed, they are simply in a state of not being displayed. First, right-click on the blank icon from your desktop and select 'Properties'. Type command prompt in the box and select Run as administrator. While we all love to keep icons and files on the Desktop for quick access . Step 1. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.Click hereto download and start repairing. Now some users have reported that the desktop icons do not show when they place them on their Windows 11 or Windows 10 desktop. Refreshing the icon cache will only force-enable the icon cluster back on. As a last resort, you can perform a clean boot or restore your PC to an earlier restore point. In that case, you can use the following steps to re-enable those desktop icons. Microsoft is aware of this issue and [] document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you have a tech problem, we probably covered it! (Image . Here's how to bring the desktop icons back on Windows 11. How To Choose Knowledge Management Software For Windows. This option is available when you select the Outlook icon in the notification area. Select the file search tool on the taskbar by clicking its box or button. Thanks again. I hope the post was helpful, and you were able to find why desktop icons were not showing in Windows. Log off your account and log in to see if the problem is fixed. If youre running Windows 11 Home, check our guide on how to access the Local Group Policy Editor on Windows Home before continuing. If I go to . How to Show Dextop icon in windows 10| desktop icon missing show| syed tvin this video #syedtv teach you how to show and pull out dwsktop icon in windows 10. On the Customise tab, beneath the Folder Icons section, click Change Icon. Step 2: Type in the command given below and press Enter. Cannot right-click anywhere on the desktop to restore the missing icons? But what if these desktop icons vanish without a trace? Weve created sub-guides for both approaches, but our recommendation is to start by deploying an icon cache refresh (since its the easier approach) and work your way to rebuilding the entire icon cache if the first method fail. Select a restore point before the issue first appeared and hit. Fix 4: Try system restore. Open File Explorer > Folder Options > Views to show Hidden System Files. Most things on our desktop are there for a reason - whether it is a temporary home for something you do not intend to keep, or something you use several times a day and need to be able to quickly access. Can't unpin icon from Taskbar in Windows 11/10. When you run such an application, you will get a UAC prompt. How to Stop Windows 11 from Showing Edge Tabs in Alt+Tab Windows 11 Sep 6, 2021. . Restore File Explorer default settings. Some Windows users are reporting that after installing a pending update on Windows 11, their desktop shortcuts have completely disappeared. 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. Step 2: Click on More details to expand Task Manager. Not having the proper desktop icon settings may also lead to the Windows 10 home desktop not showing issue. When that data gets corrupted, Windows might fail to load up thumbnails. Following this, your desktop icons should be visible. Choose View and select Show desktop icons. Step 3: In the Process tab, scroll down to find Windows Explorer. The longer you use computers and specific applications, the more familiar you become with useful keyboard shortcuts. . Several users have reported that the Nvidia didn't open when the icon was showing up in the search results. Fix 6: Perform computer reset. Windows 7,8.1,10. If the icon cache is responsible for this problem, you should be able to fix the problem by refreshing the icon cache via Windows Terminal or by rebuilding the entire icon cache using a custom .BAT file. Type regedit in the Search box of Windows 11/10 and use Enter key for this. You can download Restoro by clicking the Download button below. The good news is nothing is lost, you just need to re-enable the setting. TheWindowsClub covers authentic Windows 11, Windows 10 tips, tutorials, how-to's, features, freeware. How to fix white or blank Icons on the Windows 10 and 11 Desktop or Taskbar. If you use a PC, there's no doubt you would be using a mouse along with it. If you're missing the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop in Windows 11, the steps below will show you how to restore it. If the first method does not work. 1. Note: If you notice a checkbox next to Show desktop icons, icons should already be enabled on your Windows 11 installation. Note that you can only access the Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Professional, Enterprise, and Education editions. This is the first guide I found that actually repaired the issue; most of them only suggest the File Explorer Options method to only view thumbnails. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Still having issues? Q3. I'm using Win 10, but I assume there is something similar in Win 11. Step 2: When you click the Folder Options tab. . 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. Click View on the command bar. Rearrange your monitors by dragging and dropping the squares to the way you want them to be ordered. This post will show you how to unpin or remove the pinned Taskbar items in Windows 11/10. Regardless of what you store on your desktop - application shortcuts, files, folders, etc., it is important to have access to those items when you need them. When a folder is encrypted, Windows adds a lock icon overlay to the folder icon to identify it as an encrypted folder. Pankil is a freelance tech writer from India who enjoys writing how-tos, guides, and troubleshooting tips for Windows, Android, and Internet. On the desktop, press and hold Ctrl while you scroll the wheel to make icons larger or smaller. Here, under the "Processes" section, scroll down and look for " Windows Explorer ". While Windows 11 does not show any folder thumbnails by design, it still supports file thumbnails. 2. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Select Show desktop icons. Now all you will see is the icon. Reboot. User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop. If the desktop icons are still not showing up, you may continue troubleshooting. If there has been a recent Windows 10 update, it could be that your missing desktop icons are related to a vulnerability patch contained in that update. Disable Windows 10 Tablet mode. If you're facing this baffling problem, this guide will help you restore the missing desktop icons in Windows 11. replied to Anonymous. Then, you can change the arrangement options if necessary. I have tried everything in this article, and have also uninstalled One Drive. On the right-side locate Hide and disable all items on the desktop. 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. Now, right-click the newly made shortcut and select Properties. Click and drag the icon. Kamil is a certified MCITP, CCNA (W), CCNA (S) and a former British Computer Society Member with over 9 years of experience Configuring, Deploying and Managing Switches, Firewalls and Domain Controllers also an old-school still active on FreeNode. Step 3: In the Visual effects tab, select Custom and check Save taskbar thumbnail previews and Show thumbnails instead of icons. We have earlier talked about tweaking Visual Effects, disabling Show content while dragging objects and disabling Font Smoothing in order to enhance the performance of Windows 11/10. Get all latest content delivered straight to your inbox. Our purpose is to share the true essence of technology with our tech-loving community. Top 6 Ways to Fix Windows 11 Showing Wrong Time. Right-click on the NoDesktop DWORD value and use the Delete option. The thumbnails not showing issues can also occur due to that. Restart your computer after completing the repair process. To hide the desktop icons, use these steps: Right-click on the desktop area. Then click on Apply followed by OK. Corrupted or missing system files can lead to errors on Windows 11, including this one. I still do not have thumbnails. Follow these steps to perform a system restore on Windows: Wait for Windows to reboot and revert to the specified restore point. Right-click Windows Explorer and select its, Search for the Command Prompt by inputting a, Right-click Command Prompt within the search tool to select a. While the reason behind this could range anywhere from a minor glitch to corrupted system files, this guide covers all the possible solutions that will help you bring those thumbnails back. Unexpectedly losing all of the icons on your desktop can be extremely upsetting, especially if you store folders and documents directly on the desktop. Thus, let us first go through what may have gone wrong. On the expanded menu, click Properties. Check whether the above steps fixed the issue or if the Windows 10 desktop icons are still not showing. 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. Now you need to pin the shortcut to the taskbar. 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. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Codecs Support], 5Ways to Run File Explorer as Administrator in Windows 11. Method 1: Enable Show Desktop Icons. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Windows 11 Windows 10. ; Now select Apps and expand the MS Office installation. Any update on this? Corrupt system files may make you receive the Windows 10 desktop icons not showing issue. Select Show and Click the . There are multiple reasons why your file names are not showing up, like corrupted system image files, conflicting third-party services or startup apps, etc. Right-click on an empty area on the Desktop and click on View > Show desktop icons. All Rights Reserved. Make sure the option Always show icons, never thumbnails under Advanced Settings is not selected. Close the elevated Windows Terminal app and see if the problem is now fixed. 3:13. If you configure your Desktop to hide all icons, all icons including the Recycle Bin will be hidden. I never had a system with OneDrive, and frankly Im only living with it for 1 year. Before fixing desktop icons not showing, its worth considering some of the causes for them disappearing in the first place. Therefore, below is how to check and fix these settings. Thankfully, such issues are often easily resolved once you restart File Explorer. This software repairs common computer errors by replacing the problematic system files with the initial working versions. Missing important WhatsApp messages is never fun. Once you complete the above steps, your icons should appear on the desktop. If the two methods above didnt work in your case, chances are youre dealing with some kind of corruption that is affecting the registry database that handles your Windows icons. Now select the Desktop folder, present in the right pane. Image: MSpoweruser. Then, click on Apply followed by OK. Hopefully, the above-mentioned solutions have helped you restore the missing desktop icons on Windows 11 and things are back to normal. In this case, move directly to the next method below. Select the box that is your main monitor. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken. 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. We recommend downloading this PC Repair tool (rated Great on TrustPilot.com) to easily address them. Right-click a folder on your Windows 11 PC and select Show more options to expand the menu. And if your answer is yes, please share this article with your friends and family to give us your support. Click Apply and then OK to see if the missing desktop icons appear. It will open another window where you can change icons of This PC, User Folder, Network, Recycle Bin using the Change Icon button. To do so, right-click on an empty part of the desktop and select Personalize. 2. Fix 2: Check the settings of your desktop icons. Click on "View" in the pop-up menu. Step 3: After clicking Personalization, Scroll down the page and click on Taskbar on the right side of the window.. Step 3. Next, go to C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local folder If this does not work, try unchecking the option to change your desktop icons. If the thumbnail not showing the issue is limited to only a few file types, it might be due to the set default application. If you know why icons are not showing on Windows 10/11 desktop home, getting rid of the problem becomes easier. 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. Created by Anand Khanse, MVP. Now knowing all the time I have spent over the past year trying to resolve the problem and it too was OneDrive really (_(*)W(*E#. Double-click the Hide and disable all items on the desktop policy. 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. Here are a couple of troubleshooting tips to fix the problem of Windows 11 desktop icons not showing. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to quickly launch the Task Manager. Press OK to exit and close Group Policy Editor. 1:06. Same as other users, I have gone through all the troubleshooting steps listed above but the issue persists. If Windows 11 is failing to load up thumbnails, you can try running an SFC scan by following the steps below. How to Create & Change Desktop Icons! Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager. 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. This works in most cases, where the issue is originated due to a system corruption. In this screenshot, you can clearly see how Windows drops a shadow for icon labels: Click on OK to save changes. First, you need to check the File Explorer Options on Windows to ensure that thumbnails are enabled on your PC. Several affected users that were also dealing with this issue on Windows 11 have reported that theyve been able to fix the problem by creating a custom .reg file to ensure that the registry database related to icon management is not corrupted. This is why you don't want to start adding icons to your desktop again - as you will only be adding duplicates since the original icons are not being displayed. Step 3: Scroll down to select Thumbnails and click on the Remove files option at the top. Unfortunately, Windows 11 still lacks the "Show all icons" option from Windows 10. How to Generate Art from Text Using Simplified AI Art Generator? Launch your computers settings using the keyboard command. Frequently Asked Questions. changing the default app for the file type, What Is the Difference Between Restore and Reset in Windows 10, 3 Best Ways to Open Unknown File Extensions in Windows 11, https://www.thewindowsclub.com/rebuild-icon-clear-thumbnail-cache-windows-10. Select the shortcut icon, and then press F2. When not composing tech articles, you can find her bringing characters to life in her fictional stories, reading something intriguing, or spending time with her near and dear ones. We explain and teach technology, solve tech problems and help you make gadget buying decisions. In that case, you can try clearing the corrupted icon cache data. Rebuild the icon cache. After weve investigated this issue thoroughly, it turns out that this problem has multiple potential causes. Now, you may check the next section for all the questions you may have regarding fixing the icons not showing on desktop issues. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware. Double-click on it to open its Properties box. These were all the solutions you need to fix the missing Desktop icons. Note: You probably noticed the result you get isn't actually "Desktop Icon Settings," but rather "Themes and Related Settings.". I am about to smash my laptop because of this issue. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. Then, switch to the Customise tab. How do you get the icons back? If the above solutions fail to resolve the thumbnails not showing issue on Windows, then malware may affect your PC. Click Apply then press OK to show the selected desktop icons. What happens when you switch on your computer? Select Options from that menu. System file scanning can also sometimes fix Windows 11 desktop icons not showing. Unclickable desktop icons may be a result of broken shortcuts or problematic file association. Select Choose a different restore point, and click Next . However, sometimes you may find it troublesome when you try to unpin or remove a program or app icon from Windows 10 Taskbar. What did work? WRs guide to factory resetting Windows 11 includes instructions for how to do that with the built-in tool and other methods. You can try changing the default app for the file type to see if that helps. Right-click on your desktop and select the, Check the icons you wish to show on the desktop and click on. 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. 5. Click OK to save the changes. If this is missing, this is exactly why you suddenly cannot see your desktop icons. Choose View and select Show desktop icons. 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. If desktop icons are not showing at all which include desktop shortcuts and system icons (like Recycle Bin), then there are chances that an associated setting in Windows Registry is configured for it. This article shared many fixes to the Windows icons not showing up on the desktop issue. How to Fix Desktop Icons Not Working/Not Showing Properly in Windows 10/8/7. Second, the reason this is an issue in Windows 11 for some users is because a recent update toggled the display desktop icons setting off for some people. Manage Settings Its essential to have icons on the desktop for quicker software access. Q1. Step 1: Open the Start menu, type file explorer options, and press Enter. Try running it in Windows compatibility mode. Press the taskbar button to access File Explorer. Once you complete the above steps, restart your PC and see if the desktop icons appear. Report. Incidentally, on a related note, this post will help you if your Desktop Icons not working or are unclickable. Step 4: Turn on desktop . A smaller window will appear labeled as 'Change Icon'. 5. Right-click on "fsquirt" and then click on "Copy" to copy the application. This will force Windows to rebuild the icon cache from scratch and resolve your problem. how to access the Local Group Policy Editor on Windows Home, how to add icons to the desktop on Windows, Paste the following command in the console and press. However, some users cant access their shortcuts when the desktop doesnt show icons. Launch the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon in the taskbar or pressing the Windows key from the keyboard. You will see "fsquirt" in the search results bearing the Bluetooth icon. You have some urgent tasks to complete, but the icons are not showing on the desktop. To add icons to your desktop such as This PC, Recycle Bin and more: Select Start , open Settings , then under Personalization , select Themes . TIP: This post will show you how to auto-hide desktop icons in Windows 11/10. Step 1: Open the Start menu, type view advanced system settings, and press Enter. Now, uncheck the Auto arrange icons option from the sub-menu. Select a "Desktop" icon from the c:\windows\system32\imageres.dll file. It will open another window where you can select which desktop icons can appear on the Desktop. Press Enter after each command. Then press the Windows logo key. Select Administrative Template and Desktop to access policy settings for the desktop area. Click on the Desktop icon settings. Go to the desktop and see whether you got the required icons or not. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders.