windows 11 desktop icons not showing

Before that, a Registry backup is recommended. Step 1: Open the Start menu, type file explorer options, and press Enter. Make sure there is a check-mark next to the "Show desktop icons" option. Unclickable desktop icons may be a result of broken shortcuts or problematic file association. https://www.thewindowsclub.com/rebuild-icon-clear-thumbnail-cache-windows-10. Frequently Asked Questions. Click on the File Explorer in your taskbar. Right-click on the Best match and click on Open file location; a new File Explorer window should pop up. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. First, consider resetting Windows 11 to resolve the issue. Make sure to click and drag the icon, not the address itself. Right-click your desktop and choose the option to. THank God I was able to resolve it. Open the Settings app by pressing Win key+I key on your keyboard. We understand the situation may seem a whole lot frustrating. Windows 11 can stop showing you those file thumbnails for various reasons sometimes. 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. Right-click the shortcut and select Show More Options. Step 1: Open the Start menu, type view advanced system settings, and press Enter. Step 3: In the Visual effects tab, select Custom and check Save taskbar thumbnail previews and Show thumbnails instead of icons. Right-click on an empty area on the Desktop and click on View > Show desktop icons. Heres a shortlist of potential culprits that might be triggering this error code: 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. This will take you to the folder's properties page. TheWindowsClub covers authentic Windows 11, Windows 10 tips, tutorials, how-to's, features, freeware. A special window titled "Desktop Icon Settings" will appear. Then, click the Browse button to locate the file, folder, or app you want to add to your desktop. Below are the steps you may take to show desktop icons. This post shows how to get all your desktop icons back after they suddenly disappeared on Windows 11 devices. Rearrange your monitors by dragging and dropping the squares to the way you want them to be ordered. I spent my high school years working as a campus writer and researcher, as I get older, I want to broaden my horizons and live life to the fullest. Some Windows users are reporting that after installing a pending update on Windows 11, their desktop shortcuts have completely disappeared. Top 5 Ways to Fix YouTube Thumbnails Not Showing. Microsoft is aware of this issue and [] In this case, move directly to the next method below. Now, uncheck the Auto arrange icons option from the sub-menu. Now some users have reported that the desktop icons do not show when they place them on their Windows 11 or Windows 10 desktop. If this service encounters any issues, your desktop and taskbar icons may disappear. First, go through the following resolutions in the order specified to restore desktop icons in Windows 11. (see screenshot below) 3 If the refresh doesn't sort the icons, you can try Option Two or Option Three. If the icons were already there and suddenly disappeared, the quick fix is to restart the File Explorer. Select the Outlook icon in the notification area. 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. Problems with the cache files might be a reason the Windows icons are not showing. You'll see the icon and the site address drag with your mouse cursor. Being a technology enthusiast, she loves learning new things about tech and making everyone technologically literate through her articles. Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP (2016-2022). Here are a couple of troubleshooting tips to fix the problem of Windows 11 desktop icons not showing. Note: If you notice a checkbox next to Show desktop icons, icons should already be enabled on your Windows 11 installation. Q3. At the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access. This will force Windows to rebuild the icon cache from scratch and resolve your problem. If you configure your Desktop to hide all icons, all icons including the Recycle Bin will be hidden. Let's do it together. User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop. Click the Start button, type "Desktop Icon Settings" into the search bar, then hit Enter, click "Open," or click "Themes and Related Settings.". It happens when the shortcut is broken, or the file association has a problem. Launch the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon in the taskbar or pressing the Windows key from the keyboard. Many users experienced this after an update to Windows was automatically installed. Restart your computer to make the changes take effect. Select Show and Click the Hidden items option. If the refresh doesnt happen automatically, right-click on a free space on your desktop again and click on Refresh from the context menu. Windows 11 Home doesnt have Group Policy Editor. Step 1: Press Windows key + I to open Settings and go to Storage. If your desktop icons are missing or appear blank or broken, you can fix the issue by rebuilding the desktop icon cache. Heres how to change that. Pankil is a freelance tech writer from India who enjoys writing how-tos, guides, and troubleshooting tips for Windows, Android, and Internet. Icons may not be appearing on the desktop because you do not have the show desktop icon feature activated. Thus, let us first go through what may have gone wrong. 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. Open File Explorer > Folder Options > Views to show Hidden System Files. 6. On the expanded menu, click Properties. Tip: You can also use the scroll wheel on your mouse to resize desktop icons. 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! Remove Lock Overlay Icon on Encrypted Files. On the right-hand side pane, click the Desktop icon settings option. Right-click on the Desktop and then click on View. Type command prompt in the box and select Run as administrator. Up until September 14, 1995 domain registration was free. However, this article elucidates how to fix the issue quickly and easily. Restart File Explorer. After installing the build, several users are reporting that Start and Taskbar were unresponsive and Settings and other areas of the OS not responding. Now, follow the on-screen directions to complete the process of resetting your computer. 7. How do I fix icons not displaying on my desktop? Grab the imageres.dll.mun file from the C:\Windows\SystemResources folder on a Windows 10 PC. If you can't figure out what it is, you can use System Restore to restore Windows to a previous state. Below are the answers to almost each of the questions that anyone might have about the icons not showing up on the desktop. That is fine the Themes window is where the . We explain and teach technology, solve tech problems and help you make gadget buying decisions. Anyone have any other suggestions? 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. System file corruption: Icon display issues can feasibly arise from corrupted system files. Go to Windows Settings (Win + I) > Personalization > Themes. Desktop icons still dont show up after trying the above methods? However, some users cant access their shortcuts when the desktop doesnt show icons. TheWindowsClub covers authentic Windows 11, Windows 10 tips, tutorials, how-to's, features, freeware. Tech Rider. Press OK to exit and close Group Policy Editor. When work isn't on his mind, you can find him watching a football match or reading a book. Double-click on it to open its Properties box. 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. It will open another window where you can select which desktop icons can appear on the Desktop. Open Apps in the Windows Settings; Then click on the Modify button and click Yes (if UAC prompt received). Resetting Windows 11 will likely resolve registry or system file issues for missing icons. Continue with Recommended Cookies. To fix this, you must disable this Hide and disable all items on the desktop from the Group Policy Editor. Select Administrative Template and Desktop to access policy settings for the desktop area. Since the . Delete the hidden IconCache.db file. Step 3. Alternatively, you can create a shortcut on your desktop by using the Create Shortcut wizard. Select all the checkboxes. Follow. 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. Step 2: In the following window, switch to the View tab and click on the Restore Defaults button. 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. If you're missing the Recycle Bin icon on your Desktop in Windows 11, the steps below will show you how to restore it. Then press the Windows logo key. Yet, there could still be other ways to fix desktop icons not showing in Windows 11. To remedy that, you can force Windows to rebuild that thumbnail cache. Click Apply > OK to show the selected desktop icons. 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. If your answer is no, you can ask anything via the contact forum section related to this article. 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. #1 - How to Fix the Desktop Icons Not Moving Issue in Windows 10 / 11 . To do so, right-click anywhere on the desktop and select New > Shortcut. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and expand "View". Reboot. Not having the proper desktop icon settings may also lead to the Windows 10 home desktop not showing issue. 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. 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. We covered this topic in more detail in our guide to how to add icons to the desktop on Windows. Luckily, there is an easy fix for this issue. Now, select the program icon and then right-click to . Commerce major. To view them, right-click the desktop, select View, and then select Show desktop icons. You may take the steps shared below to do it. 2 Copy and paste the ie4uinit.exe -show command into Windows Terminal, and press Enter. I hope you understand this article, Desktop icons not showing in Windows 11/10. 3. To rebuild icon cache on Windows 11: Press Win + S to open the search menu. Fix: In StartAllBack, a Start menu replacement app, you can set the taskbar to uncombine by selecting None on the Taskbar tab. 3 minutes ago. Hopefully, one of the solutions above has helped you bring those thumbnails back. If so, you dont need to be a magician to get them back. Using the "Desktop Icons" section near the top of the window, place check marks beside the special icons you'd like to appear on the desktop. YouTube is undoubtedly a popular video streaming service for many users for various reasons. Copyright Windows Report 2023. 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. Open File Explorer on your Windows 11 device and select Options > View > Restore Defaults > Apply to undo any system changes that could be affecting thumbnails. Step 1: Right-click on the Start menu icon Windows Terminal (admin) option from the resulting menu. Choose View and select Show desktop icons. Go to the desktop and see whether you got the required icons or not. Usually, this happens if the file associations are messed up. A couple of things worth nothing about this issue. 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. Today's major update to Windows 11, that I am pumped to introduce, meets this new age of AI and reinvents and improves the way people get things done on their PCs. Follow out a detailed guide on how to fix the unclickable desktop icons. Get all latest content delivered straight to your inbox. If the first method does not work. Once you do that, all your hidden desktop icons should reappear. Select the "View" submenu and choose the "Show desktop icons" option again to hide the icons . Open up Notepad with admin access. 1:06. Deleting a corrupted icon cache is among the confirmed solutions for this issue. If you know why icons are not showing on Windows 10/11 desktop home, getting rid of the problem becomes easier. Check the box beside Show more restore points. Then, click on Apply followed by OK. Refer to our guide on how to fix corrupt drivers on Windows for more instructions on how to fix this. Now you need to pin the shortcut to the taskbar. You may check and fix the .Ink file association to solve this problem. System restore returns your computer to the state before you started experiencing the Windows 11/10 icons not showing on the desktop problem. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager. Right-click a blank space on the desktop, and select "View/Show Desktop Icons" in the pop-up menu. I never had a system with OneDrive, and frankly Im only living with it for 1 year. All hidden icons will show up instantly. So, lets get right to it. Below are the step-by-step instructions to do it. 1 Open Windows Terminal, and select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt. Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to quickly launch the Task Manager. Toggle on the settings next to the app icon you want to appear. Therefore, you may follow these steps to restore your desktop to the earlier state. The fixes above are most likely to work for restoring missing desktop icons. Wait for the scan to reach 100 percent and show an outcome message inside Command Prompt. Step 2. If you want a particular desktop icon, let's say Recycle . You can try updating the faulty driver using Device Manager to see if that helps. Heres a shortlist of potential culprits that might be triggering this error code: How to Stop Windows 11 from Showing Edge Tabs in Alt+Tab Windows 11 Sep 6, 2021. . 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: Niharika is a passionate soul who finds immense satisfaction in putting all her thoughts in writing. Final remarks: Desktop icons not showing in Windows 11/10. Click on the Desktop icon settings. 3:13. Now all your desktop icons will appear immediately. Step 2: When you click the Folder Options tab. 5. All Rights Reserved. 2. Next, go to C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local folder Reply. Log off your account and log in to see if the problem is fixed. Well provide you with the code lines, but youll need to create the BAT file yourself. Following that, your desktop icons should appear. None of my older computers with previous Windows OS versions had this issue ever. In this case, updating or reinstalling the graphics card driver helps. ; Now select Apps and expand the MS Office installation. If a similar issue is bugging you on your Windows 11 computer, you can troubleshoot and fix it. Select a restore point before the issue first appeared and hit. 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. If the above-mentioned steps do not help to restore missing desktop icons on Windows 10 PC, then do the following steps:-. Step 2: Type in the command given below and press Enter. If the issue persists even after updating the driver, your graphics driver may be corrupt. If that policy is set to Enabled, select Not configured. Rebuild Thumbnail Cache in this tutorial to resolve my issues. The good news is nothing is lost, you just need to re-enable the setting. 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. Press Win + R to open the Run Command. Hopefully, the icons are back on your desktop. 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#. Here's how to bring the desktop icons back on Windows 11. Usually, the text in the shortcut icons is of no use as the icons themselves are enough to know which app it points to. 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. For example, if you'd like to see the Recycle Bin on your desktop . It will open another window where you can change icons of This PC, User Folder, Network, Recycle Bin using the Change Icon button. Users whove restored missing Windows 11 desktop icons with other methods are most welcome to share alternative fixes in the comments below. Therefore, this article focuses on helping you fix the desktop icons not showing issues. Any application can add its icon to the system tray. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Here, under the "Processes" section, scroll down and look for " Windows Explorer ". Right-click on the desktop icon and select Properties. 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. OneDrive as an online signin and upload or download is a helpful resource, for me. 1 Why does the Nvidia control panel not showing in Windows 11?1.1 Download Manual Drivers Package1.2 Update Display Adapter Drivers Automatically1.3 Restart your NVIDIA Services1.4 Add Desktop Context Menu2 Conclusion If the desktop icons are still not showing up, you may continue troubleshooting. Many of us prefer using thumbnails over icons. Go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders. 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! Almost nobody complains that they do not get enough emails. Here's how to perform a system restore to help fix your "desktop icons disappeared in Windows 10" issue: Type recovery in the Windows search box, then press Enter. 5. If the method above was not effective in your case, you should proceed by troubleshooting a potential corruption thats affecting the icon cache. Feb 28 2022 11:28 AM. System file scanning can also sometimes fix Windows 11 desktop icons not showing. How to show ICONs on . The icons usually appear when there is activity, but if you want to keep an icon visible, you can do so using the Taskbar Settings. Right-click (or press and hold) the desktop, point to View, and then select Large icons, Medium icons, or Small icons. Therefore, below is how to check and fix these settings. Browse more videos. Click Change Icon. Q1. 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. In the context menu of your desktop, select Arrange. Created by Anand Khanse, MVP. Still having issues? Early today, Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 22000.176 to Insiders in the Beta Channel and Windows 11 Build 22449 to the Dev Channel Insiders. If the above solutions fail to resolve the thumbnails not showing issue on Windows, then malware may affect your PC. Now access the Explorer Registry key. Select Show desktop icons. Select the box that is your main monitor. 2. Make sure there is a check-mark next to the Show desktop icons option. Update Windows 10. On Windows 11, you can show or hide desktop icons with a couple of clicks. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. Several users have reported that the Nvidia didn't open when the icon was showing up in the search results. Also Read: [Solved] USB Drive Not Showing Up on Windows 10. TechTips. Select all the checkboxes for desktop icons. 1:46. Typecmdin your Windows search bar and selectRun as Administrator. TIP: This post will show you how to auto-hide desktop icons in Windows 11/10. Fix 5: Check the OS files. Click "Show desktop icons" if the checkmark is missing which will toggle all of the icons back onto your desktop. Double-click the Hide and disable all items on the desktop policy. If desktop icons are disabled from the Group Policy Editor, you wont be able to add or remove desktop icons no matter what you do. Step 2: Now, right-click again on an empty space on the Desktop and click Refresh. Or you can also access the tab through "Start" > "Settings" > "Personalization". Also Read: How to Fix Run as Administrator Not Showing in Windows. 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. Image: MSpoweruser. 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. Type in desk.cpl ,,5. Manage Settings 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. Step 2: Click on Personalization in the left pane of the window.. How to Show Desktop Icons in Windows 11. Created by Anand Khanse, MVP. Top 8 Ways to Fix Mouse Cursor Not Showing on Windows 11. Then, click Next followed by Finish. If your desktop icons are still missing at this point, you can try restoring them manually. I strongly believe that there may be issues with the MS OneDrive that may also be a culprit in this scenario. Credit to the author. Close the elevated Windows Terminal app and see if the problem is now fixed. It also keeps you away from critical file loss, hardware failure, and repairs damages made by malware and viruses. To do so, right-click on an empty part of the desktop and select Personalize. These are the causes for desktop icons not showing in Windows 11: Now lets get your Windows 11 desktop icons back. This action would purge and rebuild the icon cache. There may be times when you might want to quickly show a clean desktop by hiding all the icons. If you move the taskbar to the top of your screen, the taskbar thumbnail previews show above the taskbar (off screen) and not below. Here's what you need to do: Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Double-click on it to open its Properties box. Why am I not able to click on desktop icons? I purchased this desktop specifically so my editing software would run faster, and now this. Above, we discussed all about fixing the Windows 10 desktop icons not showing issue. Release the icon on your desktop. If youve recently tweaked any of the Windows performance options, you might not see any thumbnails previews on Windows. If the problem is still not fixed, move down to the final potential fix below. This article shared many fixes to the Windows icons not showing up on the desktop issue. 2. Select the file search tool on the taskbar by clicking its box or button. Right-click on "fsquirt" and then click on "Copy" to copy the application. If you're unable to move icons, you can click and drag them to another place. What did work? The updated File Explorer in Windows 11 features a tabbed interface that lets you open multiple File Explorer tabs within a single window and switch between them as necessary. 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. Click Apply then press OK to show the selected desktop icons. I still do not have thumbnails. If this is missing, this is exactly why you suddenly cannot see your desktop icons. The only thing you need to be sure of is correctly picking up a restore point where everything is working as expected. Fonts can come. 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. How do I fix icons not displaying on Windows 10? 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. This post discusses a different type of shortcut that can. Click Identify to see how Windows sees your monitors. Method 2: Configure Your Desktop Icons Settings. Type regedit in the Search box of Windows 11/10 and use Enter key for this. The desktop is a lot less useful if you can't put icons on it. However, if none of the above solutions work, you may have to reset your Windows 11 PC as a last resort. In the Desktop window, paste the application. Make sure you select the Keep my files option. Right click on your desktop and select View. 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. Unfortunately, Windows 11 still lacks the "Show all icons" option from Windows 10. Fix 4: Try system restore. Inside the elevated Notepad window, paste the following code inside the empty box: Wait until the file is processed, then reboot your computer and see if your desktop icons are restored on your Windows installation the next time you restart your PC. This problem seems to be primarily affecting Windows 11 users running on insider builds. While we all love to keep icons and files on the Desktop for quick access, it results in too much clutter. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. So, you need to delete it. 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. 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. If this is the case, you can restart the Windows Explorer process to fix the problem. You can turn on Bluetooth simply by double-clicking on the "fsquirt" icon . If you're unable to remove or unpin a program or app icon from Windows 11 or .

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