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- Enable “Show Desktop Icons” feature : Restore your icons by enabling “Show desktop icons” Right-click on an empty space on your desktop, hover over the mouse on “View” in the context menu that appears, and click “Show desktop icons” if there's No checkmark (✔) next to it, clicking it will make your icons visible.
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How do I get my Desktop icons back in Windows 10?
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Why are my desktop icons missing?
Sep 10, 2024 · Restoring desktop icons in Windows 10 is a simple process that can be done in just a few steps. Whether you’re missing your personal shortcuts, like folders and files, or system icons like This PC and Recycle Bin, the solutions are right at your fingertips.
- How to Add Missing System Icons to Desktop on Windows 10
- How to Restore All Of Your Missing Desktop Icons
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Windows includes several desktop icons for system elements like the Recycle Bin, This PC (formerly Computer/My Computer), Control Panel, Network, and your user folder. Depending on your setup, some of these icons may have been included by default on your Windows 7 or 8 desktop. Most Windows 10 desktops only include the Recycle Bin icon. Whatever your current configuration, it's simple enough to show or hide any of these icons on your system.
Right-click any empty space on your desktop and choose the "Personalize" option.
On Windows 10, switch to the "Themes" tab on the left-hand side. Scroll down and click the "Desktop icon settings" link.
Whichever version of Windows you're using, the "Desktop Icon Settings" window that opens next looks the same. Select the check boxes for the icons you want to appear on your desktop, and then click the "OK" and "Apply."
If all of your desktop icons are missing, they've probably been hidden accidentally. Right-click empty space on your desktop, go to "View," then make sure "Show Desktop Icons" is enabled.
If that is enabled and you still don't have any icons, your icons have been deleted. You'll need to restore them from the Recycle Bin. There is a decent chance they've been deleted automatically if they were in the Recycle Bin, however. If that has happened, you'll need to create new desktop shortcuts, but don't worry --- it isn't difficult.
Using Windows 11 instead? You can restore missing desktop icons on Windows 11 PCs, too.
Related: How to Restore Missing Desktop Icons on Windows 11
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Sep 11, 2024 · Right-click anywhere in the Windows desktop area and select View from the menu that appears. You'll see a list of items to customized desktop icons. At the bottom, you'll see Show desktop icons. If it isn't enabled already, that's the reason icons have disappeared from your Windows 10 desktop.
- Ryan Dube
Jan 24, 2022 · Right-click or press-and-hold on an empty area of your desktop, and then, in the contextual menu, access View. Click or tap on the “Show desktop icons” option to check it. All the desktop icons or shortcuts should become visible on your screen.
Mar 18, 2020 · If you or someone else turned off the option for some reason, that’s why your Windows 10 desktop icons have gone missing. You can bring them all back in a couple of clicks, though. While you’re on your desktop, right-click anywhere blank and select View followed by Show desktop icons.
Mar 25, 2024 · If you’re not seeing any of your desktop icons on Windows 10, making them appear is as straightforward as Windows 11. Right-click an empty area on the desktop and select View > Show desktop ...