An issue I see pop up every so often is where a users desktop icons disappear. This can be worrisome because many users store their files on the desktop and these files appear to disappear as well. I will show you now how to restore desktop icons.

A feature of Windows is the ability to hide the desktop icons. This is a handy feature if you are required to share a screen during a meeting or conference. It is handy too if you just wish to have a minimalist feel to the screen.

If, for whatever reason, the desktop icons have disappeared on your PC – don’t be alarmed – The process to restore the icons is very simple once you know how.

Restore Desktop Icons

To restore your desktop icons first make sure you are on the desktop. You can minimise all items and go back to the desktop by holding the Windows Key and pressing M.

Once you are on the desktop, right click anywhere on the screen. You will be presented with the following menu.

Navigate to the menu item identified as View – Once you hover over view, another menu will appear.

From the second menu, move your mouse cursor down and click on Show Desktop Icons.

Your desktop icons will now be shown on the screen – to hide the icons follow the same steps.

These steps will not work if you have accidentally deleted a file or folder. This will only restore the items that are temporarily hidden from view.

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