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Sometimes you want to Show or Hide Desktop Shortcut Icons in Windows 11/10. This could be done to protect your privacy, like when you share your screen in an online meeting. Before taking a screenshot, you might want to keep your desktop clean.
So, how do you quickly hide those icons on your desktop? This article will show you how to change a few settings to hide the icons on your desktop. We’ll also show you a few programs from outside sources that can help you do this. Let’s get started.
Steps to Hide Desktop Shortcut All Icons in Windows
- Begin on your desktop. Simply close or navigate away from any open programs, to access your desktop, or click the “Show desktop” button in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
- Right-click your desktop. This will bring up a menu with various options. Select the “View” option.
- You will now see a submenu. At the bottom of this submenu is the option to “Show desktop icons.” It will be checked by default.
- Uncheck the “Show desktop icons option” to hide all your desktop icons.
- If you want your desktop icons to return, simply repeat the steps above. This time, select the “Show desktop icons” option and your desktop icons will reappear.
How to show or hide an individual shortcut icon
- Press the Windows key+D on your keyboard to display the Windows desktop.
- Right-click the desktop shortcut icon you’d like to hide.
- From the drop-down menu that appears, select Properties.
- On the General tab, locate the Attributes section.
- Check the box next to Hidden (A), click Apply (B), then click OK (C).
FAQ
How do I hide certain desktop icons in Windows 10?
Go to your desktop and find the icon that you want to hide. Right-click it and select “Properties.” In the Properties window, click the “General” tab and then locate the “Attributes” section near the bottom of the window. Place a check mark beside “Hidden.”
What is the benefit of show desktop button?
Answer: Show Desktop is a shortcut that minimizes all open windows to make the desktop background visible. That way, you can quickly grab a file or launch yet another program from the always useful desktop space in Windows.
How to remove icons from desktop Windows 10 without deleting?
You must right-click an empty space on the desktop. In the left navigation menu, click Themes. On the right side of the Themes settings window, under Related Settings, click the Desktop icon settings option. Uncheck the box next to the desktop icon(s) you want to remove, click Apply, and click OK.
Does deleting a shortcut delete the file?
Important: You can delete a shortcut, but you can’t delete the original file, or a file you don’t own. The shortcut’s owner can delete the shortcut, but the target file can only be deleted by the file’s owner.