How to Manage Windows Desktop Icons

In this article we will show you how to Manage Windows Desktop Icons. Most of the time, we put files and folders on our Windows desktop, especially if we want to get to them quickly. Because of this, our desktops could look like a big pile of junk, with files all over the place. In part, this is because of the operating system.

Almost every time you save a file, the Desktop pops up first, making it an easy place to put “just a couple of files.” Unfortunately, these few files quickly turn into a lot more. It doesn’t take long for your desktop to look like a mess. Things don’t have to be like that. You can also go to the official Microsoft support site to know more information.

Cleaning up real-life clutter is much harder than organizing your Windows desktop, and you don’t even have to stop using the Desktop as your default place to organize. Icons on the desktop are a great way for users to get to programs, files, folders, and websites quickly.

Ways to Manage Windows Desktop Icons

Edit your theme setting

Another possibility is that the way you set up your themes is changing the icons on your desktop. With the themes settings, you can change how the background, buttons, menu, and icons on your computer look.

When you use a certain desktop theme, your computer will move your icons around by default. If Windows is moving your icons because of this, you can turn it off. Here is how to change your theme setting step by step:

1. Find the Start Button. It’s usually on the left side of your computer screen and appears as a Windows icon. 
2. Open the Settings App by clicking on the gear icon in the Start Menu.
3. Click on Personalization.
4. Select Themes.
5. In the Related Settings somewhere on the page, click on Desktop icon settings.
6. Disable Allow themes to change desktop icons. Disable this setting by unchecking the box.

Change your screen resolution

Screen resolution is very important, but most people don’t change it themselves. Screen resolution is how big and clear images, apps, and other things on your desktop are. By default, the screen resolution is set to what is best for the size of your desktop. This can make the icons move around in a certain way sometimes.

Find out what your monitor’s native resolution is before you start. You can do this by typing the model number into Google and looking at the specs for the monitor. To change the size and resolution of your screen, you will:

1. Go to Display Settings. You can do this by searching it up in your Start menu or by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting it. 
2. In the Display Settings, open the drop down box under Display resolution to select a new resolution. I recommend adjusting it to your monitor’s native resoltion if it isn’t already.
3. Open the drop down box under where it says Change the size of text, apps, and other items. It will be a sliding bar or a drop down box, and it is usually at the Recommended setting of 250% unless it has been otherwise changed. 
4. Experiment with the scaling percentage. You may want to try 100%, 125%, 200%, screen resolution. 
5. Click Apply. 

Disable the Windows auto-arrange setting

Change the auto-arrange settings to see if that helps you move icons around. This setting is often the default, so it will probably keep happening even if you change how your computer works (by arranging the icons or otherwise). To turn off the setting for auto arrange:

1. Start with a plain desktop screen. This is your screen with nothing else open, where your icons are arranged. 
2. Right-click (on the wallpaper area) and hover your mouse pointer over View.
3. In the pop out menu, uncheck the Auto-arrange icons option.
4. In the same menu, turn off Align Icons To Grid.
5. Restart your computer. Turn your computer off and back on to make sure this has changed the setting. You will do this by selecting the menu and choosing either Shut Down and powering back on or by selecting Restart.

Update graphic card drivers

This method will be similar to the one above in that you will need to know a bit more about technology than with the other methods. For this method, you will update the drivers for the video card. Your computer’s text and images show up because of your graphic card driver. Here’s how to update the drivers for your video card:

1. Press the Windows key and the letter R on your keyboard. This should bring up your Run Dialog.
2. Type in devmgmt.msc and then select Ok. This should open your Device Manager. 
3. Click the button to expand the Display Adapters menu.
4. Right-click your graphics card and select Enable and then select again to select Update. 
5. Have your computer Search automatically for updated driver software.