Personalization Add or Remove Desktop Icons in Windows 11


  • Staff
Desktop_banner.png

This tutorial will how you to add or remove common desktop icons for your account in Windows 11.

The desktop (Win+D) is your home screen and working space in Windows that contains the taskbar and any icons (ex: shortcuts, files, folders, etc...) you add to and arrange on the desktop.

Windows includes the common This PC (aka: Computer), User's Files, Network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel shortcuts that you can add or remove as icons on your desktop.

Reference:

Show desktop icons in Windows - Microsoft Support

How to display desktop icons in Windows.
support.microsoft.com support.microsoft.com


Contents

  • Option One: Add or Remove Desktop Icons in Desktop Icon Settings
  • Option Two: Add or Remove Desktop Icons using REG file


EXAMPLE: desktop icons

Desktop_icons.jpg





Option One

Add or Remove Desktop Icons in Desktop Icon Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Personalization on the left side, and click/tap on Themes on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Desktop_icon_settings-1.png

3 Click/tap on Desktop icon settings. (see screenshot below)

You can also copy and paste rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,0 into Run (Win+R), and click/tap on OK to directly open Desktop Icon Settings.


Desktop_icon_settings-2.png

4 Check (add) or uncheck (remove) the Desktop icons you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Desktop_icon_settings-3.png

5 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Two

Add or Remove Desktop Icons using REG file


1 Do step 2 (This PC), step 3 (User's Files), step 4 (Network), step 5 (Recycle Bin), and/or step 6 (Control Panel) below for the desktop icons you want to add or remove.

2 To Add or Remove This PC Desktop Icon

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.​

Add_This-PC_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000

OR​

Remove_This-PC_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000001
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000001

3 To Add or Remove User's Files Desktop Icon

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.​

Add_Users_Files_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}"=dword:00000000
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}"=dword:00000000

OR​

Remove_Users_Files_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}"=dword:00000001
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}"=dword:00000001

4 To Add or Remove Network Desktop Icon

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.​

Add_Network_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}"=dword:00000000
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}"=dword:00000000

OR​

Remove_Network_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}"=dword:00000001
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}"=dword:00000001

5 To Add or Remove Recycle Bin Desktop Icon

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.​

Add_Recycle_Bin_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}"=dword:00000000
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}"=dword:00000000

OR​

Remove_Recycle_Bin_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}"=dword:00000001
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}"=dword:00000001

6 To Add or Remove Control Panel Desktop Icon

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.​

Add_Control_Panel_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}"=dword:00000000
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}"=dword:00000000

OR​

Remove_Control_Panel_Desktop_Icon.reg​


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code: 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}"=dword:00000001
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}"=dword:00000001

7 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

8 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

9 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

10 Refresh F5 your desktop to apply.

11 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 

Attachments

  • Desktop.png
    Desktop.png
    8 KB · Views: 120
  • Add_Control_Panel_Desktop_Icon.reg
    520 bytes · Views: 341
  • Add_Network_Desktop_Icon.reg
    520 bytes · Views: 295
  • Add_Recycle_Bin_Desktop_Icon.reg
    520 bytes · Views: 245
  • Add_This-PC_Desktop_Icon.reg
    520 bytes · Views: 347
  • Add_Users_Files_Desktop_Icon.reg
    520 bytes · Views: 323
  • Remove_Control_Panel_Desktop_Icon.reg
    522 bytes · Views: 282
  • Remove_Network_Desktop_Icon.reg
    522 bytes · Views: 324
  • Remove_Recycle_Bin_Desktop_Icon.reg
    526 bytes · Views: 307
  • Remove_This-PC_Desktop_Icon.reg
    524 bytes · Views: 296
  • Remove_Users_Files_Desktop_Icon.reg
    524 bytes · Views: 276
Last edited:
Click to expand...
Can you do this for Microsoft Edge? I remember being able to do this for Internet Explorer and you could access the internet properties instead of being a generic shortcut.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 21H2 22000.51
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