Desktop files showing in File Explorer Desktop folder but not on my desktop

Memsahib · Mar 22, 2024

I do have my data on drive D and have changed the location from C. It was working fine but somehow a confusion with Onedrive desktop and local desktop have made it so that when I save a file to D:\Users\Name\desktop they are no longer showing on my desktop, but are in the desktop folder in FE. Yes, I have set view hidden icons . One suggestion was to stop backing Desktop to Onedrive but all that has done is remove Desktop as an option under my Personal folders. There seem to be so many other people having the same problem and I have tried a few of the suggestions but I still have the problem of saving documents or downloads to teh desktop. Other icons like Recycling Bin and Control panel show. There are regular reports and lists that I like to download to my desktop so I have easy access and so really hope that there is someone who can help me sort this problem out! Thanks in advance!

Ghot · Mar 22, 2024

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antspants · Mar 22, 2024

That is odd, because regardless of where you tell your PC where your desktop folder resides, as long as right click desktop context menu “view/show desktop icons” is checked, they should show.

TairikuOkami · Mar 22, 2024

There are actually 2 desktops and if restrictions are in place, they might not be shown.

Code:

%SystemDrive%\Users\Public\Desktop
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop

Taking ownership of them might help. Run CMD as admin and copy/paste:

Code:

takeown /s %computername% /u %username% /f "%SystemDrive%\Users\Public\Desktop" /r /d y
icacls "%SystemDrive%\Users\Public\Desktop" /inheritance:r
icacls "%SystemDrive%\Users\Public\Desktop" /inheritance:e /grant:r %username%:(OI)(CI)F /t /l /q /c
takeown /s %computername% /u %username% /f "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop" /r /d y
icacls "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop" /inheritance:r
icacls "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop" /inheritance:e /grant:r %username%:(OI)(CI)F /t /l /q /c

Try3 · Mar 22, 2024

Memsahib said:
when I save a file to D:\Users\Name\desktop they are no longer showing on my desktop, but are in the desktop folder in FE

This sounds, to me, like a description of a Refresh problem.
Have you Refreshed the Desktop?
- right-click on the Desktop & select Refresh,
or
- press the F5 key.

Denis

Memsahib · Mar 22, 2024

Thanks everyone for all suggestions. None of which made any difference. Tried CMD suggestion and all except 2 were denied. Could this be because my data is on D drive and the changes were on C? Did restart my PC. I have used Stardock Fences App for several years and beginning to wonder if some changes in that may be to blame. All previous files saved are still in their 'Fence'. Only new files being saved not showing.

trevo · Mar 23, 2024

Memsahib said:
when I save a file to D:\Users\Name\desktop they are no longer showing on my desktop, but are in the desktop folder in FE

Are they being saved to C:\Users\Name\Desktop?

Try3 · Mar 23, 2024

Memsahib said:
Thanks everyone for all suggestions. None of which made any difference

Are you saying that Refresh did not make any difference?
And that rebooting did not make any difference?

If the files are in your Desktop folder - by default in C:\Users\%UserName%\Desktop - but are not being shown in the Desktop you look at on your screen then one explanation would be that you have "relocated" your Desktop folder.
Have you?
You can check by running regedit.exe and looking at the Desktop entry in this Registry Key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Denis

Memsahib · Mar 24, 2024

Again thanks to everyone who has responded. No not on C:\ Drive . I have had my Asus Zenbook laptop Win 11, with partitioned hard drive for well over a year and it has been working fine, but I feel one of the most recent Win 11 updates has affected how Onedrive is working and it seems to have changed the settings. I have ensured that the folders including Desktop are set 'always keep on device" - and while I want the benefits of using Onedrive, beginning to think perhaps I should unlink it for a while and see if that sorts out the issues.