Desktop icons change location because of temporal files

Hi, I have an issue on the desktop where, when editing a file, a temporary file appears in its place and pushes the actual file to the next available spot. Is there any way to stop this?

Auto-arrange is off. Align to grid is on. Sorting is off (none selected).

Also, when downloading from the internet to the desktop, files and folders sometimes get relocated. My guess is that the temporary file created during the download is the cause. When downloading multiple files, gaps often appear on the desktop (temporary file – actual file – temporary file – actual file…), because the temporary files get deleted when each download finishes.

Both behaviors are very annoying and seem buggy. The root cause appears to be the same. How to solve this?

I know exactly what you mean. My settings are the same and have been for decades.
Where would you expect them to put a new Icon. My new Icons take a spare location on the Left probably because that's where most Icons are or it is left justifying.

The answer is not to use the Desktop for files, folders, downloads. The reason for that is the Desktop is a special system location. Over the decades has proven to be not a good idea, and now potential involvement of OneDrive syncing.

I always use Desktop Shortcuts(pointers) to those Locations like working folders etc. The reason being that deletion just removes the Shortcut not the actual Files/Folders.

The behaviour is certainly not a bug, just a default programming decision.

To reduce the chance of data loss and provide rollback capabilities, Word does not overwrite the original file when saving. It always writes to a temporary file while you're editing. I agree with @Helmut recommendations.

I’ll try using shortcuts for the files I have on the desktop. I understand that the temporary file will be created in the folder and not on the desktop itself, which should prevent this behavior.

I still don’t see a solution for the downloads. There’s no way to track the download order when this happens. Is there any way to apply this setting to the Desktop only? Folder Options > View > Don’t show hidden files, folders, or drives?

James9095 said:

Is there any way to apply this setting to the Desktop only? Folder Options > View > Don’t show hidden files, folders, or drives?

Click to expand...

No.

My solution is to keep hidden files hidden as designed and just have a quick way to toggle Hidden (and, in my case, also System) between shown and not shown.

I have a right-click option for that (via my Right-click Tools) but you could also assign a hot key for that via a shortcut linked to a script or by using AHK.

Helmut said:

The answer is not to use the Desktop for files, folders, downloads. The reason for that is the Desktop is a special system location.

Click to expand...

For programs, I typically use shortcuts. For a few folders and documents, I use the desktop. Not too many, but a few. I have lots of blank wallpaper space on my right.

Been doing it that way since Windows 95.

Helmut said:

Over the decades has proven to be not a good idea, and now potential involvement of OneDrive syncing.

Click to expand...

OneDrive is deleted on my system so that's not a factor.

Helmut said:

I always use Desktop Shortcuts(pointers) to those Locations like working folders etc. The reason being that deletion just removes the Shortcut not the actual Files/Folders.

Click to expand...

When I'm done with the folder, then I delete it. Folders on the desktop, for the most part, are temporary for me. If there's something I want to keep, I use File Explorer to store them. Or even better, external HDs

Helmut said:

The behaviour is certainly not a bug, just a default programming decision.

Click to expand...

Oh, I've seen some people go crazy with their desktops. It's a wonder how they find anything with a couple of hundred icons on there, but somehow they do.

Thing is even with what I do, I don't see the temporal folders appearing and moving things around my desktop. Why would that not be the case? Is there a setting I have set that the original OP isn't using?

Downloads:
Again the Desktop is a poor location for the same reasons. Why people say use the Desktop is beyond logic.

The standard Downloads folder can appear on the Start, there are choices.
Settings > Personalisation > Start > Folders > Downloads > ON.

Then it is easy with that on the Start panel at the bottom.

You can also alter the Default Downloads Folder location.
Edge > Settings > Downloads > Change.

Helmut said:

Downloads:
Again the Desktop is a poor location for the same reasons. Why people say use the Desktop is beyond logic.

Click to expand...

25 years of habit. -- I don't get why some people keep 500+ browser tabs open, either, but somehow they do.

Bad habits die hard...
I've been through this with friends for some decades (Win 3 at that time) and I agree with Helmut. Sorry :)
Just follow his advice and specify separate download folders (e.g. \downloads, and possibly \documents , \archives, \programs, etc, under \downloads).
Then put shortcuts to the new folders (or just the downloads top level) on the desktop. You can access everything in those folders and never leave the desktop.