Solved Very Minor Desktop Icon issue

I use a local account so widgets are disabled and not suffer by such issues.

Same problem with a new installation of Windows 11 22H2.
When I am not using the PC, the icons freeze when I try to click on them, nothing happens.
I have to wait 5 to 10 seconds before I can click on the icons again.
Please report this bug to Microsoft so they can release a patch quickly.

I have the same problem but wanted to make a comment or two.

First, I have 3 Windows 11 computers and, thankfully, only one of them has this problem. Next, my power scheme is set to put the monitor to sleep after 30 minutes of no activity. I set the computer going to sleep to NEVER. But, when I go back in to check these settings, it does not remember the NEVER setting. I have come to believe that may be, at least, part of the problem. Everything else in this thread, and I read it all, has given me some suggestions to try, not to solve the problem, but to expedite the amount of time that the icons are sitting idle. Two that comes to mind that I never thought of is trying the icons on the right side of the screen and first clicking on the taskbar.

I join all the rest of you in hoping MS will fix this issue soon. I had thought that after I installed the cumulative update mentioned above my problem was fixed, but that was short lived. It came back after about a day.

same problem here, Reading the comments I guess a reinstallation will not do any good also because I reinstalled windows 11 a few days ago... I am thinking of going back to windows 10, every time 11 has some new problem

As said before some application tries to launch after some time the system is idle. Disable any suspicious service or startup applications and see if your issue is resolved. Another poster mentioned the widgets. If you are not using them or you can find alternative try disabling them. They only work with a Microsoft Account. Using a local account keeps them disabled. An alternative are the desktop gadgets of Windows Vista/7. Download 8gadgetpack to enable them.

spapakons said:

As said before some application tries to launch after some time the system is idle. Disable any suspicious service or startup applications and see if your issue is resolved. Another poster mentioned the widgets. If you are not using them or you can find alternative try disabling them. They only work with a Microsoft Account. Using a local account keeps them disabled. An alternative are the desktop gadgets of Windows Vista/7. Download 8gadgetpack to enable them.

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When you say this do you mean if I save all my files to my local computer, I am not using a Microsoft Account? I use Microsoft 365 and though I do not save anything in the cloud, only to my local computer, I am still signed into my Microsoft 365 account, as far as I know.

Clicking the taskbar does nothing for me at all. I still have to wait about 10 seconds to use shortcuts on the left side of my screen.

sometimes it happen randomly while i'm using the pc, it's not just a sleep thing , i've already disabled widget, have you guys a multi monitor setup?

You can login to Windows either with your Microsoft account (if you have bound it to Windows) or using a local account, like in Windows 7 and earlier. If you are using a Microsoft Account you can convert to local from Settings.

Just throwing this out for some thought but even if it were the culprit I'd continue to use it - I use Start11 on all my windows 11 machines. I haven't seen that mentioned here so wanted to put it into play.

HDL said:

Just throwing this out for some thought but even if it were the culprit I'd continue to use it - I use Start11 on all my windows 11 machines. I haven't seen that mentioned here so wanted to put it into play.

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I don't use any mods. Fresh install with only the necessary drivers installed.

I use five or six different GUI customizers without any issue. If you keep them updated you eliminate the chance of issues.

I started getting this problem suddenly in late January (I did several posts about it a few pages back). It plagued me for about 6 weeks, but the problem has completely disappeared over the last month and everything now works fine. There have been probably a couple of dozen updates, including the ones from the Microsoft Store that seem to magically appear whether or not I want them. So as far as the 10 second pause for the mouse to work on the left screen icons on my laptop after a period of inactivity, it looks like Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away.

wa1fhy said:

I started getting this problem suddenly in late January (I did several posts about it a few pages back). It plagued me for about 6 weeks, but the problem has completely disappeared over the last month and everything now works fine. There have been probably a couple of dozen updates, including the ones from the Microsoft Store that seem to magically appear whether or not I want them. So as far as the 10 second pause for the mouse to work on the left screen icons on my laptop after a period of inactivity, it looks like Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away.

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Wish I knew what fixed it for you because now instead of having it on only 1 of my Win 11 computers, I have it on 2 of them.

Issue still present here...
I have been using a Local account since the beginning, i do not have a microsoft account anyway. Therefore i dont think this is due to widgets, or that would mean some widget stuff still happens in the background even if you aren't logged in to a MS account.

Some application is probably upgrading while the system is idle for some time but fails to display the relevant window. Because this window has stolen focus and it would be drawn at the left part of the screen trying to click any icon there fails. The icons on the right are outside the affected area and clicking on one of them returns focus on File Explorer and it becomes available again. I cannot think of a better explanation.

I noticed something today : it also happens sometimes when i delete something on the desktop and it goes into the trash bin

Probably some animation or other visual effect that doesn't work properly. Try disabling all visual effects from Settings, System, Info, Advanced System Settings, Performance tab.

In another forum I belong to the advice I got on this problem was to send MS feedback. I wasn't sure how to do that so I was directed to do this: In Windows, click the Start button, then type feedback hub and press Enter. Since the squeaky wheel always gets the grease, I hope many of you will do as I did and send that feedback about this problem.

I prefer a quick solution to sending feedback and wait for ages.