My desktop icons are not showing. Most of my programs are also not showing in start menu.
Answer [Solved]
There may be three reasons behind this.
- Sometimes the desktop settings “show desktop icons” get disabled unusually. See Solution 1 for this.
- If you can’t see your taskbar along with your desktop icons, that means the explorer.exe file could not be loaded properly. See Solution 2 to fix this.
- Might be a possibility that a virus came into your computer and changed the desktop file’s attribute as hidden. Also, change the same settings in the system registry as well. See Solution 3, Solution 4 for this.
We are giving you some possible methods to fix this issue, please follow the steps carefully.
How to fix – Desktop icons are not Showing
Below solutions may help you to fix this issue in all the versions of Windows like Windows 7, 8, 8.1, Windows 10, Vista, XP, and Server as well.
4 solutions to fix it
Solution 1 – Enable “Show Desktop Icons” option
- Right click on the clean area of the desktop
- Then click on “View” and then go to “show Desktop Icons” and click on it to make it checked.
- Your desktop icons will start appearing again.
Solution 2 – Reload Explorer.exe [Fix it myself manually]
Note: Apply only if the taskbar does not appear
- On the desktop [No icons Screen] Press Ctrl+alt+Delete key together to open the Task manager
- In the Windows task manager, click on the “Processes” tab and here you’ll find Explorer.exe in the list, right-click on it and click on the End Process Tree. The explorer process will be killed, you’ll get a blank screen with task manager.
- Now go to file menu and click on new task [run], A run box will be opened. Type here: explorer.exe and press the enter button.
Solution 3 – Registry Fix
- Press Windows ‘R’ [to launch Run.exe]
- In the Run program, type there regedit and hit enter
- Then in the Registry Editor program. follow this folder path route
HKEY_LOCAL MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / WINDOWS NT / CurrenVersion / Winlogon - Now click on Winlogon and after clicking then look at the right side pane.
- Here you have to find the Item called “shell” and click on it twice [Double click]
- In the Value Data Edit box, Type Explorer.exe [The value of this key “Eplorer.exe] then click on OK
- Now restart your computer. After restarting the problem will be fixed.
After that your desktop should be restored, you will get your desktop back.
If you are still not getting your desktop icons, it means there is no problem with explorer.exe. Now we have to go to solution 4.
Solution 4 – Run Unhide Tool Automatic Fixit
[Freeware Utility]
Run this Unhide tool to fix the desktop icon hide issues.
If you still do not see the desktop icons, that means Virus has changed some registry settings, please Download the Unhide tool and run it to unhide all the desktop of start menu data to solve the “no desktop icons issue“
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FAQ:
Q: My taskbar and start menu have also disappeared. Can I use this guide to bring them back?
A: Yes, this tutorial will work to bring back the missing desktop icons, Start button, Start Menu, Task bar etc.
Q: Desktop icons won’t appear. Is it due to virus attacks or is there any other issue?
A: If you are not using any antivirus software it could be due to the virus otherwise you may try to fix if it is due to some other Windows internal problem. If there is no antivirus in the system, at least download free antivirus for basic protection.
Q: Desktop icons and taskbar suddenly went. Is it due to malware?
A: Yes it could be, firstly follow the steps above to fix this issue. If that doesn’t help, then scan your computer with a malware removal tool. And to avoid future occurrences, always keep a free antivirus in your system to protect yourself from basic virus attacks.
Imagine a scenario where you put two socks in the clothes dryer and only get one back. Though you may theorize some spatial anomaly appeared and whisked one [the left sock] to another realm, the mystery remains mostly unsolved.
Then there is the issue of desktop icons not showing up – an event that might seem as mysterious but actually has many possible explanations.
Simple Reasons for Icons Not Showing
To begin, check for desktop icons not showing in Windows 10 [or prior versions] by ensuring that they are turned on to start with.
You can do so by right-clicking on the desktop, selecting View and verify Show desktop icons has a check beside it.
If it’s just the default [system] icons you seek, right-click the desktop and choose Personalize. Go into Themes and select Desktop icon settings. From here, there are several check boxes for items you may want to appear. Pick the ones you desire.
Dig Deeper into the Mystery
After checking some boxes, you may still find desktop icons missing or disappeared. If so, there are other scenarios to look into.
Restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer [explorer.exe] controls the desktop view [icons, taskbar and system tray]. Restarting this service can refresh the desktop.
On your keyboard, you’ll want to hit Ctrl + Alt + Del and then select Task Manager. Find the service, right-click and choose to Restart.
Close Down Conflicting Applications
Too many applications running – or even the wrong combination – can cause strange behaviors. Whether there is a conflict or resources are being drained, services may bog down [or even lock up] a computer. Among other things, this could affect icons or other desktop items from displaying correctly.
Some advanced users may even have a different window manager than explorer.exe – but this is unlikely.
You can go into each program to close it down or bring up the Task Manager and shut down several from there. You can also opt for the old faithful approach of rebooting the computer for a quicker way of freeing resources up.
Updating Device Drivers
Every device on your computer has a software driver behind it. When these are not optimal, you’ll want to update them.
It’s not always apparent drivers are the issue nor is it typically easy to tell which device is the culprit. While there are tools that can help discover them, you can also check to see if anything has been misbehaving as of late.
Once you determine which device to focus on, it’s time to decide how you want to go about downloading and installing the latest driver.
Windows Database Search for Drivers
Use the search box on the taskbar to locate and open the Device Manager. Afterward, find the device you’re seeking, right-click and choose to update the driver. Go with the option to let Windows search for it automatically.
Cross your fingers and wait.
Manually Download Drivers from Manufacturer’s Website
Using the steps above, go into Device Manager and choose to search for the driver yourself. Of course, you’ll need to download one first. This will require searching the manufacturer’s website with enough information [model and serial numbers] to find what you’re looking for.
Use Driver Support for Automatic Updates
Unless you enjoy a riveting quest for drivers, there is software – such as Driver Support – that will do the job for you. Once set up, Driver Support can inventory your computer for a vast list of supported drivers and update them as needed.
Try This Time-Saving Shortcut
Start using Driver Support | ONE today and save time and frustration dealing with common Windows device issues. The software will inventory your computer for all active device types we support upon installation. When fully registered the service will update drivers for you automatically.
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Other Realms of Possibility
With the ongoing assumption that icon-siphoning wormholes are not to blame, there are other potential culprits. These can include corrupt icon cache, bad/missing registry settings or even viruses.
While there are various approaches to each of these that range in complexity, they’re not within the scope of this article.
Driver Support Can Make the Burden Disappear
Since 1996,Driver Support has been making life easier for those who prefer to avoid the hunt for new drivers. You’ll save both effort and time while increasing performance.
Download Driver Support today. The time you save can be put toward other activities – such as an investigation into where that other sock went.