However, sometimes, the desktop icons on Windows 10 might disappear due to system file corruption or other issues. Many Windows 10 users have recently reported that their desktop icons disappeared or are missing. If you have just switched to Windows 10, you won’t find any Desktop icons until you add them manually. However, if the desktop icons have disappeared, you need to implement a few methods to restore the missing icons. Also read: Download Windows 11 ISO Files Without Media Creation Tool
Fix Windows 10/11 Desktop Icons Missing Problem
Hence, in this article, we will share some of the best methods to fix Desktop icons that disappeared on Windows 10. Let’s check out.
1) Turn on the Visibility of Desktop Icons
Before trying any other method, first, make sure to check if your desktop icons are visible or not. Follow some of the simple steps below to turn on the visibility of desktop icons.
First, right-click on a space on the screen, and select the View option.
From the list of options, verify if the Show desktop icons have been marked as checked. If it’s not, click on the Show desktop icons to make the icons visible again.
That’s it! You are done. Now you will see all desktop icons.
2) Enable Desktop Icons from System Settings
If you have recently switched to Windows 10 and cannot find the desktop icons, you need to implement the steps given below. Here’s how you can enable desktop icons from settings.
On the left pane, click on the Themes option.
Click on the Desktop icon settings option on the right pane.
On the Desktop icon settings, enable the icons you want to see on your desktop.
That’s it! You are done. This is how you can restore missing icons on Windows 10.
3) Disable the Tablet Mode
Many users have reported that having Tablet mode enabled created problems with the desktop icons. Some have reported that they are unable to find the File explorer icon as well. To disable tablet mode on Windows 10, follow the steps given below.
Open Settings on your Windows 10 and the System option.
On the System, click on the Tablet option.
Click on the Change additional tablet settings option on the right.
On the next page, disable the toggle for Tablet Mode.
That’s it! You are done. This is how you can disable tablet mode in Windows 10.
4) Rebuild Icon Cache
Sometimes outdated or corrupted icon cache also creates problems with the display of desktop icons. So, in this method, we will rebuild the icon cache. Follow some of the simple steps given below.
First, open File Explorer on your Windows 10 PC.
Click on the View tab and enable the Hidden items option on the File Explorer.
Next, navigate to the C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Local. On the local folder, search for IconCache.db file.
You need to delete this file from this folder. Also, make sure to clear the recycle bin as well.
Once done, restart your Windows 10 computer to rebuild the icon cache. That’s it! You are done. Windows 10 will rebuild the icon cache during the restart, which will probably fix the missing icons problem.
5) Fix Corrupted System Files
Sometimes, corrupted system files also create problems with desktop icons. So, if your desktop icons are missing due to corrupt system files, you need to run the System File Checker utility. We have shared a detailed guide on scanning and fixing corrupted files on Windows 10. You can implement the steps to fix corrupted system files quickly. So, these are the best methods to fix & restore missing desktop icons in Windows 10. I hope this article helped you! Please share it with your friends also. If you have any doubts about this, let us know in the comment box below.
