I first learned Windows could hide desktop icons after answering Help Desk tickets. I would get calls and emails from people saying, ALL OF MY FILES ARE GONE!!! When I would get to their desk, sure enough, their desktop would be empty. Completely empty.
Now there are some people who keep a clean desktop, but even they have a couple of icons there. A folder or shortcut to something they often use. Or they’ve got a shortcut they’re unable to remove due to the lack of admin rights.
There are also uses for hiding the desktop’s icons. When I want to record a screen cast or capture screenshots without the clutter of my desktop, I will hide the icons to give it a much cleaner look.
Whether you’re trying to answer a help desk ticket, or simply want a clean desktop, it’s very simple to hide them.
- Right click on your Desktop.
- Select View
- Under the drop down menu, uncheck Show desktop icons
- Enjoy an empty desktop.
To bring them back, repeat the first two steps and click Show desktop icons so there is a check mark next to them.
And now you know how to hide Windows desktop icons.