A reader asks:
“How do I get my desktop icons back on Windows? My nephew was playing around with my laptop, and now my desktop is blank except for the start button on the lower right. I’m sure I’ll smack my forehead when I learn how to fix this, but does anyone have an idea what he did and how to restore my desktop icons?”
You might think that your desktop icons have been lost forever, but don’t worry—they still exist! There are a couple of ways that you should be able to fix this, depending on which version of Windows you’re running.
- Start with a right-click on your icon-free desktop
- Check the option for Display Icons.
If you don’t see Display Icons listed:
- Right click the desktop
- Select View > Show Desktop Icon, and make sure the option is checked.
If neither of these options work, Microsoft Support has some extra tips.
For more Windows tips:
- Windows 10: The best tricks, tips, and tweaks
- How to customize Windows 10 colors
- How to add a Hibernate option to the Windows 10 Start menu
This tip was originally published on IDG Answers, a reader-powered help desk for answering tech questions.