How to Show or Hide Desktop Icons Windows 11

Do you ever feel like your Windows 11 desktop is cluttered with icons? This guide will show you different methods on how to customize your desktop. You can show or hide icons on your desktop in Windows 11. We will also talk about how to add or remove legacy system icons on a desktop in Windows 11.

Whether you want a clean minimalist look or easy access to your favorite programs, we’ll walk you through the simple process in just a few clicks.

Let’s get started

Quick Fix

1. To show or hide desktop icons:

• Right-click on your desktop > Click “View” >
• To show your icons, choose “Show desktop icons.”
• To hide, simply uncheck the box.

2. To add or remove icons on your Windows 11 desktop:

• Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings and then check or uncheck icons to add or remove respectively.

Now, let’s move ahead and discuss how you can show desktop icons on your Windows 11 PC.

Method 1: Show or Hide Icons on Your Desktop in Windows 11

Here is a step-by-step guide on showing or hiding desktop icons in Windows 11:

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop background.
2. A menu will appear. Look for “View” and click on it.
3. You’ll further, see a list of options, choose “Show desktop icons” to make your icons appear, or uncheck it to hide them.
   

Optional Settings

You can also change the size of the desktop icons to:

1. Small Icons
2. Medium Icons
3. Large Icon

Also, you can automatically arrange icons to the left side of the desktop screen.

Related: How to Remove Red X on Files in Windows 11/10 Effortlessly

To do this simply check the box “Auto arrange icons”.

Note*: If “Auto arrange icons” is checked, you can’t arrange icons by hand. So, to transfer one or more icons to another part of the screen, disable the option.

Additionally, you can also check the “Align icons to grid” box to make the icons on your screen line up.

All of the Desktop icons will be visible after you finish the steps.

Method 2: Add or Remove Icons on Your Desktop in Windows 11

You can add or remove legacy system icons on your desktop and choose which ones to show or hide? Here’s how:

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop.
2. Click on “Personalize”.
3. Look for “Themes” and click on it.
4. Scroll down and click “Desktop icon settings”.
5. On the Desktop Icon Settings, check or uncheck the tick box before the icon you want to show or hide on the desktop and select OK to save changes.

You can add or remove the following legacy system icons on your Windows:

1. Computer.
2. User’s Files.
3. Network.
4. Recycle Bin.
5. Control Panel.

In our case, we have checked the Computer and Recycle Bin to show icons on our desktop screen.

Conclusion

In short, showing or hiding icons on your Windows 11 desktop is a simple process. Just right-click on your background and choose “View” from the menu. To show your icons, select “Show desktop icons.” To hide them, uncheck the same box.

If you want more control over which icons appear, right-click again, go to “Personalize,” then “Themes,” and finally “Desktop icon settings.” There you can pick and choose which icons to display