How to recover desktop icons
Are you missing your desktop icons and feeling lost without them? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Losing desktop icons can be frustrating, but there are several methods you can try to recover them. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to recover your desktop icons on Windows and macOS.
1. Use the ‘Show Desktop’ feature
The simplest and quickest way to recover your desktop icons is by using the ‘Show Desktop’ feature. Here’s how to do it:
1. Click on the ‘Show Desktop’ button on the taskbar. If you can’t find it, right-click on an empty space on the taskbar and select ‘Show Desktop’.
2. If the ‘Show Desktop’ button is not visible, you can use the keyboard shortcut Win+D (Windows) or Ctrl+Cmd+D (macOS) to minimize all windows and show your desktop.
2. Check the desktop icon settings
If the ‘Show Desktop’ feature doesn’t work, it’s possible that the desktop icon settings are disabled. Here’s how to check and enable them:
1. On Windows, right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select ‘Personalize’.
2. In the ‘Personalization’ window, click on ‘Themes’ and then ‘Desktop icon settings’.
3. Make sure that the checkboxes next to ‘Computer’, ‘User’s Files’, ‘Network’, ‘Recycle Bin’, and ‘Control Panel’ are checked.
4. On macOS, right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select ‘Get Info’.
5. In the ‘Get Info’ window, make sure that the checkboxes next to ‘Computer’, ‘Home’, ‘Network’, ‘Trash’, and ‘Desktop’ are checked.
3. Restart your computer
Sometimes, simply restarting your computer can help recover your desktop icons. This will refresh the system and may restore the icons. Here’s how to restart your computer:
1. On Windows, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select ‘Shutdown’ or ‘Restart’ from the menu.
2. On macOS, click the Apple menu and select ‘Restart’.
4. Use the System Restore feature
If none of the above methods work, you can try using the System Restore feature to roll back your computer to a previous state when the desktop icons were present. Here’s how to do it:
1. On Windows, press Windows+R to open the Run dialog box, type ‘rstrui’ and press Enter.
2. In the ‘System Restore’ window, click ‘Next’, then select a restore point before the icons were missing and click ‘Next’.
3. On macOS, you can use Time Machine to restore your computer to a previous state. Connect your external hard drive or Time Machine disk, open Time Machine, and navigate to the date when the icons were present.
5. Reinstall the operating system
If all else fails, you may need to reinstall the operating system. This will erase all data on your computer, so make sure to back up important files before proceeding. Here’s how to reinstall Windows or macOS:
1. On Windows, you can use the installation media (USB or DVD) to boot your computer and select ‘Repair your computer’.
2. On macOS, you can use the Recovery Mode to reinstall the operating system. Restart your Mac, hold down Command+R, and select ‘Reinstall macOS’.
By following these steps, you should be able to recover your desktop icons and get back to your normal workflow. Remember to always back up your important files to prevent data loss in the future.
