How to Recover Windows 10 Desktop Icons that Have Disappeared

The desktop is frequently the quickest way to get to critical files and system folders, as well as providing instant access to apps. Many Windows 10 users, on the other hand, have claimed that their desktop icons have vanished or are missing. This issue can be very frustrating, especially if you rely on your desktop to retrieve your stored data quickly.

In this post, we’ll show you how to rapidly restore your desktop and regain access to your icons, shortcuts, and files.

How to Restore Desktop Icons that Have Disappeared

There could be several reasons for your desktop icons to vanish; nevertheless, there are several ways that can be used to restore them. Our post focuses on providing you with the most trustworthy and tried-and-true ways for effectively troubleshooting this issue.

Let’s get started straight away and not waste any time!

Solution 1: Enable the visibility of desktop icons on your computer.

It’s possible that the visibility settings for your desktop icons were turned off, causing them to vanish.
This could be due to human error or a recently used or installed application. Following the procedures below, you may quickly switch it back on.

1. Select an empty place on your desktop with the right-click menu.

2. Expand the options by selecting “View” from the context menu.

3. Check to see if “Show desktop icons” is enabled. If it isn’t, click on it once to make sure it isn’t interfering with the display of your desktop icons.

4. Your icons should show again right away. If you don’t, move on to the next step.

Solution 2: Turn off Tablet mode.

Tablet mode has been noted to cause issues with the display of desktop icons by users. This mode is intended to aid the operation of touch-enabled devices, but it may produce undesirable changes for certain users.

The procedures to disable Tablet mode in Windows 10 are outlined below. By tapping the Windows icon in the bottom left corner of your screen, you can access the Start menu. You can also bring up the menu by pressing this key on your keyboard.

From the pop-up menu’s left side, select Settings.
A gear icon is used to signify this.
Use the Windows + S keyboard shortcut for faster access.

A new window will appear, displaying a variety of system choices.
Select the System tile from the drop-down menu.

Toggle to the “Tablet mode” tab using the left-side panel.

Follow the steps below based on what you see on the screen:

If you notice the option “Make Windows more touch-friendly by using your device as a tablet,” make sure it’s turned off.

Otherwise, adjust your tablet mode to “Use desktop mode when I sign in” and “Always ask me before switching.”

Check to see whether your desktop icons have returned after restarting your computer.

Solution 3: Rebuild your icon cache using the Command Prompt.

The Command Prompt allows you to get to a deeper level of system configuration and restore settings quickly. All you have to do now is follow the steps below — don’t make any other modifications, as incorrect command input can lead to extra problems with your device!

If your desktop icons have vanished, simply rebuilding your icon cache may be the best option. This will give Windows 10 a clean canvas on which to render your icons, resolving any prior cache file difficulties.

On the on-screen keyboard, press the Windows + R keys.
This will launch the Run application.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter buttons on your keyboard while typing “cmd.”
By doing so, you’re granting administrative access to the Command Prompt.

If prompted, accept the Command Prompt’s permission to make changes to your device by clicking Yes.

Enter the commands below, using the Enter key to jump to the next line.

taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe
cd /d %userprofile%\AppData\Local
attrib –h IconCache.db
del IconCache.db
start explorer.exe
One step at a time, this will restore your icon cache:

Restart your computer or device.
You should be able to see if your desktop icons have reappeared right away.

Solution 4: Run the System File Checker as a last choice.

The System File Checker is a program that comes pre-installed in Windows 10. It’s also known as a “SFC scan,” and it’s the quickest approach to correct corrupted system files and other issues automatically.

This scan has been shown to resolve issues with missing Windows 10 icons.
Here’s how to get it up and running.

On your keyboard, press the Windows + R keys.
This will launch the Run application.

Press the Ctrl + Shift + Enter buttons on your keyboard while typing “cmd.”
By doing so, you’re granting administrative access to the Command Prompt.

If prompted, accept the Command Prompt’s permission to make changes to your device by clicking Yes.

Type the following command into the Command Prompt and press Enter to run it:

sfc /scannow sfc /scannow sfc /s

Wait for the SFC scan to finish scanning and repairing corrupt files on your computer.
This could take a long time; don’t close the Command Prompt or turn off your computer during this period.

After the scan is finished, restart your device.

Solution 5: Update to the most recent version of Windows 10.

Upgrading to the most recent version of Windows 10 may be able to fix some system issues on your device. Many customers remark that an update fixed known flaws while also adding new and exciting features and improving security holes, and much more

The following are the actions to follow when updating Windows 10.

“Settings” can be found by going to the Start menu and selecting “Settings.”
Alternatively, you can use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut.

Select “Update & Security” from the drop-down menu.

Make sure you’re on the “Windows Update” tab, which is the default.

Select “Check for updates” from the drop-down menu.

When an update is discovered, select “Install” and wait for Windows 10 to download and install the update.

Solution 6: Reset your Windows 10 computer.

While this is the least appealing choice, it can be extremely useful when dealing with significant system problems.

Many people decide to resetting Windows 10 in the hopes of getting a fresh start and resolving thorny issues that would otherwise necessitate hours of troubleshooting.

The steps to resetting Windows 10 are as follows.
You have the option of keeping all of your personal data or wiping everything clean and starting over with a new system.

“Settings” can be found by going to the Start menu and selecting “Settings.”
Alternatively, you can use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut.

Select “Update & Security” from the drop-down menu.

Toggle over to the “Recovery” tab.

A header that says “Reset this PC” should appear.
Simply select the “Get started” option from the drop-down menu.

Make a decision about whether or not to keep personal files. Both solutions will result in the removal of your applications, however you may easily keep sensitive documents protected. Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your computer.

We hope that this article was useful in restoring your Windows 10 desktop icons that had vanished or were missing. You should now be able to access your most critical shortcuts and folders quickly and easily.

If you notice that your system is having similar problems in the future, return to this post and try some of the other fixes. If nothing else works, we recommend contacting Microsoft’s customer service staff or seeking out an IT specialist for assistance with your computer’s health.