How to restore desktop icons in Windows 11

You could be wondering how to restore the desktop icons in Windows 11 for several reasons. If all your Windows desktop icons are missing, you can get them back easily with just a couple of clicks or taps. Or maybe you want to restore your operating system’s classic default shortcuts to your desktop, which can be helpful if you need faster access to specific locations and settings. Furthermore, if the icons for these traditional shortcuts have been replaced, you can also restore them to their default look. This tutorial shows how to restore the desktop icons in Windows 11, regardless of whether they’re missing or you want to bring back default desktop icons, like This PC, Network, Control Panel, or your User’s Files:

How to restore the default Windows desktop icons

Windows 11 comes with a default set of desktop icons that facilitate access to important locations and settings: This PC, Network, Control Panel, User’s Files, and Recycle Bin. While in older versions of Windows, these standard shortcuts were displayed by default, Windows 11 only shows the Recycle Bin on the desktop. To restore some or all of these default Windows shortcuts to your desktop, read our guide on adding or removing desktop icons (shortcuts) in Windows 11. The desktop icons in Windows 11 But what if you enabled these default icons, yet they’re not shown on the Windows 11 desktop? If you can’t see any shortcuts or files at all, continue reading to find out how to get the icons back on your desktop.

How to restore missing desktop icons in Windows 11

If all your desktop icons are missing in Windows 11, they could be hidden from view. Right-click or press-and-hold an empty area of your desktop, and then, in the contextual menu, access View. Click or tap the Show desktop icons option to check it. Show desktop icons in Windows 11 All your desktop icons should become visible on your screen. To hide them again, follow the same steps and click or tap the Show desktop icons option to uncheck it. TIP: If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, maybe you deleted the item by accident. Read my guide on recovering files from the Recycle Bin to restore deleted desktop icons.

How to restore the default icons for standard shortcuts in Windows 11

If the icons for your standard default shortcuts have been replaced, you can always restore them to default from the Desktop Icon Settings window. Right-click or press-and-hold an empty area on your desktop to open the contextual menu. Then, click or tap Personalize. Access Personalize in Windows 11 This opens the Personalization settings window. You can also get here by opening Settings (Windows + I) and choosing Personalization in the left column. Then, access Themes in the right pane. Click or tap the Themes section Next, scroll down to the Related settings section and click or tap Desktop icon settings. Access the Desktop icon settings in Windows 11 In the Desktop Icon Settings window, you see all the icons used by the default Windows 11 shortcuts. My guide on changing the icon of any shortcut illustrates how to replace the icon for This PC with our website’s logo, so you can follow the same steps to customize all the desktop icons shown in this window. To reset a desktop icon to default, select it and click or tap the Restore Default button. Finally, click or tap OK or Apply to save your changes. How to reset desktop icons in Windows 11 The icon for the Control Panel is not included in the Desktop Icon Settings window. If you want to restore its icon, I recommend deleting the shortcut from the desktop and adding it again. TIP: You can use the default icons in Windows 11 for other shortcuts you create. However, finding them is a bit more complicated, so here’s a guide on Windows icons locations to help you locate them.

What other classic Windows elements do you miss?

I like the option to restore the default shortcuts in Windows 11. I always add This PC to my desktop, while my chief editor, Ciprian, likes having the Control Panel available. What about you? Do you also get nostalgic about previous Windows versions? What other elements do you miss? Let me know in the comments.