Windows 10 desktop icons are not displayed. Windows desktop is missing

Windows 10 is full of mysteries for most of its users. Despite the fact that it appeared more than a year ago, questions about its use remain to this day. Among them is the problem with the lack of shortcuts from the desktop. Dealing with this situation on your own is somewhat problematic. This article will discuss what to do if the icons from the Windows 10 desktop have disappeared.

The disappearance of shortcuts on a personal computer may be due to several reasons: * the display setting in the system properties is disabled; * a virus appeared on the hard disk software that disrupt the system; * laptop mode is activated or personal computer as a tablet. It cannot be ruled out that the icons from the Windows 10 desktop disappeared for a number of other reasons. However, the above circumstances most often lead to the fact that the user does not have the ability to run programs on the computer through shortcuts.

Hiding icons in the workspace can be initiated by the user. For example, if you need to hide everything that is located in a given zone. Checking which mode is activated on the computer is quite simple. It is necessary to click on the workspace space and select the "View" item. There are several settings that allow you to manage the content. Among them is the "Show icons" option. If the box is checked next to it, then shortcuts to programs and other files should be displayed on the desktop. This setting allows you to display or hide all the data that has been placed here. If this checkbox is missing, then it is not surprising why the icons from the Windows 10 desktop disappeared. There is a way to check whether the absence of shortcuts is due to this setting or not. It is enough to call the explorer and select "Desktop" on the left side. If the icons in the window are displayed, then you really just need to turn on the display setting.

The lack of icons on the desktop may be due to the fact that the device is using "tablet" mode. To check if the current problem is related to this setting, you should go to the "Notification Center". This section is located in the lower right part of the screen (on the taskbar). Then you need to select the "All parameters" settings block. It contains tools for managing the operating system. After selecting the “System” section, a list of parameters will be displayed on the left side of the screen, including “Tablet Mode”. To deactivate it, set the slider to the “disabled” state (here it is necessary for the very first setting “Additional Windows touch control when using the device as a tablet”). If all the steps are carried out correctly, then you no longer have to think about why the icons disappeared from the Windows 10 desktop.

If the system has problems with the work of the explorer, then it is not surprising that the icons from the Windows 10 desktop have disappeared. Restoring its work can be done forcibly. This can be done by simply restarting the computer or through a tool such as Task Manager. If everything is clear with the first method, then the second requires explanation. You can open the dispatcher by clicking on the taskbar and selecting the appropriate item. In the form that appears, execute the "File" command and initiate the creation of a new task. In the "Open" field, you need to enter the name of the explorer.exe process and confirm the entry with the "OK" button. After performing these steps, an explorer window will open, which is also responsible for the presence of shortcuts on the user's desktop.

Sometimes the lack of shortcuts can be due to a system glitch. To eliminate this reason, you can try to either refresh the desktop using the context menu command of the same name, or add a new object in the free area (for example, a folder, document, etc.). If the newly formed object is displayed, then perhaps someone just played a joke and removed all the labels, making the user pretty worried.

If the icons from the Windows 10 desktop disappeared and it was not possible to achieve their display using the above methods, then it makes sense to check the system for malware. This can be done using antivirus program, which is already present on the PC or use a third-party utility. It is possible that the lack of icons was the result of malware disrupting systems. Another universal method is to use the recovery tool built into the operating system. With it, you can return the desktop to its previous state. Access to this tool is made through the "Start" menu, section "All Programs". In the list you should find "Standard", and then "Utilities". Of course, such a “rollback” of the system will overwrite some of the settings that were made in the period from the moment the restore point was formed to the current moment.

Many Windows users 10 after installing the update or during the first use experienced an unpleasant problem. Its essence lies in the disappearance of absolutely all icons from the desktop. In this case, there is no dependence on the type of shortcut: both the program and the folder disappear. It is noteworthy that the rest of the system is operating normally.

The reasons for this unusual behavior of the system have not yet been clarified, most likely this is another failure in Windows 10. Because of this, there is no single workaround for this “bug” for everyone. However, the solution to this problem is known and can be performed with very simple operations. A few of them are described below.

Easy Ways to Get Desktop Icons Back

Before starting manipulations, it is worth checking the banal: whether the display of icons is enabled. To check the activation of the item - you need to press right click mice anywhere. Next, you need to go to the "View" section and find out the presence of a "tick" next to "Display desktop icons". Even if the function is enabled, you can try turning it off and then activating it - this approach sometimes fixes the problem.
The first method is not a panacea, but it helps in some cases. For it to work, you need to right-click on the desktop and create an object, its type is not important. If everything works, then after the appearance of a new shortcut, the missing icons will return to their place.

Return icons through the control panel

The second method is more complicated because it requires logging in Windows settings 10. When the icons disappear, it is recommended to try this method, even if you have never changed the settings before. You need to find the item "All settings", then select "System". After that, you need to find the “Tablet Mode” section and turn on both toggle switches there (touch control capabilities and hiding icons). After that, you need to turn them off.
Most users are helped by these solutions to the problem with the disappearance of objects, but there are still exceptions.
In addition, shortcuts may disappear when working with two or more monitors. The problem remains even if all screens are turned off except for one. The way out of this situation will be to connect a second monitor and then select the display of icons on the required display in the parameters. Also in Windows 10 there is a problem with the disappearance of shortcuts while saving their names. Unfortunately, there is no solution to this problem yet.
If you have not found a solution to the above failures, then the only way out is to wait for an official system update from Microsoft.

The disappearance of shortcuts on a personal computer may be due to several reasons:

Disabled display setting in system properties;

Virus software has appeared on the hard drive that disrupts the system;

The mode of using a laptop or personal computer as a tablet is activated.

It cannot be ruled out that the icons from the Windows 10 desktop disappeared for a number of other reasons. However, the above circumstances most often lead to the fact that the user does not have the ability to run programs on the computer through shortcuts.

Checking label display settings

If this checkbox is missing, then it is not surprising why the icons from the Windows 10 desktop disappeared. There is a way to check whether the absence of shortcuts is due to this setting or not. It is enough to call the explorer and select "Desktop" on the left side. If the icons in the window are displayed, then you really just need to turn on the display setting.

Deactivate tablet mode

After selecting the “System” section, a list of parameters will be displayed on the left side of the screen, including “Tablet Mode”. To deactivate it, set the slider to the “disabled” state (here it is necessary for the very first setting “Additional Windows touch control when using the device as a tablet”). If all the steps are carried out correctly, then you no longer have to think about why the icons disappeared from the Windows 10 desktop.

Forcing an explorer session

If the system has problems with the work of the explorer, then it is not surprising that the icons from the desktop have disappeared, its work can be carried out forcibly. This can be done by simply restarting the computer or through a tool such as Task Manager. If everything is clear with the first method, then the second requires explanation.

You can open the dispatcher by clicking on the taskbar and selecting the appropriate item. In the form that appears, execute the "File" command and initiate the creation of a new task. In the "Open" field, you need to enter the name and confirm the entry with the "OK" button. After performing these steps, an explorer window will open, which is also responsible for the presence of shortcuts on the user's desktop.

Refresh Desktop

Checking your computer for viruses and malware

Another universal method is to use the recovery tool built into the operating system. With it, you can return the desktop to its previous state. Access to this tool is made through the "Start" menu, section "All Programs". In the list you should find "Standard", and then "Utilities". Of course, such a “rollback” of the system will overwrite some of the settings that were made in the period from the moment the restore point was formed to the current moment.

Conclusion

Do not despair if the icons from the Windows 10 desktop have disappeared. We discussed how to return them, other files and documents that were on it, earlier in this article. As a rule, one of the above methods is able to help eliminate this situation. The absence of icons in the workspace is more often due to the fact that the user himself, without noticing it, turns off their display.

Also, this can be caused by viruses and other malicious programs that can penetrate the computer via the Internet or external equipment (disks, flash drives, mobile devices). Before embarking on radical measures (such as, for example, system restore), you should use the previously discussed tips to understand why all the icons from the Windows 10 desktop have disappeared.

Missing worker Windows table , but appears along with all folders and shortcuts if you boot in Safe Mode. What do you think the admin, what could be the matter? My problems began with active Saturday surfing on the Internet, I was looking for a disk image with to my laptop (I touched my own somewhere). I found the desired image on one of the sites, but decided to open and see the screenshot of the disk, located on another site - image hosting. And at that moment, he suddenly got alarmed and issued a warning that there was a virus in the C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp folder and cleaning was impossible, then the computer hung, I had to force restart. After the reboot, an absolutely empty Windows desktop awaited me, without folders and shortcuts, instead of my permanent screen saver there was another one, and even with such an image, it’s better for you not to tell. I tried to start the Task Manager using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Del, but after it the screen turns black and so on ad infinitum.
I have been reading your articles for a long time, I immediately tried to boot into and successfully, there is a desktop along with folder shortcuts in place. Unfortunately, I can not apply, it is disabled for me. I launched and scanned the entire C: system partition with it, three viruses were found, then it booted into the system and, interestingly, the alien splash screen disappeared, but the desktop was still empty. I also have an anti-virus at the ready, so I think it came in handy. Booted from the disk, after a full scan, another virus was found, but during a normal boot, the desktop still did not appear. Are there other options for me besides ? Sergey.

Missing Windows desktop

Friends, very often I had to deal with this problem, at first glance, readers asked me two identical questions, but they are solved in different ways. Let's analyze the first case first, since it is much more serious, because it concerns the infection of Windows with a virus.

First of all, in order to successfully deal with this problem, you need to know which system file the virus modifies and which registry settings it changes, then it will not be difficult for you to quickly fix everything. I suggest dismantling everything. possible ways solutions to this problem and start with the simplest and fastest.

If all else fails, be sure to try the latest method in this article, it's called If nothing helped, it often helps me when the desktop disappears.
Of course, you need to apply anti-virus curing utilities, then fix the registry and (we will analyze this), but you can solve the problem even more in a simple way. I'm sure if our first reader had System Restore turned on, which can be perfectly applied in safe mode, then the problem would be solved in five minutes. First of all, in such cases, you need to remember about the restoration, it was invented for a reason.

So, if when we boot Windows on the desktop, it’s empty like in a wallet before a salary, we try immediately (without restarting the computer) to type the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Del, Task Manager should open, then File -> New task,

Enter explorer in the input field and OK, the desktop should appear with all shortcuts and folders.

It is the Explorer.exe file that is responsible for launching the Windows graphical shell,

which is the desktop, start menu, toolbars and explorer. If the Explorer.exe system file does not start with the operating system, then the desktop will not start. The explorer.exe file is located in the C:\Windows folder.

You can ask me: - Why didn't the Explorer.exe file start by itself and you need to run it forcibly. You can answer this way: - We were lucky friends, yes, yes, it was lucky - malware just changed some important parameters registry, responsible for running the Explorer.exe file (but did not change the file itself). Instead of the Explorer.exe file and the desktop, a malicious application was launched, the process of which can be seen in the Task Manager. How to fix a corrupted registry and make Explorer.exe run by itself? Of course apply System Restore, this is the easiest method. Apply system restore.

Important note: Friends, sometimes malware modifies or deletes the Explorer.exe file itself. If this article does not help you, read another, it describes how to pick out the explorer.exe file from the Windows 7 distribution and replace the faulty file with it.

Exactly in half of the cases, the problem will be solved and at the next boot you will see your desktop, then you can check the system for viruses. By the way, you can immediately call System Restore in the Task Manager - File -> New task, enter rstrui.exe in the input field, but this is in Windows 7 and 8. In Windows XP, you need to type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

Safe mode If the task manager does not open in normal mode, boot into safe mode,

In most cases, you will see your desktop. We apply system restore, roll back a day ago.

If in safe mode there is also an empty desktop, but system recovery is enabled, then you can type Ctrl + Alt + Del, the Task Manager will open, then File -> New task, enter explorer.exe in the input field, the desktop will appear or enter immediately command rstrui.exe, system restore will start, roll back and check the computer for viruses. It's also a good idea to do a system restore. Windows files.

Safe mode with command line support

In safe mode with command line support, we type explorer.exe on the command line, the desktop opens, then we start system restore, edit the registry, and so on.

We can immediately start system recovery with the command rstrui.exe

In Windows XP, type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

System restore fails for some reason

If in all modes system restore does not work and does not solve problems, and the desktop is still empty during normal boot, then we go to the registry and correct the parameters changed by the virus with handles.

Special mention in our entire story, as I said, deserves the Explorer.exe application, it is it that is responsible for launching the Windows graphical shell, which is the desktop, start menu, toolbars and explorer.

It is the Explorer.exe file that, in our case, is attacked by viruses and, with luck, modifies it, as a result of this modification, the Explorer.exe file infected with a virus and the lifeless Windows desktop. But in some cases, viruses do not touch the Explorer.exe file, but change some registry settings. As a result, when booting, the operating system does NOT refer to the Explorer.exe file, but to a completely different virus file. As a result, the Windows graphical shell does not load again. How to fix the registry if system restore did not work for us?
AT safe mode, run the registry - Start -> Run, type in the input field regedit ,

The registry will open. If in safe mode you will also have an empty desktop, then try the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Del, the Task Manager will open, then File -> New task, enter regedit in the input field.

First of all, you need to look at the problem in the registry branch:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon look at the line " shell"It should have the value" explorer.exe». And in our case, instead of explorer.exe, there is a value c:\users\your username\appdata\local\temp\2lfg38m0.exe

This means that instead of the Windows desktop, the 2lfg38m0.exe virus will be loaded from the temp folder of temporary files.

If at this time we manage to start the task manager, then instead of the Explorer.exe system process we will see some kind of malicious process, in our case 2lfg38m0.exe .

In the same branch, we look at another line “Userinit" It should have the value "C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe", there should be nothing after the comma. In our case, the value c:\users\Username\appdata\local\temp\2lfg38m0.exe is again present

All this needs to be removed and the registry brought back to normal. We fix both values in the registry.

We look at another branch of the registry
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer, if the parameter is present: NoDesktop , then its value should be 0 , but in no case 1. In general, the NoDesktop parameter can be removed.

By the name of the virus 2lfg38m0.exe, I search the registry and find another modified value. Branch

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ shell parameter contains the full path to the virus file
c:\users\Username\appdata\local\temp\2lfg38m0.exe, delete all this, there should be nothing at all here.

Shell parameter must be empty

Explorer.exe

All this is good, but we have considered the solution to the problem on the one hand, that is, the Explorer.exe file is not infected, and the virus has made malicious changes to the registry. We performed a system restore, scanned our Windows with antivirus utilities and removed viruses, then fixed the registry, that's basically it, the problem is solved, and after booting into normal mode, we have a desktop.

But the problem may be different, the Explorer.exe file may be infected or deleted altogether, and with all the desire, even with a normal registry, we will not be able to load the Windows desktop. Therefore, if you get an error when loading the operating system - an explorer.exe error or explorer.exe application error and sometimes it's just a black screen.

So, you need to enter safe mode or safe mode with command line support and execute recovery system files . How to do it?

Select safe mode with command line support.

Type sfc /scannow on the command line.

Windows system files are checked and restored, sometimes the system may ask you to insert a Windows installation disk into the drive. Our file - Explorer.exe will be restored.

AVZ Utility

At the end of the answer to the first letter, I want to give as an example the well-known AVZ utility. If all that is said above does not help, you can use this utility.
We go to the website of the utility developer - Oleg Zaitsev.
http://z-oleg.com/secur/avz/download.php
Downloading the utility

Here attention, many users make a mistake when starting the utility. Press CRTL + ALT + DEL, the task manager appears, click File-> New task, in the field that opens, type the full path to the avz.exe file. For example, my avz.exe file is located in the folder C:\Users\Username\Desktop\avz4\avz.exe

So we type C:\Users\Your Username\Desktop\avz4\avz.exe

The main program window opens

We update the AVZ utility. File –> database update

File->System Restore

We put a checkmark on paragraph 9. Remove system process debuggers" and 16. Restore the Explorer launch key, then click "Perform marked operations."

Reply to second letter

Quite recently I had a similar case. A friend of mine in the screen settings found, in addition to the main Samsung monitor, something unknown to him Display device to: VGA. He became interested and he made it the main screen, then clicked Apply.

After that, the monitor screen turned black, restarting the computer did not help, the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination also did not appear - the task manager did not appear. And this is what helped, when you booted the computer, you had to press F-8, the troubleshooting menu opens, in which you need to select Loading Last Known Good Configuration and that's it. You could also enter safe mode and apply system restore.

The other time was quite funny. The guards in our organization decided at night to connect to one system unit two monitors and did something there, probably played. Turned off the computer in the morning and disconnected the second monitor, then turned on the computer, and there was an empty desktop. I was the first to come to work, they run to me, they say help, otherwise everything is gone in the computer, and soon the authorities will come.

I go to help and think what is still missing there. I sit down at the computer and say - what's missing? And they show me in the monitor with their hands - look, there is nothing.

I tried Ctrl + Alt + Del, the task manager did not appear, I look, and the mouse pointer is on the desktop, then I right-clicked on the desktop without much hope and a menu appeared, selected Screen resolution, I see two monitors in the Screen settings, made it the main active monitor and Apply, the desktop appeared.

If nothing helped

There is another little-known way to restore Windows 7 boot after a crash, and I'll tell you about it. At first glance, it will seem difficult to many, but nevertheless it often helps me out.
The fact is, friends, that a very large part of the problems due to which you cannot boot Windows 7 lies in registry errors. And Windows 7 wouldn't be Windows 7 if it didn't have a mechanism to protect registry files. Such a mechanism exists and creates archive copies of the registry in the RegBack folder every 10 days, regardless of whether you have system restore enabled or not.

If you are unable to solve problems with Windows boot 7 you should try to replace the existing (and apparently damaged) registry files from the Config folder with archive files from the RegBack folder. To do this, we will have to boot the computer from the installation Windows disk 7 or disk Windows Recovery 7.

Boot into the recovery environment, select command line

and we type in it - notepad, we get into Notepad, then File and Open.

We go into the real explorer, click My computer. Now we need system disk C:, attention, the drive letters can be mixed up here, but the system drive C: I think you can recognize by the system drive inside Windows folders and Program Files.

We go to the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder, the current registry files are located here, we specify the File type - All files and we see our registry files, we also see the RegBack folder, in it every 10 days the Task Scheduler makes a backup copy of the registry keys.

So, we will replace the existing registry files from the Config folder backup files registry from the RegBack folder.
So, first of all, let's delete the SAM , SECURITY , SOFTWARE , DEFAULT , SYSTEM files from the C:\Windows\System32\Config folder, which are responsible for all registry hives,

and in their place copy and paste files with the same names, but from backup, that is, from the RegBack folder.

Note: You cannot delete the SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, DEFAULT, SYSTEM files all together, delete them one by one. Then copy the same files from the RegBack folder in their place.

AT operating system Windows 10 has many varied features. Among them is the ability to completely remove desktop icons. And I have already encountered this a couple of times on user computers. Moreover, they somehow managed to hide the shortcuts (accidentally or the children indulged), but they did not know what to do next and how to return the desktop icons.
It turns out that everything is very, very simple. Click on the desktop with the right mouse button and in the appeared context menu select item View >>> Show desktop icons:

After that, the folders and shortcuts will reappear.

Note:
operating room Windows system 10 is installed not only on computers and laptops, but also on tablets and phones. And for this type of device there is a special mode that slightly changes the OS interface for the convenience of working on a screen with a small diagonal and finger control. Because of it, shortcuts and icons on the desktop disappear. To return them back, you need to open the Windows 10 settings and go to the section System:

There will be an item "Tablet Mode":

Find the very first toggle » Turn on touch enhancements Windows controls when using the device as a tablet" and slide it to the Off.
After that, the folders and shortcuts will reappear.

P.S.: I forgot to mention one more thing. Sometimes it may happen that the Windows 10 desktop icons have disappeared due to a failure of the services responsible for the operation of the interface working system. There were, the computer hung - and the folders with shortcuts disappeared. In this case, restart your computer or laptop. Did not help? Then try creating a folder on your desktop.

To do this, right-click anywhere in it, and select the "New >>> Folder" menu item. The name of the directory can be absolutely anything - it does not matter. It's just that very often the creation of some new element allows you to "correct the brains" of the system and return the icons back.

Computer tips for novice users