Getting all Windows 10 desktop icons to appear in 'users' desktop folder

Question

_{Thursday, August 25, 2016 2:06 AM}

My Users - [username] - Desktop folder only contains some of the icons on my actual desktop. The rest are in the Users - Public - Public Desktop, folder. Is there a way to make Windows display all the icons that I actually see on my desktop, in the desktop folder, going forward?

TIA!

All replies (1)

_{Friday, August 26, 2016 2:00 AM ✅Answered | 1 vote}

Hi TIA,

You observe carefully, not all icons that on actual desktop can be displayed in our user desktop folder, this phenomenon is normal and by design.

All user accounts registered in Windows have access to public folder, and any file and folder found in "C:\Users\Public" is completely accessible to all users.

If a shortcut appears on everyone’s desktop, but you want it only on yours, simply move it from the public Desktop folder to your personal one. But there’s another folder you need to know about: the default desktop. Adding or removing files from this folder (probably C:\Users\Default\Desktop) won’t change any existing account. But when you create a new account, Windows will copy the contents of this folder to the new account’s Desktop.

One more thing we should know: When you drag a file to the desktop, or create a shortcut there, Windows will place it in your private desktop folder. Therefore, being private is the default.

Hope my clarification is clear.

Sincere regards

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