How to Add or Remove Default Desktop Icons in Windows 11

Want to tidy up your Windows 11 desktop or make your favorite shortcuts more accessible? You can add or remove default icons by adjusting your desktop icon settings, allowing you to customize your desktop for better efficiency.

Desktop icons are like shortcuts to important system tools and folders, such as ‘This PC,’ ‘Recycle Bin,’ ‘Network,’ and ‘User’s Files.’ Windows 11 offers control over which of these pre-defined icons appear on your desktop. For instance, Windows 11 typically displays the Recycle Bin by default. You can add or remove this and other system icons through the Personalization settings.

Personalizing your desktop helps create a cleaner look or keeps your most-used shortcuts right where you need them.

• This PC: Lets you see your hard drives and other connected devices.
• 🗑️ Recycle Bin: Where deleted files go before you permanently remove them.
• Network: Shows other computers and devices on your network.
• User’s Files: A quick link to your personal folders like Documents or Pictures.

Ready to change them? Here’s how:

Open Desktop Icon Settings

To change your Windows 11 desktop icons, you’ll first need to open the correct settings menu.

In the Settings window, find and click on Personalization. After that, select Themes.

Tip: You can also open Settings quickly by pressing the Windows key + I. Then, type “Themes” in the search box at the top and select “Themes & related settings.”

Choose Your Icons

Inside the Themes settings, find and click on ‘Desktop icon settings’ to open a window where you can choose which icons appear on your Windows 11 desktop.

A new window will open. It shows a list of common desktop icons like This PC, User’s Files, Network, and Recycle Bin. You will see checkboxes next to each one.

To add an icon to your desktop, check the box next to it. To remove an icon, uncheck the box.

Confirm Your Choices

After you have picked the icons you want, click the OK button at the bottom of the Desktop icon settings window.

Your desktop will update immediately to show only the icons you selected.

A Note About Themes

You might see a setting that lets themes change your desktop icons; if you uncheck this, your chosen icons won’t change when you switch themes in Windows 11.

If you switch your desktop theme later, Windows might automatically revert your main desktop icons to match the new theme’s defaults.

If you prefer your selected icons to remain unchanged, consider unchecking this box. This way, your icon setup won’t change when you switch themes.

Summary

Making your Windows 11 desktop personal with the icons you use most can make your computer feel more efficient and enjoyable.