How to Hide Specific Desktop Icons on Windows 10 – Top 4 Methods

Today I will share four methods to hide specific desktop icons on Windows 10. You can use this method hide any type of desktop icon from your PC/Laptop. You can also hide any icon and keep other desktop icon.

Most people used to have a clean desktop of their Windows PC. But we used to have many files, folders, shortcuts, apps and programs. Even some installed programs will automatically add their own icon desktop icons. This even leads you to a point where you can’t even see the background image of your desktop.

How to Hide Specific Desktop Icons on Windows 10 – Top 4 Methods

On the other hand, some people do not want the desktop icons to be seen by anyone. In these cases, you can hide desktop icons temporarily on your Windows PC. You can use the features by following the inbuilt method in Windows PC, and even you can use third-party programs like apps to hide specific desktop icons on Windows 10 PC. I have shared 4 methods.

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First we’ll look at the inbuilt features of Windows 10 PC to hide desktop icons.

Using Desktop Context Menu

This is the easy and quick way to hide desktop icons by the inbuilt features of Windows 10 PC.

1. Right-click on your desktop at any blank space.
2. Now you’ll get a context menu that will have a “View” in it.
3. Click on “View” option.
   It gives you another context menu that has a “Show desktop icons” in it.
4. Now select “Show desktop icons” option.

Once you clicked “Show desktop icons” you desktop icons will be hided.

Read more: How to Create Website Shortcut on Desktop Internet Explorer

Using Group Policy

Local group policy editor is also one of the inbuilt features of Windows 10 to hide desktop icons

1. Click on the local group policy editor to get it open.
2. Now select “User configuration” then click “Administration template administration”.
3. Click “Desktop” on the context menu.
   You’ll get a panel on the right side of your desktop.
4. Click “Hide and disable all items on the desktop” from the panel.
5. Then click “Enable option” and click “Apply” and then click “OK” on the context menu.
6. After completing the procedure to hide desktop icons, reboot the PC.

After rebooting your PC, icons will be disappeared. To get it back, again change the Group Policy Setting back to NOT CONFIGURED.

Read more: How To Set Custom Icons on Folder In Windows 10

Using Registry Tweak

1. Press “Windows key +R” together on your keyboard to open the run box.
2. Select Registry Editor.
3. Browse the following key,
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.
4. Make a Right-click on the Explorer key.
5. From the Edit menu, click “New”.
6. You’ll get a context menu , click “DWORD VALUE” in it.
7. Rename DWORD as “Nodesktop” and press “Enter”.
8. You’ll get a “New Value” option.
9. Press “new Value” option and set the value as 1.
10. Close the Registry Editor and Reboot your Window PC.

After rebooting, you can see your desktop icons hidden.

Note: If you don’t have your Explorer key under the policies, you can create one manually.

Read more: How to Disable Fast User Switching On Windows 10

Now follow the below steps to create a Explorer key manually.

1. To your left side double click on “Policies Key”.
2. Select “New” and then press “Ok”.
3. After pressing “Ok” name it as “Explorer”.

Hide Specific Icons on Windows 10 using Third Party Softwares

As said earlier we can hide specific desktop icons even using apps. For example, we can use “Fences” from Stardock to hide desktop icons. This thing helps us to organize icons together and to hide them. “Protect My Folder” is another app to hide icons.

Conclusion

By following the above procedures and steps you can hide specific desktop icons on Windows 10 PC. This helps you to clean your desktop. In today’s world, PC plays a major role. Many used to search for hiding their icons in Windows 10 PC. This may help them to get a better idea and a clear way to hide desktop icons.