Forum Discussion
why doesn't Win11 save desktop icon positions? How to make it save positions?
I'm experiencing an issue with Windows 11 where the positions of my desktop icons don't seem to be saved. Every time I restart my computer or refresh the desktop, the icons are rearranged, which disrupts my organization and workflow. I've tried a few basic troubleshooting steps, like adjusting the icon sizes and using the "Align icons to grid" option, but nothing seems to resolve the problem.
4 Replies
I fixed my problem using DesktopOK.
I had the same issue and MS support is just terrible and offered no solutions. As per usual a user needs to solve this for them.
This tends to be an issue with Multi-Monitor setups. I fixed this by doing the following. Setup your icons the way you want them saved.
Now right click on the Desktop and click Display Settings.
Uncheck the box "Remember windows locations based on monitor connection" then restart your computer.After boot your Icons should have maintained their positions. Go back into display settings and recheck that box.
Corruption in the icon cache can lead to various icon-related issues. You can rebuild the icon cache:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Type the following commands, pressing Enter after each command:
CopyReplit
taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F
del /A:H "%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*"
start explorer.exe
Changes in display settings, like switching between different resolutions or connecting/disconnecting external monitors, can cause icon position shifts. If you’re using multiple displays, the setup might change when restarting or refreshing, which can lead to rearranged icons.
