Forum Discussion

EmmettBrooks's avatar
EmmettBrooks
Iron Contributor
Jul 03, 2026

Windows 11 desktop icons automatically rearrange by themselves?

I arrange my desktop icons neatly, but after restarting or updating, Windows 11 rearranges them automatically. It’s messy every time. How to stop this?
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iroyalssystems's avatar
iroyalssystems
Brass Contributor
Aug 06, 2026

This is usually caused by the Auto arrange icons setting or a display resolution change.

Try these steps:

  1. Right-click on the desktop and select View.
  2. Make sure Auto arrange icons is unchecked.
  3. Leave Align icons to grid enabled if you want your icons to stay neatly aligned.
  4. Make sure your display resolution is set to the Recommended setting.
  5. Restart your PC and check if the icon positions are retained.

If the issue started after a Windows update, installing the latest graphics driver may also help.