Clean desktop, no icons - howto

fafhrd · 22 Mar 2011

If you have your theme and wallpaper all set up and don't want your desktop cluttered with icons, try this:

Modify or create this registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\HideIcons
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

You can still have sidebar gadgets, or the excellent Rainmeter skins.

If everything is perfect, and you don't want anything to change, you can lockdown your desktop with:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoDesktop
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Turn off these registry modifications by changing the value to 0.

Your desktop folder will still behave as before, and you can add it to your taskbar, as a new toolbar for easy access.

Here's my netbook desktop (Windows 7 STARTER) with very basic mods

Clean desktop, no icons - howto-netdesk.png

Mods: StarDock MyColors, RainMeter Gnometer, Wallpaper from Year of the Rabbit theme (MS)

Kari · 22 Mar 2011

I do not understand why it should be done so complicated? Simply right click an empty spot on desktop, and turn desktop icons on or off. No need to edit registry, no need to lock desktop. Takes 2 seconds to turn icons on or off as you wish.

Here's my dual screen desktop with vertical taskbar,, never combine small icons, with Quick Launch with big icons:

Kari

Orbital Shark · 22 Mar 2011

All the registry entry does is read from the Show Desktop Icons context menu entry.

Clean desktop, no icons - howto-hide-icons.png

sets registry entry to 1

Clean desktop, no icons - howto-show-icons.png

sets registry entry to 0

edit: Kari, too quick mate

OS