Having cluttered desktop icons can make it hard to find the files you need. But you don’t need to delete them to clear things up. In this article, you’ll learn how to remove icons from desktop Windows 10 without deleting them. We’ll discuss the several different methods for removing clutter from your desktop and keeping your files safe and secure. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to quickly and easily organize your desktop icons to your liking. To remove icons from desktop without deleting, in Windows 10: Right-click on the desktop and select View. Uncheck the Show desktop icons option. Your icons will be hidden. To show them again, recheck the option. How to Easily Remove Icons From Your Windows 10 Desktop Removing icons from your Windows 10 desktop is a simple and easy task. You can do it in a few clicks, and you don’t even have to delete the files associated with the icons. Here’s how to remove icons from your desktop without deleting them. Step 1: Right-Click the Icons You Want to Remove The first step to removing icons from the desktop is to right-click the icons you want to remove. This will bring up a menu with a variety of options. Look for the option that says “Unpin from taskbar” or “Unpin from start”. Selecting this option will remove the icon from the desktop. You can also select the “Delete” option from this menu, but this will delete the file associated with the icon. This means that if you want to use the file again in the future, you will have to re-download it. Step 2: Move the Icons to the Recycle Bin Once you have removed the icons from the desktop, you can move them to the Recycle Bin. To do this, simply right-click the icon and select “Move to Recycle Bin”. This will delete the file, but it will still be stored in the Recycle Bin. Step 3: Empty the Recycle Bin The last step is to empty the Recycle Bin. This will permanently delete the files associated with the icons you removed from the desktop. To do this, right-click the Recycle Bin icon and select “Empty Recycle Bin”. How to Restore Icons to the Desktop If you need to restore icons to the desktop, you can do so in a few simple steps. Here’s how to restore icons to the desktop without having to re-download the files. Step 1: Open the Start Menu The first step is to open the Start menu. This can be done by clicking the Windows logo in the bottom left corner of the screen. Step 2: Find the Icons You Want to Restore Once the Start menu is open, you can use the search bar to find the icons you want to restore. Type in the name of the icon or file, and the Start menu will show you a list of matches. Step 3: Right-Click the Icon and Select “Pin to Taskbar” Once you have found the icons you want to restore, right-click the icon and select “Pin to taskbar”. This will add the icon back to the desktop. How to Uninstall Unwanted Icons From the Desktop If you have unwanted icons on your desktop, you can quickly uninstall them. Here’s how to uninstall unwanted icons from the desktop without deleting the files. Step 1: Open the Control Panel The first step is to open the Control Panel. This can be done by typing “Control Panel” into the search bar in the Start menu. Step 2: Find the Programs and Features Section Once the Control Panel is open, look for the Programs and Features section. This section will list all the programs and files installed on your computer. Step 3: Uninstall the Unwanted Icons Once you have found the programs or files associated with the unwanted icons, you can uninstall them. To do this, simply select the program or file and click the “Uninstall” button. This will remove the icon from the desktop. How to Disable Unwanted Icons From the Desktop If you don’t want to uninstall the files associated with the unwanted icons, you can disable them instead. Here’s how to disable unwanted icons from the desktop without deleting the files. Step 1: Open the Task Manager The first step is to open the Task Manager. This can be done by pressing the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at the same time. Step 2: Find the Unwanted Icons Once the Task Manager is open, look for the processes associated with the unwanted icons. These processes will be listed under the “Processes” tab. Step 3: Right-Click the Icons and Select “End Task” Once you have found the processes associated with the unwanted icons, right-click the processes and select “End Task”. This will disable the icons from the desktop. Related Faq Question 1: How do I delete an icon from my desktop in Windows 10? Answer: To delete an icon from your desktop in Windows 10, right-click on the icon you want to delete and select “Delete” from the pop-up menu. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion, so click “Yes” to delete the icon permanently. Alternatively, you can select the icon and press the “Delete” key on your keyboard once to delete the icon. When you delete the icon this way, it will be sent to the Recycle Bin and you can recover it if needed. Question 2: How do I remove icons from the desktop without deleting them? Answer: To remove icons from your desktop without deleting them, you can simply drag the icon to a different folder on your computer or to a USB drive. This will move the icon from the desktop to the new location without deleting it. Alternatively, you can right-click on the icon and select “Cut” from the pop-up menu. This will remove the icon from the desktop, but it will still be stored in the clipboard until you paste it somewhere else. Question 3: How do I hide icons on my desktop in Windows 10? Answer: To hide icons on your desktop in Windows 10, right-click on the desktop and select “View” from the pop-up menu. From the View menu, select “Show Desktop Icons” and the icons will be hidden. You can also press and hold the Windows key and press “D” to instantly hide all desktop icons. To show the icons again, simply repeat the steps and select “Show Desktop Icons” again. Question 4: How do I remove an icon from my taskbar in Windows 10? Answer: To remove an icon from your taskbar in Windows 10, right-click on the icon you want to remove and select “Unpin from taskbar” from the pop-up menu. This will remove the icon from the taskbar and it will no longer appear in the taskbar. Alternatively, you can drag the icon away from the taskbar and release it to remove it. Question 5: How do I remove a shortcut from my desktop in Windows 10? Answer: To remove a shortcut from your desktop in Windows 10, right-click on the shortcut and select “Delete” from the pop-up menu. This will delete the shortcut from the desktop, but it will not delete the original file or program that the shortcut points to. Alternatively, you can select the shortcut and press the “Delete” key on your keyboard to delete it. Question 6: How do I make icons smaller on my desktop in Windows 10? Answer: To make icons smaller on your desktop in Windows 10, right-click on the desktop and select “View” from the pop-up menu. From the View menu, select “Large Icons” or “Small Icons” to change the size of the icons. You can also press and hold the “Ctrl” key and use the mouse wheel to scroll up or down to resize the icons. Removing icons from your desktop in Windows 10 is an easy task. By following the simple steps outlined in this article, you can easily and quickly remove icons from your desktop without deleting them or risking any data loss. With this knowledge, you can customize your desktop to your liking and keep it organized and clutter-free.