Desktop icons move- multiple monitors

Anonymous
2010-04-12T12:20:13+00:00

I am using Windows 7 64-bit on a laptop that I connect to an external monitor each day at work. Because the external monitor is higher resolution, the desktop extends beyond the area of the laptop monitor. When I arrange my icons on the external monitor desktop, and then later restart my computer without the external monitor, my icons get completely jumbled around. When I then plug in the external again, I have to spend 5 minutes rearranging my desktop. This is getting very aggravating. The only partially successful solution I've found so far is to hit F8 to change the monitor selection and then put the computer to sleep, rather than shutting down. This works sometimes, but is not optimal and occasionally fails. What I want to do is lock the icons in place so they don't move around when I change monitors. Any suggestions?

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Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2010-04-13T12:10:07+00:00

Hi Genefreak,

This issue might occur if the “Auto Arrange Icons” option has been checked.

Step 1: Let’s try to uncheck this option first and then arrange the icons by grid and check if the issue persists.

Follow this step to do the same.

1.     Right click on an empty space on the Desktop-> Click on View.

2.     Uncheck the option “Auto Arrange Icons”.

3.     Check the option for “Align the icons to grid”.

Check if the issue persists now. 

Step 2: Also I would suggest you to reduce the resolution of the monitor so that it will not extend beyond the display area.

Change your screen resolution

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Change-your-screen-resolution

Additional reference on:

Work and play better with multiple monitors

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/work-and-play-better-with-multiple-monitors

Regards,

Divya R – Microsoft Support.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-08-30T18:43:53+00:00

    I agree, Microsoft's support team is absolutely appalling isn't it? I have never yet seen a useful answer come from a Microsoft support member. The only reason these forums are useful are for the user input aspect. This thread is a perfect example of that; everyone completely ignores the generic, useless, badly worded answer given by the Microsoft team member, and a competent non-Microsoft employee saves the day by giving a useful answer to the question.

    Why is Microsoft support so terrible? Well, that's a question that think would be interesting to ask in this very forum.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-08-01T05:13:08+00:00

    After changing the monitor cable, all desktop icons moved to the A/V Receiver/TV The only thing that could get them back was to PHYSICALLY DISCONNECT THE HDMI CABLE FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE RECEIVER. After all these years, there is still no way to tell Windows that an entertainment system connected via HDMI isn't a monitor, shouldn't EVER display the desktop icons, and OUTPUT TO IT MOST DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T BE TURNED OFF WHEN THE MONITOR IS BLANKED!

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-08-01T05:12:00+00:00

    After changing the monitor cable, all desktop icons moved to the AV Receiver/TV The only thing that could get them back was to PHYSICALLY DISCONNECT THE HDMI CABLE FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE RECEIVER. After all these years, there is still no way to tell Windows that an entertainment system connected via HDMI isn't a monitor, shouldn't display the desktop icons, and OUTPUT TO IT MOST DEFINITELY SHOULDN'T BE TURNED OFF WHEN THE MONITOR IS BLANKED!

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-08-01T05:01:04+00:00

    After disconnecting the VGA cable to change it, all desktop icons moved to the TV, connected to an A/V receiver that is connected to the computer through HDMI. I can't figure out how to get them back on the actual monitor. After all these years, Windows' ability to tell the difference (or let the user specify the difference) between a second monitor and an entertainment system sucks royal balls.

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