Desktop icons move- multiple monitors

Anonymous

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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Anonymous

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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42 additional answers

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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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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Anonymous

2017-09-05T21:17:57+00:00

No.... incredibly frustrating.... makes you wanna revert to a Mac.
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Anonymous

2017-09-12T12:10:25+00:00
FINALLY! I'm updating this site since it's first when googling "windows 10 desktop icons scattered external monitor".

I have a HP 14'' laptop with 1080p build-in display and 2 external monitors connected to a docking station, both are 1680x1050 and one set as main display if my laptop is docked. When docking/undocking the laptop icons on desktop would scatter over the desktop
- it's driving me nuts.
I tried changing scaling, resolution, pretty much everything I could find on the net - nothing worked.

Desktop settings "Auto arrange icons" and "Align icons to grid" have nothing to do with it.

SOLUTION (worked for me):

Right Click on Desktop -> Graphics Properties -> click on Display

At the bottom of the configuration window change the "Scaling" option from "Maintain Display Scaling" to "Maintain Aspect Ratio" for every display (including your build-in).

Not sure what effect it has on scaling options - I'm not using scaling anyway but FINALLY the icons stopped scattering.

This is for the Intel HD Graphics display adapters, if you're using a dedicated/integrated graphics card it should have similar options in its own configuration panel.

I really hope this works for everyone who has the same issue. If it does - Microsoft, you're welcome.
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