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

2016-01-12T10:00:56+00:00

It worked like a charm! Thanks a lot!
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Anonymous

2016-01-27T04:39:25+00:00

OK. SecurityGuy 14's Solution as Implement by me and a couple of others REALLY works in Windows 7 Professional

In regedit go to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies

Then create Key "Explorer"

Add new DWORD value "NoSaveSettings" and set to 0

To be safe, I exported HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ and called it noSaveSettingsRestore.reg

Now Reboot and the problem was solved for us.

Hi Ken,

Is there any way around this without having admin privs for my computer?

Thanks,

A
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Anonymous

2016-02-24T18:34:28+00:00

Had same problem, but in Windows 10.

What solved it was going to Display settings and disabling my secondary monitor (where all my icons were). This moved all icons to my main display, and after I enabled my secondary (extended desktop) the icons remained on my main.

Didn't test it to see if problem reappears after unplugging monitors or restarting.
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Anonymous

2016-04-01T04:15:06+00:00

I tried this and it has no effect. Icons still re-arrange when I connect to an external monitor.
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