Windows 7 desktop icons keep rearranging themselves

Anonymous
2009-10-07T02:55:22+00:00

Every few days, all the icons on my Win7 desktop rearrange themselves. Usually they move to the left edge of the screen. I laboriously move all the icons back to where I like them, and 3-10 days later, they all shift left again. I've found no pattern or event that might cause this -- but it's very annoying!

I've got Win7 build 7100 running on a Dell Latitude D830 laptop. Totally standard hardware and very little non-Microsoft software. In short, it's a pretty clean system.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2009-10-07T17:38:17+00:00

To supplement Reyas.M.I.'s answer, Under View is the option to select the icon size, Auto arrange icons and Align icons to grid.  The Sort by option includes Name, Size, Item type and Date modified.  I suggest you check both View and Sort by.

Corrine, Microsoft MVP (Consumer Security). This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty, and confers no rights.

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Anonymous
2009-10-07T04:51:35+00:00

Check whether "Auto Arrange" checked. To check this, right click on desktop and select "Arrange icons by".

I hope this helps.

Thanks and Regards, Reyas...

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-06-20T12:34:46+00:00

    If so many people have this problem, why doesn't Microsoft just fix it?  I have Windows 10 and if has been do this for several months now.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-06-21T11:33:33+00:00

                               

    Why am I not surprised that 6 years later NOTHING has changed? Still icons being rearranged, still nothing being done about it - OR ANYTHING ELSE for that matter. What are these forums and help pages actually for, when Microsoft ignore users worldwide?

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-08-26T18:48:13+00:00

    The real answer for Windows 7 users is below.  What is being asked is how to make ICONS stay any place you put them!  So:

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

    Then create Key "Explorer"

    It should look like this  [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

    Next 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 me and many others.

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