This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
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.
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.
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.
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...
Hi thanks, I know this dosent effect every PC but on my 3 pcs its an issue if resolution is changed the order of the Icons is rearranged regardless of if auto rearrange is checked or align to grid is checked. There appears to be no saved location for icons on the PC and they wander around the desktop as they want.
If I setup a 8 line icon set and the resolution only allows 6 then 2 get wrapped to the next column, on restart to the standard resolution Windows then decides to rearrange the icon order not to the preset 8 icons or even to the first 6 with 2 at the bottom it totally reorders the icons on the desktop for no apparent reason.
FWIW, I have Auto Align not checked and Align to Grid is checked and my icons haven't moved in the entire time I have had Win10, on three machines to boot.
I dont understand the post, If check marks are made against icons to auto rearrange then so be it but if no checks are made against grid or auto rearrange then the icons should remain where they are placed. I do not expect to wake up every morning and have to get my breakfast bowl from the Bathroom.
This is a MS issue which since windows 7 they have neglected to solve and my opinion it remains a low priority as selling there own market place products is more important than having a bug free functioning system.
The key to this and not a 3rd party fix is that microsoft in there software allow for movement of the icons or not by means of a check or not check system. The system itself if not checked should not be doing anything with the desktop icons.
Its a MS bug and needs to be fixed by Microsoft.
