how can i lock desktop icons in windows 8

>> Has anyone figured this out? <<

It's unfortunate that multiple solutions have been posted in this thread.  Worse, an incorrect solution has been marked as "correct" and there is no way to change that error.

However, this very long thread does contain the information and steps necessary to address the problems... and yes, there are several issues in play that make this issue hard to deal with.

Begin with my post above to set the minimum screen resolution defaults to your screen.

What's happening is that if windows starts with or "sees" no screen, it is going to use these default registry entries, and, if they are smaller than the screen you are using, windows is then going to rearrange the desktop to fit it into that default desktop space... and when the larger screen does come up and is detected, windows will not move the icons back where they were.

Using multiple monitors throws more problems into the equation... for example, when you start windows with one of the monitors disconnected.

Another complicator is that VGA monitors are still detectable by windows when they are powered off, so, their settings are retained.  HDMI (at least some HDMI) monitors are invisible to windows when they are powered down, so, windows is always going to fall back to default screen size registry entries on startup.

Beverly Howard

This is THE MOST IRRITATING aspect of Windows 8.1.  I can't believe the world-class programmers at Microsoft can't figure it out.  On the Desktop, when I right-click and select View, the "auto arrange icons" box is unchecked.  Yet every time I Restart, my icons are all scrambled.

I've also gone to Control Panel / All Control Panel Items / Personalization / Change Desktop Icons  and unchecked the "allow themes to change Desktop icons" box.  I think this deals with the look of the icons, I was desperate, so I tried this too, to no avail.

Please, Microsoft, in the next version, allow us to right click on the Desktop at any time (when we have the Desktop arranged as we want it) to give us the option to LOCK ICONS IN CURRENT LOCATION.

Has anyone figured this out?

Doug

This does not work. You can prove this by plugging in another monitor, sliding your mouse sprite down the right side of the screen, select "Device", then "Project", and selecting the monitor you just plugged in. Then, reverse that procedure and disconnect the external monitor.

OK, but how can I make it work with Windows 10.1

This does not work. You can prove this by plugging in another monitor, sliding your mouse sprite down the right side of the screen, select "Device", then "Project", and selecting the monitor you just plugged in. Then, reverse that procedure and disconnect the external monitor.

This worked for me