Windows 11 Desktop icons rearrange and re-sort themselves

Anonymous
2023-07-21T01:09:08+00:00

Lately, my Windows desktop icons have periodically and at random rearranged and re-sorted themselves.

It looks like at arbitrary times, This PC and the Recycle Bin, which are traditionally at the top left hand corner of the desktop now shift downwards. The icons re-sort themselves into alphabetical name order. It usually happens after a boot or reboot.

I also have icons spread out randomly over a two-screen desktop. At an arbitrary moment, again associated with a reboot, all icons suddenly snap to the left hand side of the left-hand screen.

There are many posts on the web about the "Autoarrange Icons" and "Align Icons" settings. Changing those settings do not resolve this problem.

This may have something with the ""Sort By" setting. If that is it, the setting does not stay that way for long.

I don't know if this is a new bug that has appeared in a recent build. I use Windows 11 Home, and the current Version is 22H2, and the Build is 22621.1992.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-10-06T21:53:16+00:00

    Right-click the desktop. Select Personalize. Select Themes and scroll down and select Desktop icon settings. Near the bottom left of the Desktop Icon Settings dialog, uncheck Allow themes to change desktop icons.

    I found this on google and it helped me.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-03-24T05:01:59+00:00

    I have a similar problem except my icons get rearranged after every reboot.
    It has been happening since the last Windows update.

    I have not installed any new software, and my desktop icon arrangement has been working fine for years until the update.
    2024-03 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5035853) seems to be the last update that caused the problem.

    If for some reason my system has become corrupted, then Windows update did it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-01T17:09:30+00:00

    I had the same problem. Whenever I copy-pasted to the desktop, the icon orders would change and the recycle bin at the top would slide down.

    Uninstalling the "Hpsmart" application that comes with Windows 11 solved my problem.

    A problem with the Snipping Tool was similarly caused by Windows 11's default applications. ( https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-11-snipping-tool-not-showing-up-after/2ac89370-ec4b-43a9-8fed-634e27e7c2f3?page=4 )

    It seems that associating some applications that come with Windows 11 as default applications is causing problems.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-10-06T17:22:43+00:00

    I would suggest that you try to remember when the problem started and look for any microsoft application that came as part of a windows update or a new game that you installed. From what I've read, anything that runs in the background and messes with the screen resolution, has the capability of causing this issue.

    Good luck and let me know if you find another possible application that caused your issue.

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  5. Reported
    Anonymous
    2023-07-21T05:00:52+00:00

    Hello Gregory, sorry about your problems. My name is Marco and I will do my best to help you.

    There are some solutions you may not have tried at the link below, even if it's for Windows 10.

    https://tencomputer.com/desktop-icons-keep-rear...

    You can run System File Checker, which will scan your system for missing, corrupt or damaged files and attempt to fix them1. This may repair any system errors that affect your PDF files.

    Step to run the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe) (DISM)

    Note: Respect the spaces or simply copy / paste the commands.

    • Click on windows start button, type CMD
    • Right click on " prompt command " and " run as admin "
    • Now type this commands

    DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth

    • Press Enter.
    • Then, this command and Enter.

    DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

    • Then make the following commands.

    sfc /scannow

    When the scan is finished, check if there are any errors detected.

    Restart the computer and check if it is now fixed.

    Otherwise, check that you do not have software that could cause this problem.

    You can do a Clean Boot for that, that is to say, start Windows with only Microsoft services activated.

    If the icons behave well, it means that it is a program that is in question.

    So you will have to reactivate one at a time to determine which one it is.

    Here's how.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-t...

    _________________________________________________

    Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

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