Desktop icons keep automatically moving themselves to the secondary display/monitor

Question

Desktop icons keep automatically moving themselves to the secondary display/monitor

Almonte, Emyll 56

Desktop icons keep automatically moving themselves to the secondary display/monitor, and yes I have tried all the basic steps.

I have two monitors, if I mark monitor 1 as primary, the icons move to the 2nd monitor, and vice versa.

I have tried the registry deletion of config of monitors etc.

I have tried placing one icon in the secondary monitor while leaving all others in primary main monitor, everything gets reset at random time and icons just reverse themselves, the one icon would be in monitor 1 and the rest in secondary, ridiculous.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

IGYQ 22,055 Independent Advisor

Yes, that's exactly what I was going to have you do first. The purpose was to determine whether auto arrange icons was contributing to the problem or whether Windows itself is relocating the desktop. That test(untick the option) is important because it tells us whether auto arrange was just rearranging the icons.

Almonte, Emyll 56 Reputation points

2026-07-17T18:42:56.61+00:00

Ok, it usually takes a day or two for the icons to move themselves again, so I'll check back next week and give an update.

2 additional answers

Your answer

Almonte, Emyll 56 Reputation points

2026-07-17T18:42:56.61+00:00

Ok, it usually takes a day or two for the icons to move themselves again, so I'll check back next week and give an update.

Answer 1

IGYQ 22,055 Independent Advisor

Just let me know about any updates so I can assist you further.

Almonte, Emyll 56 Reputation points

2026-07-27T15:30:23.92+00:00

So it's been 10 days and the icons have remained in the primary monitor after having the auto arrange option unticked. That might be the solution to leave it unticked, but it still would be a bug that was recently introduced because for years with Windows 10 and since the start using Windows 11 more than 2 years ago, this was never an issue where it was mistakenly sending the icons to the opposite/wrong monitor.

I will mark your answer as the accepted one by end of week, I still have some OS pending updates and reboot, then I will be more certain of the solution.
Almonte, Emyll 56 Reputation points

2026-07-30T19:27:29.5366667+00:00

Ok, the icons have remained until now, so I think that pretty much means as usual, microsoft updated something that broke something else.. great.

Answer 2

IGYQ 22,055 Independent Advisor

Hi!

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Can you tell me if you've checked Auto arrange option already?(let me know if you haven't yet)

Almonte, Emyll 56 Reputation points

2026-07-17T16:07:38.9333333+00:00

Auto arrange was always selected (checked on), there was no change from my part in terms of desktop icons settings when this started happening. I have disabled it and moved icons manually back to monitor 1 (main display), is that what you were going to tell me to do? if not, proceed with what you would have said.

But, what is annoying with this is that if that becomes the "solution", why would auto arrange now think that monitor 2 or secondary display is where I want my desktop icons? this was always set to the main display.