What to do if the icons on the computer are missing. Missing desktop and shortcuts Disappeared shortcuts on windows 7 desktop

Sometimes it turns out that you turn on the computer in the hope of starting work on it, but instead of the usual workspace, you see a "golyak" - shortcuts from the desktop have disappeared. Don't panic right away. Let's see why this might be.

Draw

The first and most pleasant answer to the question: "Why do shortcuts disappear from the desktop?" - is that you are simply played by someone. Do you live alone? Do family / friends / work colleagues have access to your "iron friend"? Know how you will respond to computer problems? Then you should not be surprised that one day you turn on your device, and shortcuts from the desktop have disappeared on it. In this case, there is no place for panic - everything can be fixed with the help of simple manipulations. But more on that later, because there is another reason why you may not see folders and shortcuts in their places.

System failure

If you had to think about how to restore shortcuts from the desktop, while no one else has access to your computer (or it is password-protected), and nothing is left on the monitor (except for the task manager), then most likely in the operating system some kind of failure has occurred. There can be many reasons for this. Nevertheless, there is no need to panic in this case either - it is easily fixable to fix the failure. It would be much worse to lose data or even "OSes". But there is also a less pleasant reason.

Viruses

The most common, unpleasant reason that shortcuts and folders disappear from the desktop is the infection of the computer with all sorts of viruses. Yes, maybe you "caught" a comic infection that just hides icons and does not injure the system.
Yes, it’s unpleasant, but nevertheless, in this case, if the shortcuts from the desktop have disappeared, you should not panic. But if your "iron friend" is infected with something more serious, then such games of hide and seek can mean a quick "death" operating system. However, if problems are detected in time, then fixing them will be quite simple. So, let's talk about what to do in case of problems with the desktop.

In the event of a draw

Well, shortcuts have disappeared from the desktop, what should I do? In the event that you have been played, you can literally fix the situation with just two mouse clicks. First, boot up your computer. When you see a bare table, don't panic. Wait until the operating system is fully loaded, then right-click anywhere (preferably where there were no shortcuts when everything was normal). Go to "View". See if there is a checkmark next to "show/show desktop icons". Absent? Yep, that's the root of all evil. We mark the item and that's it - the labels will fall into place. But problems are not always fixed so quickly.

Starting the process "do it yourself"

Now let's start studying the question "Where did the shortcuts go and what to do?" one more way. If the first method did not help, think about it: did all the system processes start? Most likely not. So, you need to activate them yourself. If you know how, then everything will be done quickly and efficiently.

So, first of all, call the Windows Task Manager. This is done by pressing the combination Ctrl + Alt + Del. There select "File" - "New task" (execute). Now it's time to think about what exactly needs to be launched. If you look closely at the tasks that run when the system is healthy, you can find the "explorer" process there. It is he who is responsible for displaying shortcuts and folders on the desktop. In "Run" you need to register explorer.exe. If everything worked out, then the process will begin, the labels will return to their places. Otherwise, an error message will be displayed indicating that the file is corrupted. So, you need to look for workarounds.

Recovery

So, if you are wondering why shortcuts disappear from the Windows desktop, and the previous methods did not help, then you can try to do a system restore. You can try in several ways. The first is through the "Restore" option.

To do this, go to the Start menu. There, find "Standard" - "Service". Next, select System Restore. So, in order to roll back the "OS", select a date that still corresponds to the normal state. The truth about points Windows Recovery must be taken care of in advance. It is desirable to make about three of them. After that, follow the simple instructions and wait until your computer restarts. Labels and folders will fall into place.

You can also restore the system through the task manager. Call it via Ctrl + Alt + Del, then go to "Applications" and click on "New Task". Create it and type in "Open": %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe Confirm the action. The System Restore window will open. Select the desired rollback date and follow the instructions to complete the process. In the end, the desktop will return to its previous state.

Registry

If shortcuts and folders from the desktop disappear, and the system rollback turned out to be useless, you need to "poshamanit" a little with the system registry. Select "Run" from the start menu and run regedit. The system registry window will open. There, open folders from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE until Image File Execution Options appears. It needs to be opened. There you need to find the already familiar "explorer" and iexplorer.exe

If something was found, then delete it by clicking the right mouse button and choosing "Delete". Now look for Winlogon. It will help to check the explorer.exe settings. Look for the Shell option. There should be an inscription explorer.exe in the item "Changing a string parameter". If there is any "scribbling", remove it. Confirm your actions and then restart your computer.

Antivirus

Still asking yourself questions: "Why did the shortcuts disappear from the desktop? What should I do?" Of course, if you suspect that your computer is infected with viruses, you can try to scan it for infection with a good antivirus. Naturally, it is best to make copies of the data and have on hand installation disk or system restorer.

If your desktop shortcuts are missing, run a system scan. You need to do a deep check. This process can take from several minutes to several hours. After the scan is over, remove everything that the anti-virus system detects. Now reboot your operating system. If the system files were not subject to deletion, and the cleaning was successful, then the folders and shortcuts will return "to their full circle". But there are cases when even the above actions do not help.

Reinstallation

If you have lost all the shortcuts from the desktop, and this happens regularly and constantly (or all the previous methods turned out to be useless), then only one thing will help - reinstalling the operating system. It is desirable to do "clean". This is all in order to guarantee the correction of all problems that were present before (after all, sometimes viruses can "sit" outside the system disk, but only "eat" system files). Write down all the important data on media, and then get down to business.

Take the installation disc and insert it into the drive. Turn on/restart your computer and enter the BIOS. There, in the boot options, set "Reading CD / DVD-ROM" in the first place. Save your settings and exit. Wait for the reinstallation process to begin.

The recovery program welcome window will open and Windows installation. Select your preferred language and click next. After that, you will be offered two options: reinstall "over" the old "axis" and "update". Click on reinstall. A window will open in which you need to select the partition on which Windows will be installed. Format the drive and select it. Now you just need to sit down and wait until the reinstallation comes to an end. From time to time the computer will restart (about 2-3 times), this is normal. Set the computer name, time, date and update settings. Get activated. After that, you must wait until the system is ready for the first start (it will enter automatically). Now the "axis" is in perfect order, and the shortcuts have regained the ability to stay in their places. Yes, after that they need to be restored manually, however, only once. As system administrators say: "If all else fails, then The best way to solve the problem is to demolish Windows and install it again!"

Conclusion

Now it's time to take stock. Today we talked about a rather unusual and not very frequent problem, formulated as follows: "Shortcuts from the desktop disappeared." How to be in this case, we analyzed in detail. As you can see, almost all system failures and malfunctions are subject to correction. So if you don't see folders and icons in their proper places, don't panic. Analyze the situation, and then proceed to correct it. No need to immediately reinstall the system, fearing harm. In the best case, after the first attempts to display the labels, they will fall into place. So don't go to extremes. First of all, try to keep your "OS" in the state in which it was before.

The disappearance of shortcuts on the Windows 7 desktop is one of the signs of a computer infection with malware, in which the system file responsible for the functioning of the OS graphical shell has been damaged or it has not started correctly. To correct this situation, you must either restore the corrupted data, or correctly specify the path to them in the registry.

Ways to restore icons on the desktop

In Windows 7, the explorer.exe program, located on the C drive in Windows folder. When changing its parameters executable file will be read incorrectly, which can lead to the loss of not only all the icons on the desktop, but also the taskbar.

You can restore all shortcuts using both standard applications built into the OS, and additional software. The choice of one method or another depends on the severity of the damage and the availability of data required for resuscitation on the computer.

Activating the icon display function

If all the icons on the Windows 7 desktop have disappeared, but the taskbar is working normally, then this may indicate that the shortcut display function is disabled. If this is true, then in the "Desktop" or Desktop folder, which is located on the system drive, all icons should be present.

To restart this function, you must:

If there are no icons in the Desktop directory, then they were removed from the system due to the functioning of malware or rash user actions. In this case, the above recovery method will not work.

Manual launch of explorer.exe

If the disappearance of icons from the Windows 7 desktop is not related to damage to the explorer.exe application, then it can be started manually from the Start menu or Task Manager. In the first case, you need to enter the "Start" and in the "Run" tab type explorer.exe.

If the taskbar disappeared along with all the icons, then to run the above file you need to:

If, when you try to enter the Task Manager, the system blocks your actions, which can be observed when a computer is infected with a virus, then you will not be able to restore icons using this method.

Using the Registry

The file responsible for displaying shortcuts and visualizing the desktop is activated through a specific registry branch. When a computer is infected, it may happen that instead of launching explorer.exe, a virus program is opened. To fix this problem and, accordingly, restore the missing icons, you need to do the following:

After exiting the registry and restarting the PC, all icons on the desktop should be restored.

Applications of additional software

If shortcuts have disappeared on your PC, and for some reason you cannot enter the registry or run the explorer.exe command, you can try to restore the desktop using special software.

Such a program is the universal antivirus AVZ. Its positive quality is that it can not only calculate and clean the system from viruses, but also restore system Windows files, unlock access to the "Task Manager", reanimate icons on the desktop and much more.

The procedure for working with this utility will be as follows:

After completing these steps, all icons on the desktop should be restored.

As a rule, we have the most frequently used documents, telephone, and other accessories on our desk. The same is true when working with a computer - for the convenience of opening the most frequently used programs, labels, icons and badges are on the desktop. They make life easier for us, eliminating the need to rummage through disk directories in search of desired program. Our actions, at times, are brought to automatism and it’s scary to imagine what to do when the desktop icons suddenly disappear. Unfortunately, this does happen. The main thing in this situation is not to panic, but to perform a series of simple actions.

Instruction:

To begin with, consider the option when you yourself accidentally deleted one or more shortcuts. Perform a right-click on empty space on the desktop. Since it is already empty, it will be difficult to miss. From the menu that appears, select the command "Undo deletion". If several icons were removed at once, then open "Basket", select the desired icons and, after right-clicking on one of them, select the command from the context menu "Restore" (of course, this is only possible if the "Basket" has not yet been emptied).
If the standard desktop icon has disappeared (“Network Neighborhood”, “My Documents”, “My Computer”) and they are not in the “Trash” - in the menu, after clicking on an empty area, select the command "Properties" . In the window that appears, find the "Desktop" section and click: "Desktop settings" - "General”, mark the icons necessary for the desktop and click “OK”.
If the first method did not bring results, then the problem is deeper or you have become the object of someone's joke. Perhaps you have been changed desktop settings . To return to the original view, click again on the empty space, select the menu items - "Arrange icons" - "Show desktop icons". If there is no check mark next to this item, check it.
The second method did not help and the shortcuts did not appear? Do not despair. There might be an error in the process explorer.exe , which is also responsible for the icons for the desktop. All it takes is to run it again. To do this, simultaneously press the keys on the keyboard. "Ctrl", "Delete" and "Alt" . In the window that appears, we are interested in the "Applications" tab. Click the "New Task" button, enter explorer.exe in the "Open" line and click "OK". You may need to restart your computer.
But how to restore desktop icons if the taskbar and start button disappeared ? This often happens after the installation of malware (virus infection) and is corrected through the registry. Naturally, you need to perform the following steps only after removing the virus. So, again press "Alt" + "Ctrl" + "Delete" to call the "Windows Task Manager", and follow the 3rd step until the window with the line "Open" appears. We print in the field regedit and confirm the command (Enter). In a new window "Registry Editor", move through the folders (they are correctly called - Keys) until we find "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE". In this folder, select: "SOFTWARE" - "Microsoft" - "WindowsNT" - "CurrentVersion" and the last key Image File Execution Options . If this folder contains the “explorer.exe” or “iexplorer.exe” sections, delete it. Continuing to navigate through the registry keys, select the folder "Winlogon" . We find the line "Shell" in the line on the right and look at the rightmost column. If something other than “explorer.exe” is written there, right-click on this line, select “Change” and erase the excess in the “Value” line.
We restart the computer and admire the result.

Sometimes Windows 10 clients encounter a problem: they turn on the computer, but their “Desktop” does not have certain icons that they need to work. Why can this happen? How to be in such a situation? Today we will consider how to return the necessary icons and get quick access to services and programs again.

Why icons disappear from the Windows 10 Desktop

Before you solve the problem with the sudden disappearance of icons in Windows 10, you need to consider why this could happen. There are several explanations:

Virus infection. They are able to make changes to system settings, thereby removing icons. In this regard, before returning the icons to the "Desktop", you need to scan hard disks PC for malware with an antivirus so that after restoring the icons, the situation does not happen again.
System failure. This may be a single bug. In this case, you just need to manually return all the icons.
Disabled system process explorer.
Activated "Tablet Mode". To return the usual icons, you need to disable this mode.
Installation Windows updates with mistakes. If the icons disappeared immediately after the system update, it is possible that the update installation was incorrect. In this case, add the shortcuts again manually.
Incorrect shutdown of the second monitor.

Put the icons back on the "Desktop"

There are several ways to fix the situation: by eliminating the cause itself using the "Task Manager" and "Registry Editor" or by returning the necessary icons manually.

Using the context menu options

Utilities icons may be removed from the Desktop if their display is disabled. To enable the feature back, do the following:

If this method does not help, create the program icons again manually using another context menu option:

Again, click on the free field on the "Desktop" with the right mouse button.
In the list, click on "Create". Now click on "Shortcut".
Click on "Shortcut" to create a shortcut to a specific program
In the new window, click on "Browse" to select in "Windows Explorer" desired file programs.
Click on the "Browse" button to select an application in "Windows Explorer"
As a rule, all utilities are stored on the system drive in the Program Files folder. We find the desired application, for example, Skype. Open the messenger folder and look for the Skype.exe file, which launches the utility. We click on OK.
Select the file of the program whose shortcut you want to see on your "Desktop"
Now click on "Next" in the main window.
Click on the "Next" button to continue the procedure for creating a shortcut
We print a new name for the shortcut or leave the standard file name. We click on "Finish".
Enter a name for the label and click on "Finish"

Returning default icons in the Options window

If classic Windows icons, such as the Recycle Bin or My Computer, are missing from your home screen, you can quickly restore them. Just follow the instructions below:

First, click on an area free from icons on the Windows main screen with the right mouse button to bring up the context menu you already know.
Select "Personalize" from the context menu of the "Desktop"
In the list of options and sections, click on the last item "Personalization".
In a large window, go directly to the "Themes" tab.
Now we turn our attention to the right column with links in the window. Click on "Desktop Icon Options".
Click on the "Desktop Icon Options" link
A small window will open on top of the main one. In it, check the boxes to the left of the shortcuts that you want to see on your "Desktop". You can install "My Computer", "Control Panel", "Recycle Bin" and some others.
Check the icons you need and click on "Apply"
After that, click on "Apply" and then on OK to close the additional window. The marked icons will immediately appear on your "Desktop".

Video: how to replace standard Windows shortcuts

Registry fix to restore "Desktop"

The sudden disappearance of icons from the "Desktop" can be triggered by errors in the registry - the database of the operating system, which the latter constantly accesses during operation. It stores all the settings of the system, utilities, connected equipment (printers, headphones, etc.), so it is very important that the registry works correctly. What to do if the reason is an error in the registry?

On the keyboard, hold down the key combination Win + R, which will bring up a small window "Run". In it we enter the word regedit.
Enter the regedit command in the "Open" field
The Registry Editor window will open. Before further manipulations, you need to create backup registry in case of incorrect editing. To do this, click on the "File" object on the top panel, and then on the "Export" option.
Click on "Export" in the "File" menu
We print the name and save it in any folder convenient for you or even on the "Desktop". This file will help restore the registry to its previous state. To do this, you just need to launch it by double-clicking it.
Save a backup copy of the registry in any convenient place
In the left part of the window, open the third main branch HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Open the third main folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on the left side of the window
Now we sequentially launch the following folders: Software - Microsoft - WindowsNT - CurrentVersion - Winlogon.
In the Winlogon folder, look for the Shell entry
On the right side of the window, look for a registry entry called Shell. We launch it by double clicking and see what value this parameter has. It should be explorer.exe. If there is another one, we immediately change it.
The Shell parameter must be set to explorer.exe
The other setting in the Userinit list should be C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe.
The Userinit parameter must be set to C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe
After changing the values of these two parameters, a black screen may appear. Don't worry, it will disappear in a few seconds.

Restoring icons through the "Task Manager"

For the graphical design of Windows, the service process explorer.exe or "Explorer" is responsible. Icons may disappear at one moment from the "Desktop" due to the fact that it does not work correctly or is not running at all. In the first case, it must be restarted. How to do it?

In Windows 10, launching the "Task Manager" is very simple: right-click on the "Taskbar" and select the desired item in the context menu. Open the "Task Manager" through the context menu of the "Taskbar"
In the first section "Processes" we carefully look for the item "Explorer" in the list. Select it with the left mouse button, and then click on the "Restart" button located at the bottom of the window.
Select the "Explorer" item in the "Processes" tab and click on "Restart"
If you did not find this process in the list, click on "File" on the top bar and select the first item "Run a new task".
From the "File" menu, click on "Run a new task"
In a new small window in a single field, type explorer.exe or explorer. Click OK to run the created task.
Enter the explorer.exe command in the "Open" field
The same launch command can be sent to the system in another way: using the Run window. Hold down the combination Win + R on the keyboard. Write one of the two commands and click on OK.

Turn off tablet mode

Icons do not appear on the "Desktop" if you have "Tablet Mode" activated. How to disable it and make it so that the system does not turn it on on its own?

First you need to make sure that "Tablet Mode" is not activated on your PC. To do this, hold down the Win and A (Latin) keys. An area with notifications and tiles will appear on the right side of the screen. The very first one will be "Tablet Mode". If it is active (saturated color as opposed to off), click on it once with the left mouse button. It will immediately dim - the screen will return to the "Desktop" mode.
After all the manipulations, you need to turn on the system Start menu and click on the gear-shaped icon, which is located directly above the device's shutdown button. This action will open the Windows Settings window. Click the gear icon on the Start menu to open Windows Settings
We launch the first section "System" with one click.
Open the first section "System"
In the first drop-down menu, select "Use desktop mode" as the value, and in the second - "Always ask for permission before switching mode."
In the first dropdown menu select "Use Desktop Mode"
Move the two sliders to the "On" position and then back to the "Off" position.

Shutdown PC using the button on the laptop

A non-standard way to return the icons is to turn off the device using the power button, and not through the system Start menu. To do this, close all utility windows and hold down the button. After turning on the computer, the shortcuts should reappear on the "Desktop".

Scanning the explorer.exe file

The icons themselves can be removed from the "Desktop" if the explorer.exe file, which is responsible for the Windows 10 window interface, is damaged. What can be done in this case? You need to scan the file using special commands:

Video: Several Methods for Restoring Desktop Icons

System rollback

One of the most effective ways on the return of icons - restoring the system to its previous state, when all the necessary icons were still on the "Desktop". This method will help you if all the others give no results, and you do not want to return them manually. Use the following instruction:

We click on the icon in the form of a magnifying glass on the "Taskbar", located next to the "Start" button. We print the query "Control Panel". As you type, the system will return the expected search results. Click with the left mouse button on the item with the corresponding name. Open "Control Panel" using "Windows Search"
At the top, find the search bar and enter the query "Recovery". In the results, open the section with this name.
Open the "Recovery" section in the "Control Panel"
Now you need to click on the second option "Start System Restore".
Click on the second item "Start System Restore"
The recovery wizard window will appear on the screen. Read the information and simply click on the "Next" button in the lower right corner of the window.
In the wizard window, click on "Next"
In the list of restore points, select the desired one with the left mouse button. Click on "Next" again. The Scan for Affected Programs button lets you know which utilities and drivers will be removed and which will be restored
We click on "Finish" so that the system starts the recovery process - rollback to the time when the shortcuts on the "Desktop" were still there.
Click "Finish" to start the recovery process

Video: how to roll back the system using a restore point

Restoring icons on the "Taskbar"

You can put back the necessary icons on the "Taskbar" in several ways. In particular, by restarting the "Explorer" process in the "Task Manager" and by rolling back the system through a restore point. Detailed Instructions These methods have been described in the "Restoring Icons via Task Manager" and "Reverting the System" sections of this article.

You also have the right to manually install the same icons on the "Taskbar". To do this, do the following:

Right-click on a field free from shortcuts on the "Desktop". Choose from the list the most last paragraph"Personalization".
Now we switch immediately to the last tab "Taskbar". Scroll down the page to the link "Choose the icons displayed in the taskbar". We click on it.
Click on the link "Choose the icons that appear on the taskbar"
Use the switches to add or remove system icons and utility icons. As you turn on certain icons, you will immediately see that they appear on the "Taskbar".
Use the switches to activate the icons you need on the "Taskbar"
Click the back arrow to return to the main tab. Now click on the second link "Turn system icons on and off". Here you can configure the display of standard Windows icons on the Taskbar: power, touch keyboard, network, volume, etc. Turn on the icons you need and close the Windows settings window.
Enable the system icons you need
If there was no program in the first list that you want to return to the "Taskbar", drag its shortcut from the "Desktop": to do this, hold down the icon with the left mouse button and drag it to the panel.
Drag the program shortcut from the Desktop to the Taskbar
When the icon is within the panel, release the mouse button - the icon will be fixed.
Skype shortcut stuck in taskbar

If you turned on Tablet Mode and all the icons from the Taskbar disappeared, it means that you have enabled the Hide application icons option in the Taskbar tab in the Windows Settings window. Find it and turn it off using the instructions in the section "Turning off the mode tablet computer» of this article.

If you suddenly lost the icons you need on the "Desktop" and "Taskbar", first of all check if you have any malware on your PC. To do this, use your updated antivirus. You can return the icons by creating new shortcuts through the context menu options and changing the settings in the Windows Settings window. The "Registry Editor" and "Task Manager" will also come to the rescue, in which you can restart the "Explorer" process, which is responsible for the Windows graphical interface and the display of icons.

I am sure that you turned to this article, not by chance. Most likely, icons on your computer have disappeared, now you are looking for a solution to the problem.

There are several options in which icons from the desktop of the operating system may disappear. Below in the material I will give only three main ones, which are one way or another common in practice. It is worth noting that the very fact of missing desktop shortcuts is not very "popular" when infected with a virus, and is often a manual change ...

As I have already said, there are several options for the problem, as a result, several solutions. Now more about this…

Option 1

Usually, most computers are used by several users, so it is possible that the icons are missing due to the fault of another person. Believe me, this is the most common option in which shortcuts were removed manually.

To test this option, right-click on the desktop space and select New from the context menu. Then create any document format or folder.

If the created file or directory is displayed on the desktop, then this option was confirmed, and your icons were just simply removed!
If a new document or folder has been created, but not displayed, then perhaps the next option will be useful to you!?

Option 2

Operating systems of the Windows family, from XP to current versions, have additional settings desktop display. These settings are more functional than visual effects. If you have lost desktop icons, then you should consider this option.

Right click on the desktop. Select the "View" item from the context menu (in the case of the Windows 7 operating system). And find "Show desktop icons" which should be ticked.

If the item is not checked, click on it, after which the context menu should disappear, and desktop shortcuts should appear.
If the checkbox was checked, but there are no icons, then there is a virus modification of the registry, or the third option.

Option 3

This option differs from the previous two, at least in that it most often occurs through fault.

So, a case is possible in which not only all icons disappear, but also the taskbar and the Start button. This is due to the disappearance of the “explorer.exe” system file from the download, which in turn is responsible for launching all desktop elements! In order to fix or check this version, you will have to perform a series of actions:

Checking registry values

If the above series of actions did not give results, or after the anti-virus scan there are problems with automatic start - explorer.exe, then try changing the values in the system registry.
Note! Please do not make changes to the system registry if you do not have at least an initial idea about this section of the operating system and how to edit it!