# Windows: why do icons keep disappearing from desktop?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 14, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145 "2004-05-14T17:54:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145/1 "2004-05-14T17:54:23Z")

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Why do program shortcut icons disappear from our PC? We’ll use a program one day, and several days later it’s icon is gone. We can get them back, but why are they disappearing in the first place?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145/2 "2004-05-14T18:02:51Z")

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Because.

Seriously, you’ve been around long enough to know that when asking a computer-related question that the answer is often OS-specific, machine-specific or application-specific. A few more details might get you a better answer.

That said, if you’re using XP (and I believe NT or 2k, as well), it might be hiding unused desktop icons automatically. My XP Pro system asks if I want to clean up my desktop periodically, but I’ve never seen fit to change this behavior, so I’m not entirely sure how.

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**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145/3 "2004-05-14T19:07:21Z")

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Assuming you’re using Windows NT 4.0 and above (2000 & XP), it’s possible your icons aren’t in the ‘All Users’ folder, the icons may be profile specific.

For instance, if you logon to a 2000 workstation as CHICAGO\_TECH\Support1 (domain\user), and install Solitare, the install may only install your Solitare icon to ‘C:\Documents and Settings\Profiles\Support1\Desktop’. Therefore, making the Solitare icon only visable to “Support1’s” desktop. And if you logon as CHICAGO\_FINANCE\Finance1, the icon will not be visable to you.

Some installs give you the option to make it visable to all users, or the current user. Some don’t, and will default to the current user only. To make it so all users see the icon, it must be copied to ‘C:\Documents and Settings\Profiles\All Users’.

This is just one possibility. **Q.E.D.'s** response is also very valid. Good luck.

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**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145/4 "2004-05-14T19:09:23Z")

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Damnit to hell. The directorys should read as follows for 2000 and XP:  
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop  
Not:  
C:\Documents and Settings\Profiles\All Users\Desktop

Void ‘\Profiles’  
Sorry for any confusion.

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**Author:** ![octothorpe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b77776/32.png) [@octothorpe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octothorpe)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-why-do-icons-keep-disappearing-from-desktop/245145/5 "2004-05-14T23:08:18Z")

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**Napier** ,  
They’re not in the shitcan are they? I have a 4-year old that loves to throw my icons away…

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