Windows 10 provides many customization options, and the operating system can be modified in any way that you like. Changes can be made to the themes, colors, background, mouse pointers, lock screen, etc. Users can also make advanced changes by tweaking the registry, and in many of our guides, we have discussed how you can do so as well.
Why Do My Desktop Icons Keep Moving?
In Windows 10, you can change the entire theme of your Windows 10 device. When you change the theme, you change the window colors, background image wallpaper, system sounds, and screensaver together. However, some themes come with icon packs as well.
A theme has all these settings preset, and when you apply these themes, they change all of these things together. These themes also tend to rearrange the icons on your desktop so as to change the visual appearance of the desktop. If you do not prevent Windows from changing your icons, themes will rearrange the icons on your desktop to increase the visual aesthetics.
Check out this post if the action center itself is not working.
How To Lock Desktop Icons In Windows 10?
You need to lock desktop icons in Windows 10 to prevent Windows themes from rearranging these icons. There are two different methods of doing so, and you might need to do both of these steps in order to lock Windows 10 icons.
Method 1: From The Right Click Context Menu
There is no easy way to lock Windows 10 desktop icons, but you can use the auto arrange and alignment features to keep your desktop icons in order. Here, I will show you how you can do so easily.
- Right-click on any empty space on your desktop to reveal the context menu.
- Hover over View > to launch additional settings. It should be near the top.
- Click to uncheck the option Auto arrange icons. This should prevent Windows from reordering your desktop icons and keep them in a way that they cannot be moved to other areas of the desktop automatically.
- Make sure that the Align icons to grid option is checked. This will lock your desktop icons to a grid layout, and your icons will look neatly spaced.
Method 2: From The Settings App
You can also prevent Windows 10 themes from changing your icons on your desktop altogether. This needs to be done from the Settings app.
- Launch the Windows 10 Settings You can use the keyboard shortcut Win + I.
- Click on Personalization.
- From the left pane menu, click on Themes.
- In the right pane, under Related settings, click on Desktop icon settings. This should open a new configuration box.
- Here, uncheck the box next to Allow themes to change desktop icons option.
- Click on Apply followed by OK.
Now, no icon pack should be able to change the orientation of your desktop icons on restart or when you change themes.
Wrapping Up Windows 10 Lock Desktop Icons
So there you have it. Now you know how to lock desktop icons in Windows 10 using one or a combination of the methods provided above. Comment below if you found this useful, and to discuss further the same.
Good, clear instructions Thank you.
In my case win 10, 2022 Themes, check, etc. actually CHANGED my Icons. I had to move ’em all back. Don’t know if they’ll stay in place now??
Performed both methods mentioned and still my desktop icons rearrange every time I boot up the system (windows 10). Never use to do this until I changed the App size feature in settings. I had it set at 150 then found out that I could not resize some app windows to get to the buttons at the bottom of them, so I reduced the App size feature down to 125. Now this rearranging of the desktop icons happens each time I boot the system each morning or do a restart.
I would like to find an open source program that will lock/unlock the desktop at my discretion. So far what I have found are asking for money. I like to keep my system icons in line first, then all others in my preferred order, then keep my games separate from the pack and in my preferred order. Not having much luck finding open source that will do this.
Such an open source application will be difficult to find, you may request a developer on GitHub for the same and wait while your request is met. We are looking into this as well, such a free app would be a handy feature to have on our computers.
Let us see and get back to you.
Great – Thank you !
Thank you
Great, thanks.
Very clear instructions. Thanks. Time will tell if this really works
G_D, I hope this does the trick. I’ve been chasing my Icons around for three years, had professional services do multiple tasks (I now have 2 -1/2 terabytes on my laptop in SSD), auto backups.
I’d set up specific grid of related programs, folders, files, etc., on my desktop, then somehow everything would be different because of one swipe or keystroke. Had three new desktops, different of course, in 3 weeks, 2 of which were returns after total setup. This one I’ve had a year in this love/hate genre. I was ready to smash t several , no, many times because I couldn’t lock my icons, creating lots of extra effort whereas it used to be simple. I refuse to be owned by a laptop. Otherwise. it’s a handy tool to access a world of knowledge.
I also did both and my desktop icons keep moving
Excellent!
Thank You!
Icon randomizing locations on your desktop has been a PLAUGE to Windows 10 since it came out. Even with third party programs that are supposed to “lock” your icons to a location, they still move around randomly and when you least expect it. I can honestly say this is one of the worst bugs in Windows 10. It’s 2022 Microsoft! here’s what I do know… my Linux machines have NEVER randomly moved my icons around my desktop. They are right where I placed them every time. With Windows it’s a complete crap shoot. Align to Grid and Don’t Change with Themes do not solve this.
Did not work using either solution. If I copy an item to the desktop, and try to copy item to an empty space it will place item in top left corner and any item (or items) that are already there get shuffled randomly down the screen. Aligning to Grid & Don’t Change with Themes does not solve this problem – nor does unticking Auto Arrange Icons
I have the same issue. Been rearranging my icons in to useful groups. Periodically, they just get jumbled. Sooooooo frustrating!!!
Has anybody found a solution on the moving icons on desktop in win10?
I have re-arrange mine almost every time I boot the pc. It’s very annoying and I had expected a solution from Microsoft long ago. I wonder if this bug has been fixed in win11 – if so I may consider to upgrade.
I look forward to hear if anybody has found a solution.
Best regards
Johnny