How to remove unused icons from the Windows desktop
You may have many icons on your Windows desktop from different sources. Some icons were placed there after installing Windows, some appear when a program is installed, and you may have created others. Removing Windows desktop icons varies based on how they were made. To proceed, identify the type of icon you're trying to remove and follow the steps in the appropriate section.
Deleting a shortcut does not uninstall a program.
General program icons and shortcuts
To delete an icon created by saving a file, the installation of a program, or user-created shortcuts, follow these steps.
- Right-click the icon you want to delete.
- In the drop-down menu, select Delete.
Option 2:
- Click the icon with your left mouse button once to highlight it.
- Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
If the shortcut is needed again in the future, you can create the shortcut icon again and place it on the desktop. See: How to create a Windows shortcut.
Built-in Windows utilities
To remove icons for Windows utilities, such as My Computer, Recycle Bin, or Control Panel, select your version of Windows below and follow the steps.
Windows 11
- Right-click a blank area on the Windows desktop.
- Select Personalize in the pop-up menu.
If you don't see the Personalize option in the pop-up menu, make sure you did not right-click an icon. You must right-click an empty space on the desktop.
- On the right side of the Personalization settings window, click the Themes option.
- Scroll down to the Related settings section and click the Desktop icon settings option.
- Uncheck the box next to the desktop icon(s) you want to remove, click Apply, and click OK.
Windows 8 and 10
- Right-click a blank area on the Windows desktop.
- Select Personalize in the pop-up menu.
If you don't see the Personalize option in the pop-up menu, make sure you did not right-click an icon. You must right-click an empty space on the desktop.
- In the left navigation menu, click Themes.
- On the right side of the Themes settings window, under Related Settings, click the Desktop icon settings option.
- Uncheck the box next to the desktop icon(s) you want to remove, click Apply, and click OK.
Windows Vista and 7
- Right-click a blank area of the Windows desktop.
- Select Personalize in the pop-up menu.
If you don't see the Personalize option in the pop-up menu, make sure you did not right-click an icon. You must right-click an empty space on the desktop.
- In the Personalize appearance and sounds window, click the Change desktop icons link on the left side.
- Uncheck the box next to the desktop icon(s) you want to remove, click Apply, and click OK.
Unable to delete a desktop icon
If you tried to delete a desktop icon and it does not work, there are several possible causes. Review each section below to determine if these reasons are the cause for being unable to delete the icon.
Not a shortcut icon
If the icon is not a shortcut to a program but rather the main program itself, you may not be able to delete it. Some programs won't allow you to delete the desktop icon without uninstalling the program. For these programs, you may need to contact the program developer to determine if and how you can remove the desktop icon without uninstalling the program.
Icon is read-only
If you can't delete the desktop icon, it might be set as read-only, preventing you from deleting it. It's possible that the icon is in use by another program and cannot be deleted until that program is closed. See the page linked below for help fixing either of these issues.
Don't have permissions to delete files
The user account you use to log in to Windows may not have permissions to delete some types of files. Some files on the desktop may require elevated privileges to remove them, especially if they are related to important Windows programs. If you don't have the necessary permissions, you can't delete the icon.
If you are using a personal computer but not logged in with an administrator-level account, review the account permissions to see if delete privileges can be granted. Alternatively, change the account to be an administrator-level account.
Corrupt Windows system files
Faulty system files in Windows can cause your problems uninstalling a desktop icon; however, this is rare. If system files that relate to file actions and permissions get corrupted, it can cause multiple problems, including being unable to delete the files.
You can try restoring Windows to a previous point in time to see if that fixes the problem. Visit the page linked below for help on activating a Windows restore point.