Four ways to remove desktop icons

Any operating system has both positive and negative aspects. Fortunately, most of them carry personalization tools with which you can customize the look. In other cases, special programs help. This article will show you how to remove large desktop icons. However, it is worth noting that the instructions presented are suitable for hiding any icons.

How to remove icons from the Windows 10 desktop

In total, we will consider four ways to accomplish the task. It is worth noting that they are self-sufficient, that is, you do not have to choose a method for a specific case, they all equally cope with the task. Accordingly, how to use it is up to you to decide.

Method 1. Via the context menu

From the beginning, consider the easiest way to remove icons from the desktop. It consists in the usual hiding through the context menu. This means that all shortcuts will remain, only they will not be visible.

1. Right-click (RMB) anywhere on the screen.
2. In the menu that opens, hover over the "View" item.
3. In the additional menu that appears, check the box next to "Hide desktop objects."

Immediately after this, the menu will disappear, and with it all the icons. This method, how to remove icons from the desktop, is noteworthy in that you can return them back at any time. To do this, just repeat the above instructions.

Method 2. Uninstall

There are more radical methods that equally help to achieve the desired result. For example, you can simply delete all the icons. This is done in several ways.

1. Click on the PCM icon and click on the "Delete" line.
2. Using the mouse, move all the shortcuts to the trash, and then delete the trash.
3. Select all the icons, and then press the Delete key.
4. To permanently delete icons, after highlighting, press Shift + Delete, and then confirm your actions.

As you might guess, this method of removing icons from the desktop does not imply their restoration - they will disappear forever.

Method 3. Using the program

You can go further and use special utilities to accomplish your goal. In this case, consider True Launch Bar, which will not only get rid of shortcuts, but also create an additional interactive menu on the taskbar.

1. Download and install the named program.
2. Click RMB on the taskbar.
3. Hover over the Panels option.
4. In the menu that appears, click on the line True Launch Bar.
5. After that, an additional area will appear next to the Start button.
6. Hover over the shortcut and left-click (LMB).
7. Drag the icon to the added area in the panel.

In the same way, drag all the necessary icons, and delete unnecessary ones. As a result, the desktop will be cleared of all elements, and all important shortcuts will be located on the taskbar.

Method 4. System Tools

If you do not like to install additional software on your computer, but you liked the functions of the previous program, then you can use a similar tool within the operating system. Now it will be told how to remove the icons from the desktop by moving them to the taskbar in a special area. However, this same area must first be created. This is done as follows:

1. Create a new folder on your desktop and name it whatever you like.
2. Move all the icons to this folder.
3. Click RMB on the taskbar.
4. Place the arrow on the “Panels” item and select “Create Toolbar” in the additional menu.
5. A "Explorer" window will appear in which select the previously created folder.

That's all. As a result, all the contents of the created folder will be fixed on the taskbar, and the desktop will be freed from many shortcuts.