In that case, you can restore a desktop icon from the Recycle Bin. If you delete a file, it shows in the Recycle Bin, and so do desktop shortcuts. If you still aren’t seeing all of your desktop icons, they might have been deleted from the desktop. How to Restore Desktop Icons from the Recycle Bin All of your desktop icons should now be on your desktop.To restore all desktop icons on Windows 10: If you’re not seeing any of your desktop icons on Windows 10, making them appear is as straightforward as Windows 11. All of your icons should now show up on your desktop.Right-click an empty area on the desktop and select View > Show desktop icons from the menu.To restore all desktop icons on Windows 11: Restoring system icons to the desktop is easy enough, but what if all your icons are gone? For example, you might sit down at your computer one day and realize they’re all missing. How to Restore All Desktop Icons on Windows If you rely on system icons, it’s helpful to have them on your desktop for easy access. This option will show legacy desktop icons (although they have a new design). You don’t need to check them all-just the ones you want to appear on the desktop. On Windows 10 and 11, you can select This PC, User Files, Network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel from the menu. Check each of the system icons you want to appear on the desktop and click OK.Select Themes and click the Desktop icon settings link on the right on the left side.Select Personalization from the Settings menu.To restore icons on Windows 10, do the following: You can also restore desktop icons on Windows 10, although the steps are different from Windows 11. How to Restore Desktop Icons on Windows 10 On the Desktop Icons Settings screen, select the system icons you want to show on the desktop and click OK.Scroll down the Themes section and click the Desktop icon settings option.Click on Personalization and then select Themes on the right.Click Start or hit the Windows key to launch the Start menu.To restore system icons on the Windows 11 desktop: How to Restore Desktop Icons on Windows 11 It’s a straightforward process on both versions of Windows, however. If you clean install your PC, you’ll want to restore the desktop icons on Windows 10 and 11 that you’ve lost. Over time, you might add other system icons pop-up for easy access, too. This is where icons like the Recycle Bin and Microsoft Edge often appear for you to launch as soon as you’re ready.

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