How to retrieve missing desktop icons in Windows 10

You’ve just turned on your computer and realise that all your desktop icons are missing? Don’t panic, there’s a simple technique that will help you find them again.

Step 1

Right click on your desktop, select ‘View’, then ‘Show desktop items’

If after this step your icons still haven’t reappeared, continue on to step 2.

Step 2

Click Ctri+Alt+Del to open the task manager, then right click on Windows Explorer and click "End task" :

Still in task manager, click "File" then "create a new task". In the box that opens up type "cmd":

The command prompt will open, type the following command then click “Enter”:

cd /d userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Type the following line of text, which will remove the hidden file attribute on some cache files and validate again with “Enter”:

attrib –h iconcache_*.db

Then enter this last text which will delete the caches files so that they can be regenerated, finally press “Enter” again:

del iconcache_*.db

Close everything and restart your PC, your desktop icons should be back in their usual location.