The computers Windows 10 and 11 display basic system icons on the desktop by default. If you have deleted any of them or if they are missing for some reason, see how you can quickly restore them.
The main system icons in Windows 10 and 11 are Computer, User File, Network, Recycle Bin and Control Panel. They are frequently used icons that enable users to access Windows functionality.
If for some reason you have lost them from your surface you can use a point at menu of Settings to add them again. Here's how to do this in both Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Select Start and then Settings (or use the keyboard shortcut Win + I).
Go to Personalization > Themes.
Choose between:
Windows 10: Click “Desktop Icon Settings” in the right sidebar under “Related Settings”.
Windows 11: Click “Desktop icon settings” on the page under “Related settings”.
The window that appears shows options to add or remove the specific icons from the desktop. It has the same options in Windows 10 and 11.
You can also change the icon style by clicking “Change Icon”. There is also an option to allow “Themes” to change the desktop icons according to their configuration.
Some of the icon links are accessible elsewhere. My Network and Computer, for example, is in its sidebar File Explorer.
Placing or restoring these to the desktop is another personal choice of each user. Some prefer to have a clean desktop with no icons at all or just a few basic ones, while others place icons on the desktop until they run out of space.
