Questions tagged [desktop]

The part of a graphical user interface upon which other elements like icons, windows, toolbars or widgets are placed. For questions about software that provides this interface (like Gnome or KDE), use the [desktop-environments] tag. For questions about non-portable personal computers, use the [desktop-computer] tag.

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112 votes
11 answers
432k views

Is there a way to fake a dual (second) monitor

Is there a way to fake a dual monitor for testing. I have only one monitor and I have to make an application that is suitable for two monitors. The second monitor screen should appear as a window ...
Michael van der Horst's user avatar
19 votes
6 answers
41k views

Windows Split Desktop Utility [closed]

Is there such a thing? I don't want multiple separate desktops, what I'd like to be able to do is split my main desktop into two areas so that an application in one when maximized won't take up the "...
klkitchens's user avatar
19 votes
5 answers
25k views

Organize desktop icons on Windows into categories or sections

I want to organize my Windows desktop icons by categories. Multimedia, system tools, editors, etc. I need to define rectangular areas of the desktop, then place the shortcut icons. They would stay ...
P a u l's user avatar
  • 1,345
42 votes
2 answers
199k views

Can you change the location of the Desktop folder in Windows?

Right now the files on the desktop are located in C:\Users\Joseph\Desktop. So when I go to that folder in Windows Explorer and create a new text document, it would appear on my desktop. What I need ...
Pacerier's user avatar
  • 27.2k
35 votes
8 answers
190k views

Can a fake second display be enabled in Windows 10?

I just updated to Windows 10 and discovered that Microsoft broke this method of adding a fake second monitor: Is there a way to fake a dual (second) monitor which I rely on for scaling some small ...
xperia64's user avatar
  • 629
83 votes
14 answers
44k views

slow windows desktop keyboard shortcuts

I've got a couple of shortcuts on my desktop and on some of them I've configured the "Shortcut key" to a keyboard combination. For example I have a shortcut pointing to d:\documents\todo.txt ...
cherouvim's user avatar
  • 1,209
102 votes
4 answers
63k views

Icon? file on OS X desktop

When I ls my Desktop from terminal (by using ls ~/Desktop), I see a file named Icon?. As far as I can tell, it's empty (nano Icon? shows nothing). It doesn't show up on my actual Desktop, and open ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 1,238
52 votes
3 answers
424k views

How do I reduce the desktop icon size in Windows 7?

How can I reduce the size of my desktop icons if the video resolution is already on the highest setting?
Sauron's user avatar
  • 739
39 votes
11 answers
67k views

"Show Desktop" sometimes sets a window to "always on top"

No worries, not another "where is my show desktop button gone" question. What I found under Windows 7, when you use the "Show Desktop" feature (I prefer the ⊞ Win + D shortcut) and then bring all ...
Mephane's user avatar
  • 541
30 votes
7 answers
65k views

Why do my shortcut icons get broken on Windows 7?

I have a strange problem. My icons seem to disappear randomly on my Windows 7. They were there a while back, now they ain't. It happens often and quite randomly. Anyone know a fix?
Grumpy ol' Bear's user avatar
29 votes
3 answers
64k views

Windows 10: Change shortcut keys to switch between desktops [duplicate]

In Windows 10, the shortcut keys for switching virtual desktop are ctrl + win + right / left arrow. I'd like to simplify it, by changing it to ctrl + right or left arrow key only. How can I do this?
Faisal Khurshid's user avatar
17 votes
5 answers
131k views

How could I find out the path to the current desktop image?

I have Windows 7 displaying random images every minute from all of my photo directories and every so often there is one I really want to see again. How can I either always display on the screen the ...
Scott Bennett-McLeish's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Certain Windows 8.1 desktop apps will not start

I'm using a 64-bit Acer laptop running Windows 8.1. When I try to start certain desktop apps, I get the error message (translated:) This application could not be started because the Side-by-Side ...
Jordan's user avatar
  • 165
65 votes
11 answers
166k views

How can I get to the recycle bin without the desktop icon in windows 7?

I hate having anything on my desktop. I usually remove all the icons from the desktop, even the recycle bin. Occasionally I need to access the recycle bin, but having to re-enable the icon just to ...
rmontgomery429's user avatar
54 votes
10 answers
385k views

How do I remove a MyBook's "WD SmartWare" virtual CD from my desktop?

I recently got a Western Digital MyBook external hard drive to enable Time Machine. It has its software installed on a "virtual CD" called "WD SmartWare" which shows up on the desktop any time the ...
40 votes
3 answers
231k views

What are these green checkmarks on my Desktop icons?

I was playing the solitaire they added back in Windows 10 and when I closed it I noticed there were these green checkmarks on my Desktop icons: What are these green checkmarks on my desktop? How do I ...
Ken's user avatar
  • 401
27 votes
5 answers
49k views

How can I have Windows 8 go to the desktop by default?

I've played around a smidge with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview in a VirtualBox VM and I think the improvements under the hood may be worth tolerating the Metro UI crap. I don't like that the entire ...
Tom Kidd's user avatar
  • 1,627
19 votes
5 answers
44k views

How can I restore a remote desktop session to the local console?

After I am finished with a remote desktop connection, I'd like to be able to restore the remote desktop to the local console so that the user doesn't have to re-enter the password and log back in. ...
glenviewjeff's user avatar
  • 1,734
5 votes
9 answers
12k views

How can I make desktop.ini work on network locations?

I've got a simple desktop.ini file that applies a folder icon. It works just fine in a local folder. I'd like it to work on a network location, as we have an external hard drive connected to our ...
Eric's user avatar
  • 425
37 votes
8 answers
60k views

How to vertically split widescreen into two virtual workspaces on Ubuntu/Gnome?

My new laptop has a big 16:9 screen, and I'm finding it hard to fully utilize it during the 95% of the time that I'm not watching HD movies on it. I'd like to set it up as a kind of virtual dual ...
David's user avatar
  • 817
9 votes
8 answers
22k views

Looking for an application that scrolls or pans netbook screens running Windows

I'm looking for a Windows 7 and XP compatible Windows desktop panning/scrolling tool. This is to solve a problem where some applications, for example MSN, have settings/preference Windows that are ...
therobyouknow's user avatar
6 votes
8 answers
20k views

Is that true that if you keep bulky files on the Desktop then Windows slow down?

A friend of mine keep telling me that if I keep bulky files on the desktop then Windows try to load them in cache and slow down? I'm (almost) sure that this is not the case but how can I demonstrate ...
user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
14k views

How to replace the Desktop background image with a solid color, using PowerShell and registry?

I would like to replace the default Desktop background image with a darker solid color, on an unregistered Windows 10 Pro (Insider Preview) edition. I am testing various terminal coloring schemes, and ...
not2qubit's user avatar
  • 2,285
68 votes
8 answers
235k views

How to force Windows to save desktop icon positions?

Is there a way to force Windows to save desktop icon positions?
Jelle Geerts's user avatar
  • 1,078
34 votes
3 answers
452k views

How do I rotate Windows 8 screen?

Most mobile devices like tablets or smartphones have an orientation sensor that signals the OS to rotate itself when the device is rotated. But having installed Windows 8 on a desktop (or virtual ...
Vladimir Sinenko's user avatar
29 votes
3 answers
17k views

Why do I have two desktop.ini files on my windows 8 desktop?

When I try to delete one of these two shortcuts, a message appears saying, "If you remove this file, Windows or another program may no longer work correctly."! I don't think that it is possible to ...
Reza Mamun's user avatar
25 votes
5 answers
9k views

Windows 11 desktop switching is slow since latest update

Since a recent Windows Update (2023-09 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5030310) probably?), switching desktops is much slower. I normally use Win+Tab, ...
Brad's user avatar
  • 6,152
25 votes
2 answers
54k views

Displaying wallpaper when desktop is locked in Windows 7

is it possible to lock the desktop in Windows 7 and have it continue to display your desktop wallpaper rather than the default Win7 locked-workstation screen?
NoCarrier's user avatar
  • 3,507
18 votes
5 answers
183k views

Windows 10 Alt+Tab can't switch to desktop

In Windows 8, when Alt+Tab, the desktop would appear as an option to switch to at the end of the list of open programs (thus Alt-Shift-Tab helpfully took you right to the desktop). In Windows 10 that ...
bhalperin's user avatar
  • 310
15 votes
1 answer
34k views

How do I disable the Microsoft Edge search bar on the Windows desktop? [duplicate]

On Windows 10, recently a Microsoft Edge search bar started appearing on the desktop. If you click the 3 dots menu there is an option to "Auto-launch search bar" which you can turn off and ...
User's user avatar
  • 3,747
14 votes
1 answer
62k views

Whenever I change my desktop background, it changes my laptop's background as well

I recently got a new laptop. They're both Windows, so I used the same Microsoft account to log into both. When I turned my laptop on, it had the same background as my desktop, so I changed it, only to ...
Shellie's user avatar
  • 157
13 votes
7 answers
26k views

Is there a "save desktop icon arrangement" option in windows?

I normally work on Windows with a 1600x1200 or similar large desktop screen and have my icons laid out just perfectly so. Every now and then I need to hook up to a projector or do a WebEx at 1024x768 ...
scunliffe's user avatar
  • 1,738
10 votes
2 answers
24k views

How to use local html page as desktop/background

On a windows 7 computer how might one set the desktop to be a webpage. I want to have a local html file that I can edit as needed. Then windows should show that file as the background for the desktop ...
NDEthos's user avatar
  • 201
10 votes
3 answers
7k views

How to modify / remove the bottom bar in Mac OS X?

How can we remove the "bottom bar" (that has all the icons) in Mac OS X? : Also, is it possible to move it to the left or right side of the screen like how Windows taskbar does it? :
Pacerier's user avatar
  • 27.2k
9 votes
1 answer
38k views

Is there a Windows tool for desktop divider (treating one display as two smaller displays) [duplicate]

I use two large LCD displays. I would like to treat one of the displays as two smaller displays. It would be the opposite of merging two displays to become one continuous desktop space. For example,...
rwong's user avatar
  • 193
9 votes
2 answers
82k views

Is it possible to remove/hide Windows title bars?

I'm very used to my Linux desktop, but in my new job I'm forced to use Windows. For efficiency, I'm veeery used to minimize/maximize using keyboard shortcuts and move/resize windows using alt+mouse. ...
igorsantos07's user avatar
  • 1,284
8 votes
3 answers
57k views

Active Desktop for Windows 7 (Vista)?

Active Desktop for Windows 7 (Vista) - how do I install it on Windows 7/Vista? Where is analogs? Is there such thing for Mac and Linux? Is there a browser which can work under icons of desktop?
user avatar
8 votes
6 answers
2k views

How do I get a quick launch bar in Windows 7?

The pin programs to the taskbar is nifty, but I miss my old quicklaunch bar. How do I get a quick launch bar in Windows 7 like XP had ?
nos's user avatar
  • 4,369
8 votes
4 answers
41k views

Windows 7 desktop does not automatically refresh

I am using Windows 7. If I delete something from the desktop, then the icon remains there. I have to hit F5 or right-click->Refresh to make the desktop refresh. After the refresh, the icon ...
JosephStyons's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
3k views

Desktop LCD monitor which allows backlight to be controlled in software

I would like to know if there is any standard or feature which allows desktop LCD monitors backlight control setting in software. I would like to know what I should be searching for. This is a pretty ...
aland's user avatar
  • 560
7 votes
8 answers
9k views

Recover Windows Opening Off Screen?

Background: I have a three monitor setup, but sadly one of my monitors has died (control board is probably bad). I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with an ATI Radeon HD 5670 card. The third ...
jimp's user avatar
  • 445
6 votes
3 answers
16k views

Hide public shortcuts in desktop without administrative privileges

I've looked on the multitude of questions related to Desktop icons in Windows 7 but I haven't found the answer I'm looking for yet. The goal is to have Desktop icons on the Public folder such that ...
unode's user avatar
  • 221
6 votes
1 answer
6k views

Automatically show connected mass storage devices on Windows desktop

Is there way to automatically display connected mass storage devices on the Windows desktop, like most Unix-based operating systems are doing? I didn't find any native ways to do that, but maybe ...
dns13's user avatar
  • 1,145
6 votes
6 answers
16k views

Explorer (Desktop) Stops Refreshing

After using Windows 7 for a while (say, a few hours), Explorer always stops refreshing my desktop, and I have to close it and re-open it. E.g.: When I delete a file, it doesn't seem to go away even ...
user541686's user avatar
  • 23.9k
5 votes
2 answers
5k views

How to open a program on particular desktop?

When I start GUI program, it's window appears on the currently active desktop (essentially, on a random desktop). How to make it appear on a specific desktop? For example, at startup I want certain ...
Vi.'s user avatar
  • 17.2k
4 votes
3 answers
7k views

How can I find the file that is currently used as a wallpaper in Windows 7?

How can I find the name (and path) to the desktop wallpaper file currently used by Windows 7? I followed the registry for the desktop wallpaper, which showed a file called "TranscodedWallpaper.jpg", ...
Hosam Aly's user avatar
  • 285
4 votes
3 answers
20k views

Laptop as external monitor for desktop via DP/USB-C?

So with Windows 10's "Project to This PC" Miracast stuff, I can use my laptop as a third monitor for my desktop. However, this is laggy, not the highest quality, and requires an active connection. If ...
Isaac Corbrey's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
846 views

Moving windows on Windows like on Gnome (Alt+DnD)? [duplicate]

Is there a hidden setting or an external utility that would enable moving windows on Windows like on GNOME? I'm particularly thinking of moving windows using Alt + Drag and drop (which can be changed ...
Alois Mahdal's user avatar
  • 2,284
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is there a way to get a larger desktop than the screen?

Is there any freeware out there that will allow me to run the desktop that is larger than the resolution of the screen? My situation: Win XP, Dell Mini 10, iirc- Intel GMA950 I need to use a netbook ...
Cajuntechie's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
235 views

Does ClassicShell.net truly lets one boot to the desktop on Windows 8?

Many people complain about the start screen of Windows 8, especially people used to desktop PCs, rather than tablets. I have read contradictory comments about ClassicShell letting one boot to the ...
Jérôme Verstrynge's user avatar