How to Hide Specific Desktop Icons in Windows 11

To hide a system icon such as Recycle Bin or This PC, go to Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings and clear its check box. To hide one file or shortcut, right-click it, select Properties, check Hidden and select OK.

Applies to: Windows 11. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 29, 2026.

Hide Recycle Bin, This PC or other system icons

1. Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Themes.
2. Select Desktop icon settings.
3. Clear the check box for each icon you want to hide, such as Recycle Bin.
4. Select OK.

Check the box again to bring the icon back.

Hide one file, folder or shortcut

1. Right-click the icon on the desktop and select Properties.
2. On the General tab, check Hidden.
3. Select OK. For a folder, choose whether to hide the items inside it too.

The icon disappears from the desktop. Hidden doesn’t protect the file. Anyone who turns on hidden items in File Explorer can still see it.

Shortcuts shared by every account

Some apps put their shortcut on the Public desktop, which every account on the PC sees. If you can’t find an icon in your own Desktop folder, look in C:\Users\Public\Desktop. Changing files there needs an administrator account, and the change affects everyone.

Hide an icon with a command

In Command Prompt, this hides a file on your desktop:

attrib +h "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\File name.lnk"

Use the real file name. Shortcuts end in .lnk, while folders have no ending, so type just the folder name in quotes. To show it again, run the same command with -h instead of +h. If your desktop is backed up to OneDrive, the folder is %USERPROFILE%\OneDrive\Desktop instead.

Show a hidden icon again

1. Open File Explorer and select Desktop on the left.
2. Select View > Show > Hidden items. Hidden files now appear faded.
3. Right-click the file, select Properties, clear Hidden and select OK.
4. Select View > Show > Hidden items again to turn it back off.

Other ways to tidy the desktop

• Move files into a folder. Keep one folder on the desktop, or move files to Documents. See how to remove things from the desktop without deleting them.
• Hide everything for a moment. Right-click the desktop and select View > Show desktop icons to clear it. See where your desktop icons went if they don’t come back.

Make icons smaller or line them up

If you’d rather keep icons but make the desktop look tidier, right-click an empty part of the desktop and select View.

• Choose Small icons to fit more in less space.
• Turn on Auto arrange icons to line them up down the left side.
• Turn on Align icons to grid to keep them evenly spaced when you move them.

If an icon won’t hide

• It still shows, but faded: hidden items are turned on in File Explorer. Select View > Show and clear Hidden items.
• “Learn about this picture” won’t go away: it comes with Windows spotlight. Go to Settings > Personalization > Background and choose Picture or Solid color instead.
• Desktop icon settings won’t open: press Windows logo key + R, type desk.cpl ,,5, and press Enter.
• Access denied: the shortcut is on the Public desktop. Use an administrator account.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete a shortcut instead?

See how to remove desktop shortcuts in Windows 11. Deleting a shortcut doesn’t remove the app.

Can I change an icon’s picture instead of hiding it?

Yes. See how to change desktop icons in Windows 11.

Does hiding an icon delete it?

No. The file or shortcut stays exactly where it was. It just isn’t shown until you turn on hidden items or clear the Hidden check box.

Can I hide icons on just one monitor?

No. Windows uses one desktop across all your screens, so an icon is either shown or hidden everywhere. You can drag icons onto the screen where you want them.

To add a system icon instead, see how to put a Control Panel icon on the desktop in Windows 11.

Microsoft’s reference is Customize the Desktop Icons in Windows. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.