Microsoft Weekly

How to keep your Windows desktop clean

By Ed Bott

When it comes to the Windows desktop, there are two kinds of people: those who prefer to use it as a hub for programs and documents and those who prefer to keep it spotless. Today's tip is for those in the "clean desktop" camp.

You can avoid being annoyed when programs deposit unwanted shortcuts on the desktop by hiding those icons from view. Right-click any empty space on the desktop, click View, then click to remove the checkmark next to the Show Desktop Icons option.

(If you want to manage the shortcuts in the Desktop folder, don't undo that setting and re-clutter things. Instead, open File Explorer and type shell:desktop in the address bar.)

Finally, consider turning off the Peek feature, which shows the contents of the desktop when you move the mouse into the lower right corner of the main display. (If you don't keep any files or shortcuts there, why would you bother?) In Windows 10, you'll find this switch under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.

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