[SOLVED] Desktop icons gone after new account?

Insane Potatoz

Reputable
Sep 22, 2019
768
52
4,990
Hey guys, i recently made a new account in windwos 10 on my PC so that i could do my online schoolwork with a seperate account.
When i got into the second account, there were a couple desktop icons from my main account, so i moved them to a folder so that they wouldnt be on my desktop.
But now, when i go back to my main account, those random icons are gone, so there's just like a bunch of holes where my icons should be.
Any idea how to get these back and get them off the second account?
Thanks! :)
 

gardenman

Splendid
Moderator
Hi, desktop icons can be installed for either the current user account, or a special one for all accounts. In the C:\Users folder you will see your account along with one called "Public".

Programs often ask you if you want the install to be for the current user, or all users.

Apparently the icons were installed in the "Public" (all users) account. When in this account, they show up for all user accounts. If you move the icons in 1 account, you likely moved them for "all" other accounts.

Go back to the account where you moved the icons from. Drag them back to the desktop. If they don't show up, drag them directly to the C:\Users\Public\Public Desktop folder. They should then show up for all user accounts once again.
 
Last edited:

Insane Potatoz

Reputable
Sep 22, 2019
768
52
4,990
Hi, desktop icons can be installed for either the current user account, or a special one for all accounts. In the C:\Users folder you will see your account along with one called "Public".

Programs often ask you if you want the install to be for the current user, or all users.

Apparently the icons were installed in the "Public" (all users) account. When in this account, they show up for all user accounts. If you move the icons in 1 account, you likely moved them for "all" other accounts.

Go back to the account where you moved the icons from. Drag them back to the desktop. If they don't show up, drag them directly to the C:\Users\Public\Public Desktop folder. They should then show up for all user accounts once again.
I dragged the icon's from the secondary's desktop to just the public folder, can't see them on my desktop. Do i need to move them frfom public back to my desktop?
 

gardenman

Splendid
Moderator
Sorry, the folder is hidden. Either enable hidden folders, or simply type it in to open it. In Explorer at the top, paste this in and press Enter:
C:\Users\Public\Desktop
Then drag the icons back to that folder which is where they originally where located. Then you might have do the log off/log in as I stated above (might not have to).

Edit: Now that I think of it, I wouldn't even play with the Public Desktop. What you should do is set the icons up in each individual account as you want. If you put the icons back into the Public Desktop, they will once again be on ALL user account accounts. So just copy the icons to the desktop of each user account where you want them to show up.
 
Last edited:

Insane Potatoz

Reputable
Sep 22, 2019
768
52
4,990
Sorry, the folder is hidden. Either enable hidden folders, or simply type it in to open it. In Explorer at the top, paste this in and press Enter:
C:\Users\Public\Desktop
Then drag the icons back to that folder which is where they originally where located. Then you might have do the log off/log in as I stated above (might not have to).

Edit: Now that I think of it, I wouldn't even play with the Public Desktop. What you should do is set the icons up in each individual account as you want. If you put the icons back into the Public Desktop, they will once again be on ALL user account accounts. So just copy the icons to the desktop of each user account where you want them to show up.
Ok, so, i got them back to my desktop, but now a lot of my icons dont have an image on them, they just have that picture of a blank paper.
Any idea how to fix that?