How do I get my Desktop icons back in order?

Several Windows users at some point or the other have experienced the problem of their Desktop icons rearranging or moving after reboot. If yourDesktop icons keep jumping, bouncing, moving or rearranging after rebooting on Windows 10 PC, here are a few things you can try to fix the problem.

Desktop icons keep rearranging or moving

Please go through the list and decide the order you may want to try these suggestions.

1] Make sure Auto arrange icons is unchecked

Right-click on the desktop, select View. Make sure Auto arrange icons is unchecked. Also, uncheck Align icons to grid.

2] Delete Icon cache

Open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder. Remember to replace ACK with your username.

C:\Users\ACK\AppData\Local

Copy-paste the address in the address bar and hit Enter. In the Local folder, you will see a Hidden IconCache.db file. Delete it. This applies to Windows8/7 users.

Now arrange your icons on your desktop and restart your computer and see if it has helped.

The procedure is different in Windows 10 but you can use our freeware Icon Cache Rebuilder to do it easily.

3] Ensure that the Graphics driver is updated

Make sure that you have updated your video or graphics drivers to the latest available version from the manufacturers website.

4] Change Screen Resolution

Change your Screen Resolution and see if it helps. Right-click on the desktop and select Display resolution. The System Settings window will pop up.

Here check if you have set the Resolution to the Recommended figure.

Also check if Change the size of text, app, and other items to set to the Recommended figure. If it shows 125%, set it to 100% and see if that helps.

Fix: White Blank Icons on Windows 10 Desktop.

5] Check Desktop Icon Settings settings

Prevent themes from changing icons. To do this, from the Control Panel, open Desktop Icon Settings box. Uncheck Allow themes to change desktop icons, click Apply and exit.

Does this help?

6] Change Icon Spacing

Change Windows Metrics Icon Spacing and see. You will have to edit the Registry for this.

7] Troubleshoot in Clean Boot State

If nothing helps, check if it happens in Clean Boot State and troubleshoot the issue by trial and error method.

8] Use DesktopOK

You have one other option. Use freeware to lock your icon positions. DesktopOK lets you save, restore, lock desktop icons position, and layout. It can record icon positions and some other desktop arrangements. D-Color is another tool you can use to save the current icon layout, restore earlier icon layout, and more.

9] Use Icon Shepherd

Hereshow you can Restore the desktop icon layout to the original position using Icon Shepherd.

Let us know what, if anything here, helped you or if something else you did worked for you.

Related read: Desktop Icons not working in Windows 10.

TIP: There are several interesting things you can do with your desktop icons. You can resize icons on desktop, display the desktop icons text on the side and quickly hide or unhide them.