How do I reduce the gap between icons on my desktop?

Windows icons have a default grid structure that lets the user alter the spacing between the icons on the desktop. But, due to some reasons, sometimes this spacing in the grid, which is the space between two icons on the desktop is too big and cant be changed. If you face this issue, just follow these easy fixes on your system to quickly solve the problem.

Fix 1 Alter the value of the IconSpacing key

You have to alter the value of the IconSpacing key on the registry.

1. At first, just press theWindows key+Rkeys together.

2. Then, write regedit and click on OK.

Important Registry Editor is a very delicate location that stores sensitive registry data. Before heading on to modify the registry, we request to make a backup of the registry on your computer.

After opening the Registry Editor, click on File. Then click on Exportto make a new backup on your computer.

3. After taking the backup, go to this location

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

4. On the right-hand side, look for the IconSpacing key.

5. Then, double-click on the key in order to modify it.

6. Set the value to -1125.

7. After that, click on OK to save the change.

8. Again, on the right-hand side, look for the IconVerticalSpacing key on the same screen.

9. Just double-click on it to access it.

10. In the Edit String value, set the value to -1125.

11. Then, hit Enter again.

After saving these changes, close the Registry Editor window.

Then, restart your computer.

Once the system boots up, check if the icon spacing on the desktop. If this doesnt work, try the next one.

[

NOTE

If this doesnt work or if you feel the spacing is still too much, adjust the values of the keys as below

1. Open the Registry Editor.

2. Set the value of the IconSpacing key to -1650.

3. Then, the same way, set the value of the IconVerticalSpacing key to -1200.

This way, close the Registry Editor window. Restart the computer and everything will be fine.

]

Fix 2 Resize the desktop icons

You can try to resize the desktop icons on your desktop to fix the issue.

1. Open the deskop.

2. Press and hold the Ctrl key and use the mouse scroll wheel to adjust the scale of the icons.

Turning the mouse wheel upwards will increase the icon size and turning the wheel downwards will do the opposite.

3. Additionally, right-click on the open space on the desktop and click on View and click on Small icons.

Check if this solves your problem or not. Otherwise

Fix 3 Set the size of the text, apps desktop

You should try to set the size of the text, apps on the desktop.

1. Open the Settings window by pressing the Windows key+Ikeys together.

2. When the Settings window appears, click on the Systemsettings.

4. Once the System settings appear, on the left-hand side, click on the Display.

5. Set the scaling to 150 from the drop-down list of scaling options.

5. If the drop-down option is greyed out or inaccessible, just click on the Advanced scaling settings.

6. Just write 150.

7. Then, click on Apply to apply the custom scaling.

As soon as you set this custom scaling factor, you will see a prompt The custom scale factor wont be applied until you signed out.

8. Then, click on the Sign out now.

This will sign out from your account. Once it does, just log back into your account.

Check the spacing between the icons on the desktop. This should have fixed your problem.

[

NOTE

This custom scaling should help you solve the problem with the icons. But if you want to revert back this change, follow these instructions

1. Open the Settings window.

2. Then, click on the System settings.

3. Now, on the left-hand side, select the Display settings.

4. On the right-hand side, in the Scale and Layout settings, click on the Turn off custom scaling and sign out.

This will stop the custom scaling and set the scaling factor to 100% settings which is the default setting also.

]