It should be common knowledge by now that saving files on the desktop is not the way to go. But despite this fact, many Windows 11/10 computer users just continue to save their files on the desktop. Because of this, folks tend to have a cluttered desktop with a ton of unnecessary files. You see, Windows 11/10 comes with areas on the system for saving your files, therefore, it would make a lot of sense to take advantage of those instead. For those who might not know where to save their files, then this article is designed to enlighten you.
How to declutter Windows Desktop
Keeping your desktop free from clutter makes for a clean environment, and more efficiency when working with Windows 11/10. Here are things you could do to declutter & organize your Windows 11/10 desktop:
- Audit your desktop
- Use the Windows folders
- Take advantage of Windows Libraries
- OneDrive cloud storage
- desktop organizer software
- Use the Hide icons option.
Let’s look at the downsides to storing files on the desktop
The first problem is the difficulty to navigate. You see, when a ton of files are stored on your Windows 10 desktop, the entire thing becomes a mess, which means, it becomes a chore to navigate and locate files.
Yes, we know there might come a time when saving a file to the desktop is deemed best for easier access. However, if you do this, then chances are you will continue to do it until the desktop is cluttered. So, in truth, users should normally never practice saving content on the desktop, ever.
1] Audit your desktop to remove unwanted icons
Begin by auditing your desktop. Delete all program icons and files you do not need or else move them to the appropriate folder. Add the Move to option to your context menu to make things faster. You may manually tweak the Registry to add Move to or use our Ultimate Windows Tweaker. You may also delete unwanted icons from the taskbar.
2] Use the Windows folders
Did you know Windows 10 came with the option to create folders from within the File Explorer? If not, well, let’s explain it all for you right now.
Windows 10 comes with several default folders for saving your files. The most prominent are Documents, Pictures, and Music. The user can get to these folders by clicking the File Explorer icon located on the taskbar or navigate to Documents or Pictures directly by pressing the Windows key, then the hamburger menu.
Once you’re inside a folder, you can choose to save your files right there or create secondary folders for better organization of files. We do this by pressing right-click, then select New > Folder. Be sure to name the folder, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to move forward.
Create a lot of secondary sub-folders if you want but bear in mind Windows 10 has a limit since the path cannot surpass 240 characters at this time.
3] Take advantage of Windows 10 Libraries
One of the cool things we’ve come to enjoy when using this operating system is the Libraries. It’s a section that groups several folders together for easy access. Bear in mind that by default, Windows 10 has created libraries for Camera Roll, Documents, Music, Pictures, Saved Pictures, and Videos.
OK, so to gain access to your libraries, please open the File Explorer and then click on Libraries located at the left-pane. Here you should see all the folders located inside of it. Additionally, if you want to define which folder the libraries should pull from, right-click then select Properties to do that.
4] Use a desktop organizer software
You can also make use of these free desktop organizer software. A program like Iconoid helps you better manage your Windows desktop icons.
5] Use OneDrive cloud storage
Windows 10 comes with OneDrive as default, and we urge everyone to use it. The service is capable of synchronizing with your folders, which makes for more seamless interaction with files. If you want to learn more about how to use OneDrive, then click here to gobble up all that information.
6] Use the Hide icons option
This is the final option. If you need to have a lot of icons on your desktop, you can uncheck the Show desktop icons right-click context menu option to temporarily hide the icons and make the desktop look clean. When required, you can always un-hide them.
Hope this helps.
How do I organize my messy Windows desktop?
Using a free Desktop Organizer software. ios the best way to go. Other tips we offer are:
- Delete all unwanted desktop icons and shortcuts
- Decide how you want to sort the icons by
- If you have many icons, you can place them in subject-wise folders
- Opt to pin oft-used shortcuts to your Start Menu or Taskbar.
How do I clean up my desktop fast?
The fastest way is to right-click on the desktop and uncheck Show desktop icons option to temporarily hide the icons and make the desktop look clean. Alternatively, move them all to a folder and keep them on your desktop, till you get time to move them to the appropriate locations.
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