Several Windows users at some point or another have experienced the problem of their Desktop icons rearranging or moving after reboot. If your Desktop icons keep jumping, bouncing, moving or rearranging after rebooting on Windows 11/10 PC, here are a few things you can try to fix the problem where your desktop icon positions are not being saved.
Desktop icons keep rearranging or moving in Windows 11/10
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.
In Windows 11 you need to right-click > Show more options > View.
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 Windows 8/7 users.
The procedure is different in Windows 11/10 – 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 manufacturer’s 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 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, and lock the 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 layouts, and more.
9] Use Icon Shepherd
Here’s how 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 11.
How to keep desktop icons from rearranging after reboot?
To prevent desktop icons from rearranging after reboot, right-click on your desktop and select “View” from the context menu. Ensure “Auto arrange icons” is unchecked. If necessary, click to disable it. This setting maintains your preferred icon layout, ensuring consistency after restarting your computer.
Why do the icons on my desktop rearrange themselves?
Desktop icons may rearrange themselves when programs, especially computer games, alter the screen resolution upon running. This automatic change by Windows helps fit the new screen size. To prevent this, adjust the settings in your display or look for graphics driver updates to ensure consistent icon placement.
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.
