Windows 10: Change Desktop Icon Spacing in Windows 10

How to: Change Desktop Icon Spacing in Windows 10

How to Change Desktop Icon Horizontal and Vertical Spacing in Windows 10


Information Icon horizontal spacing is for how wide (left/right) the desktop icon will be. The wider it is, the more text that will display for the icon's name without it having to be highlighted.

Icon vertical spacing is for how much vertical (up/down) empty space there is inbetween the icons on your desktop to separate them with.

This tutorial will show you how to change the horizontal and vertical spacing of the icons on your desktop to what you want in Windows 10.


EXAMPLE: Desktop Icon Horizontal and Vertical Spacing


Note This is just an example to help show what your desktop icons can look like with different horizontal and vertical spacing settings when highlighted and not highlighted. The settings you use below will determine how much more or less space your icons will have.









Here's How:

1. Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

3. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshots below steps 4A and 5A)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

4. To Change the Desktop Icon "Horizontal" Spacing
A) In the right pane of WindowMetrics, double click/tap on IconSpacing to modify it. (see screenshot below)



B) Type in a value between -480 to -2730, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


Note The default value is -1128. The minimum amount of space is -480, and the maximum is -2730.






5. To Change the Desktop Icon "Vertical" Spacing
A) In the right pane of WindowMetrics, double click/tap on IconVerticalSpacing to modify it. (see screenshot below)



B) Type in a value between -480 to -2730, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


Note The default value is -1128. The minimum amount of space is -480, and the maximum is -2730.





6. When finished, close Registry Editor.

7. sign in to apply.

8. You may need to repeat the tutorial a few times until you have each of the desktop icon horizontal and vertical spacing values set just how you like it.



That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Hide or Show All Icons on Your Desktop in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Common Desktop Icons in Windows 10
• How to Change your Desktop Background in Windows 10
• How to Change Text Size for Icons in Windows 10
• How to Change the Size of Desktop Icons in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Windows

:)

 

Desktop icon spacing in Windows 10

Can the horizontal and vertical spacing for desktop icons be changed in windows 10?

 

Extra Large Blue Box

This looks like Icon spacing has been set to somewhat incorrect values.

Please use Minimum values in Registry change as mentioned here:

http://mywindowshub.com/how-to-change-desktop-i...

 

Yep, that's a good one for the icon size. *Smile

 

Just found this which uses DesktopOK to change the spacing graphically. I use DesktopOK to remember Desktop icon positions anyway so being able to adjust spacing using the same program is great,

Customize icon spacing on the windows 10 desktop