Windows 10: How to tell Windows which desktop folder is the "right" one, the one it shows as the desktop?

I seem to have at least three desktop folders: public, "private" me as the user, and Onedrive's folder. Several months ago I noticed that the items I dragged to the desktop didn't appear "on the screen", i. e. on the desktop that was part of the Window's UI. Instead I found them in my private desktop folder.


Here's something that came to mind just now, I don't know if it has anything to do with the problem: I remember doing some fiddling around when I noticed the problem and - if I remember correctly - there were similar problems with other duplicate or triplicate? folders. I had, for example, two "documents" folders. Onedrive's folder name was in English and the private one in my native language or vice versa. Perhaps there was also a public one. They, too, got mixed up somehow though I don't remember exactly how. I think I ended up losing files because it wasn't clear where the files exactly were. But all this might be beside the point.


Anyway, I decided to stop using the desktop instead of spending time trying to fix the problem.


Now I have time to do something to the problem. In other words, I'd like to see the contents of one desktop folder let's say Onedrive's as my actual desktop. Furthermore, it would be nice if the files I drag to the actual desktop would appear in that same folder. Now I see the public folder's contents while the files end up in my private folder. The contents of the Onedrive folder - I think - used to show up on the actual desktop along with the contents of the public folder but don't anymore probably because I did something back then.


In short, I'd like to know how to force Windows to use one folder as the default desktop folder.


Sorry for the muddy question.

:)

 

No icons on desktop after startup only

EagleEye,

Welcome to the forum!

Have you tried toggling the Desktop icons on and off?

• Right-click on an open area of the Desktop
• Click: View
• If Show Desktop icons is already checked, uncheck it.
• Repeat the above steps a time or two.
• Check: Show Desktop icons

Desktop Icons - Hide or Show in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

If no go on the above, right-click on the empty Desktop, and create a file.

Let us know if they come back on.

 

windows 10 deleted my desktop files

Step 1 - I upgraded to Win 10 and lost all my files on Desktop.

Step 2 - Found the files in Network - USers- Desktop

copied all files again to desktop.

Step 3- Restarted my machine again and lost desktop files again.

Step 4 - As suggested did the following as listed below but dont find my files.

• Press “Windows + E”, open This PC/Computer
• Open Local Disc C, open Windows.old
• Click on Users, select your User name
• Go to desktop folder

Cant find my files. Why is Win 10 deleted files again and again from Desktop ?.

 

Desktop

Margrave,

If the problem symptom returns [Desktop showing the correct contents when looked at in File explorer but not when looking at the Desktop itself], right-click on an empty area of the Desktop and select Refresh.

Many people have found that their Desktop's are not refreshing automatically and are forced to take this step. I searched & searched for a permanent solution but every suggestion I found either had no effect or had only a limited-duration effect.

Denis