Windows 10: Missing/Blank Icons on Desktop and Windows Explorer

This is the first issue I haven't able to resolve after using Windows products for years


I recently bought a monitor to use with my laptop while at home. Whenever I disconnect my laptop from the monitor and then shut the laptop down, upon restarting I lose all my desktop icons and icons in Windows Explorer. On the taskbar, it shows the generic white icon for programs, while the desktop has a blank icon (but still has the name underneath where the icon should be).

I've tried restarting Windows Explorer, ending and manually restarting Explorer, and rebuilt the Icon Cache without any effect on the issue. I've attached a screenshot of my desktop





:)

 

Icons not displaying in Explorer

I have blank "generic" icons showing for everything that is not a folder in windows explorer.

Upon booting to desktop, I get the old blank icons on the desktop until I start working, at which point, after a short while, the desktop icons are all populated as normal.

However, in file explorer, the icons are all still blank. I have also noticed that in the View menu of Explorer, all the settings are greyed out.

I have tried the rebuilding iconcache procedure.

also tried running SFC - no integrity violations found.

 

lost homescreen/desktop icons

Are those the only icons that are missing, or are all desktop icons hidden? Try this out: right-click a blank space, point to View, and then make sure "Show desktop icons" is checkmarked.

 

What are the laptop screen & external monitor specs (resolution, refresh frequency, DPI)?
Are you running the new Windows Creator Update?
Did you try shutting down your laptop first and then disconnect the monitor (As you should normally do)?
What happens if you connect the monitor back?

 

Both the laptop and screen are 1920x1080 resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate. Laptop has a small 13" screen while the monitor is a 27". I have no idea if I'm running the Creator Update, though my laptop should be up to date so I would assume yes.

I'm not around the monitor at the moment, but usually I can hook it back up and restart the computer to make the icons come back. I tried doing this with a monitor here at college but it doesn't affect it.

 

Try this: Using the registry Editor, navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons
Look for an empty key of REG_SZ type named 9 or 29
Give it the value C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll or C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll,29
Restart

 

Just wanted to say, I had the same problem as you and did as mQ573 said and it worked. Best of luck to you!