Windows 10: Public Desktop showing instead of user desktop when logged in (Windows 10)

So, I couldn't respond to this original post, as it was too old and locked, but I wanted to share this with others...in the case that it happens to anyone else. My issue, although seemingly the same, actually had nothing to do with the Microsoft OneDrive, but rather that I overwrote that folder with a backup copy from another version of Windows, that I had previously. The NEW Desktop icon that was in C:\Users\<myusername>\Desktop\ was actually just a FOLDER, rather than a LINK to the default user desktop location.


The ORIGINAL post can be found at:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-desktop/cc7eba78-3563-444c-8cc6-77153b8e4b48


The solution to my issue SPECIFICALLY, was similar to the post at WindowsTenForums:

https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/th...ation-of-personal-folders-in-windows-10.7049/


All I did was simply type the following: "Shellesktop", into the File Explorer's UNC Path field, and it displayed the actual Desktop LINK on the left side ribbon of the navigation window. I then simply dragged that icon to my C:\Users\<myusername>\ root directory, and everything began functioning normally again!


Hope this helps someone!

:)

 

Public Desktop showing instead of user desktop when logged in (Windows 10)

Upon login to Windows 10 using my username (the only one on the machine), it has now started bringing up the 'public' desktop instead of my 'user' desktop. I have no idea how to get my desktop folder to show back up as the desktop. I figured out that
it was now displaying the contents of the public user folder because my anti-virus updated and put an icon/shortcut on the desktop. It was the only icon on this desktop. When I looked to see where the shortcut was located, it showed "C:\Users\Public\Desktop". Prior
to this I thought maybe it was in tablet mode like the forums suggest. Not the case here. Any thoughts on how I can get MY desktop back instead of the public one?

 

Public Desktop showing instead of user desktop when logged in (Windows 10)

Hi, I had the same issue and I found it to be caused by OneDrive Desktop syncing.

To revert to your own Desktop right click the One Drive symbol and choose settings. Navigate to the 'Auto Save' Tab and in the Dropdown List next to 'Desktop' select 'This PC only'. After saving my Desktop instantly reverted back to my own, instead of the
public one. Obviously this turns off syncing of Desktop items, but I never wanted that anyway.

 

From public desktop to user desktop

Basically I turned on onedrive auto sync just now and all my files on desktop are in the directory of onedrive.

After I stopped the auto sync, it went back to public desktop (as the directory of an application showed) and there were many icons missing.

Could someone tell me how to restore my desktop or at least go back to the user desktop instead of staying in the public desktop?

Any help will be appreciated!!!