Windows 10: Turn On or Off Auto Arrange Desktop Icons in Windows 10

How to: Turn On or Off Auto Arrange Desktop Icons in Windows 10

How to Turn On or Off Auto Arrange Desktop Icons in Windows 10


Information The desktop is the main screen area that you see after you turn on your PC and sign in to Windows. Like the top of an actual desk, it serves as a surface for your work. When you open programs or folders, they appear on the desktop. You can also put items on the desktop, such as files, folders, and shortcuts, and arrange them however you want.

If you turn on Auto arrange icons, your desktop icons will automatically be arranged in columns along the left side of your screen.

If you turn off Auto arrange icons, you can arrange your desktop icons how and where you like on the desktop.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off auto arrange desktop icons for your account in Windows 10.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Turn On or Off Auto Arrange Desktop Icons using Context Menu
• Option Two: To Turn On or Off "Auto arrange icons" and "Align icons to grid" using a BAT file

EXAMPLE: Auto arrange desktop icons turned on and off













OPTION ONE [/i] To Turn On or Off Auto Arrange Desktop Icons using Context Menu


Tip If you accidently auto arranged your desktop icons, then you can quickly undo this to restore your previous desktop icons layout by restarting explorer during the current session.

Desktop icons layout only remains in memory until you sign out. Afterwards, the current layout is saved to the registry, and you will no longer be able to restore your previous desktop icons layout.


1. Right click or press and hold on your desktop (Shift+F10), click/tap on View, and click/tap on Auto arrange icons to check (on) or uncheck (off - default) it. (see screenshot below)









OPTION TWO [/i] To Turn On or Off "Auto arrange icons" and "Align icons to grid" using a BAT file


Note The .bat files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop

FFLAGS DWORD

1075839520 = Auto arrange icons = OFF and Align icons to grid = OFF
1075839521 = Auto arrange icons = ON and Align icons to grid = OFF
1075839524 = Auto arrange icons = OFF and Align icons to grid = ON
1075839525 = Auto arrange icons = ON and Align icons to grid = ON


1. Do step 2, step 3, step 4, or step 5 below for what you would like to do.


2. To Turn OFF "Auto arrange icons" and Turn OFF "Align icons to grid"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 6 below.

Auto_arrange_icons-OFF_and_Align_icons_to_grid-OFF.bat

Download

3. To Turn ON "Auto arrange icons" and Turn OFF "Align icons to grid"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 6 below.

Auto_arrange_icons-ON_and_Align_icons_to_grid-OFF.bat

Download

4. To Turn OFF "Auto arrange icons" and Turn ON "Align icons to grid"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 6 below.

Auto_arrange_icons-OFF_and_Align_icons_to_grid-ON.bat

Download

5. To Turn ON "Auto arrange icons" and Turn ON "Align icons to grid"
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 6 below.

Auto_arrange_icons-ON_and_Align_icons_to_grid-ON.bat

Download
6. Save the .bat file to your desktop.

7. Unblock the .bat file.

8. Run the .bat file.

9. You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly open and close as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.

10. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Turn On or Off Align Desktop Icons to Grid in Windows 10
• How to Hide or Show All Icons on Your Desktop in Windows 10
• How to Change the Size of Desktop Icons in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Auto Arrange in Folders in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Windows

:)

 

Desktop icons rearrange at random

Is Auto Arrange turn off? Turn On or Off Auto Arrange Desktop Icons in Windows 10

 

Desktop icons auto arranging, auto arrange is OFF.

Original title: Windows 10 - Icons moving

About every hour, the file icons on my desktop would move as if auto arranged. Icons will also move from screen 2 to screen 1. My quicklaunch icons will suddenly show the text for the icon (text had been turned off). The auto arrange function is not turned
on.

 

Hello @BmLava, *Smile

I have updated the tutorial to add OPTION TWO for this for you.

 

That was cool. Why are you so awesome! *Smile

 

Shawn,

Is there a way to save the position of the icons (program, subfolder icons, links, etc.) that are in the folder? I have been looking for a long time looking for a solution. I don't think there is a solution.

By the way, thanks for the awesome batch file you made that disabled auto-arrange. I actually used it and my productivity skyrocketed! No joke!

After moving my icons around in my folders, they will usually stay in its position for some time but after a while, they will go back to being all lined up in one row again. And, I HATE IT.

I will give you almost anything if you could figure out a way to save the position of the icons. NAME YOUR PRICE!

 

Hello CerebralFreeze, *Smile

You might see if the free program "DesktopOK" may help to save and restore the positions of icons on your desktop.

DesktopOK 4.55 Save and restore the desktop icon positions.

 

I actually use that program for the desktop icons! But I am looking for a solution for the icons in the folders once I open one of them!!!! It'll save their location for a little bit but after a while, the icons forget their positions and go random.

 

Ah, ok. You could back up and restore your folder views using this below. *Smile

Folder View Settings - Backup and Restore in Windows 10

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I was hoping that it would work but this only saves the folder views, not the actual icon positions. Actually, I can get the folder view to save to the same exact folder view. But for some reason, the icon arrangement changes after a while.

For example, I'll have an Windows folder opened titled, "Project Site Alpha". And, I'll have all the different project task lists arranged in a pyramid shape. The more important tasks lists are arranged higher up.

As I open other folders and come back, the arrangement sticks. But, if I go to too many different windows, folders, open applications, this pyramid icon arrangement starts to change. Sometimes an icon moves one grid to the right. Don't know why. It just does. Soon, the icons are scatterred.

I want to rip my hair out! Help me please. I'm about to throw my computer out the window. PLEASE!!!@

 

I'm afraid that I'm not aware of anything for remembering the positions like that. *Sad

As a workaround, you could rename the files to include a number at the beginning of the name to have them listed in the order you want when they are sorted by name.

 

I actually do that now but frankly, I HATE it. Positioning the icons in certain 2D positions is so much better. It's not just the order but the relative order that makes it productive.

Is there a internet god out there that grants wishes if you pray to it?