Add Desktop Icon Windows 11 [upd] Jun 2026

Right-click on any empty space on your desktop and select Personalization from the context menu. Alternatively, you can open the Start Menu > Settings > Personalization.

If you have a favorite program that you use daily, you can pin it directly to your desktop for one-click access. Click the or press the Windows key. Click the All apps button at the top right of the menu. Find the application you want to move to the desktop.

You can also add desktop icons from the Start menu. Here's how: add desktop icon windows 11

: right-click desktop → “New Shortcut” is kept, but enhanced with:

If you are posting this with an image, use a screenshot of the window showing the checkboxes for "Computer" and "Recycle Bin." Circling the "Desktop icon settings" link within the Themes menu is also very helpful for the user. Right-click on any empty space on your desktop

A inside Settings > Personalization, with:

The Problem: You can't find "This PC" or "Recycle Bin" on your new Windows 11 desktop. The Solution: Click the or press the Windows key

Here is the step-by-step guide:

Windows 11 has introduced a new and sleek design, but some users may still want to add desktop icons to their computer for easy access to frequently used files, folders, and applications. In this article, we will walk you through the process of adding desktop icons in Windows 11.

Here, you will see the classic icons like: ✅ Computer (This PC) ✅ User’s Files ✅ Recycle Bin ✅ Control Panel ✅ Network

1️⃣ Right-click desktop > Personalization 2️⃣ Click 3️⃣ Click Desktop icon settings 4️⃣ Tick the boxes you need & hit Apply!