Can't move desktop icons in Windows 10

An icon is a small image or object that represents a file, Program, web page or command. Based on the default icon, users will know more information about the files, namely, the photo, the video, the word document or anything else. When we decide to install an application, the application will create an icon on the Desktop. End users will be able to rearrange and move icons on the desktop, according to your own wishes.

If there are any problems with the system, the application or the desktop, users will not be able to make some changes to the desktop. One of the problems is the inability to move the icons on the desktop. There are different problems why this problem occurs, including system problems, bad configuration, applications that block changes to the desktop and other. What's more, after updating windows 7 and Windows 8 a Windows 10, users cannot move the icons on the right side of the desktop. What's more, this problem also occurs on Windows 7 and Windows 8.

We will show you how to solve this problem on your Windows machine. Then let's get started.

Method 1: test your mouse or trackpad

In this method, you will have to test your mouse or trackpad. If the mouse or touchpad is not working properly, you will not be able to move icons, files or folders. How will i do it? There are two ways to test the mouse or touchpad, one is to create a text document (Microsoft Word, Wordpad or Notepad) and type text with a keyboard. Thereafter, you will need to select part of the text and right click on the selected text to see additional options. With this method, will try left and right click. What's more, you will need to test the scroll wheel by scrolling the text in the document.

The second method is to connect another mouse to your computer or laptop and check if there is a problem with the mouse or the operating system. If everything works fine with another mouse, you will have to replace it. If the problem persists, no problem with mouse or trackpad. There are system problems that need to be resolved using the following methods. Both methods are compatible with computers and laptops, including Windows operating systems 7 a Windows 10.

Method 2: self organizing icons

One of the reasons you cannot move your icons is the wrong setting of the sorting options. You should be able to arrange the desktop icons however you want. We will show you how to change organization options in Windows 10. The same procedure is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

1. Right click on a blank area of ​​your desktop

2. Hover over View

3. In the right panel, look for auto sort icons. If it's checked, be sure to uncheck it.

4. Hover over View, again

5. This time, check Align icons to grid.

6. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 3: press the ESC key three times

In this method, you will have to press the ESC key three times and then try to move the icons on the desktop. This method is compatible with all keyboards and operating systems from Windows 7 up to windows 10.

Method 4: change icon size

One of the easiest methods that helped end users to solve this problem is resizing the icon. We will show you how to change the icon size in Windows 10. The same procedure is compatible with previous operating systems.

1. Right click on a blank area of ​​your desktop

2. Hover over View

3. Change the icon size. You have three options including large icons, medium and small. You must change the current size for another. In our example, the current one is Small icons and we will change to Medium icons

4. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 5: change text size, applications and other elements

In this method, you will need to change the text size, applications and other items through Control Panel or Settings. We will show you how to do it on Windows operating systems 7 a Windows 10. Windows is used 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, you must follow the method 7. If you are using Windows 10, you must follow the following steps:

1. Hold down the Windows logo and press I to open the configuration tool

2. Choose System and then Display tab

3. Under Change the text size, apps and other items change the current settings to a new one as described in the text above

4. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 6: uninstall software to optimize desktop icons

Do you use software to organize desktop icons on your Windows machine?? If so, We recommend that you uninstall the software through Programs and Features. This type of software controls the desktop icons and will not be able to make some changes, how to move the icons. We will show you how to uninstall software called Fences that blocked moving icons on Windows machine 10. This procedure is compatible with the previous operating system and similar applications..

1. Hold down the Windows logo and press R

2. Type appwiz.cpl and hit Enter to open Program and Features

3. Browse Stardock Fences 3

4. Right click on Stardock Fences 3 and choose Uninstall

5. Wait until Windows finishes uninstalling the software

6. Browse Stardock Start10

7. Right-click on Stardock Start10 and choose Uninstall

8. Wait until Windows finishes uninstalling the software

9. Restart your Windows machine

10. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 7: reset folder options

In this method, you will need to reset the folder settings to default. We will show you how to do it in Windows 10. The same procedure is compatible with older operating systems.

1. Hold down the Windows logo and press R

2. Type control panel and press Enter to open the Control Panel

3. See subprograms by category

4. Click on Appearance and Personalization.

5. Click File Explorer Options if you are using Windows 10, or in Folder Options if you use Windows 7 and Windows 8

6. o Folder options (Windows 7, Windows 8)

7. On the General tab, click Restore Defaults

8. On the View tab, click Reset Folders and then Restore Defaults.

9. Click Apply and then OK

10. Close the control panel

11. Restart your Windows machine

12. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 8: disable tablet mode

In this method, you will have to disable tablet mode, which is a new feature in Windows 10. Windows 10 is developed as a combination of Windows operating systems 7 and Windows 8. In Windows 10, can switch between desktop mode and tablet mode. Desktop mode is the traditional desktop mode in which all icons, files and folders are visible and accessed from the desktop. Table mode will automatically activate when you detach a table from its base or base if enabled. If you use a laptop with a touch screen or AIO, tablet mode will bring you better user experience while working on your Windows machine. This method is only compatible with Windows 10. If you are using older operating systems, read the following method.

1. Click Notification Center on the right side of the taskbar.

2. Turn off tablet mode by clicking Tablet mode. In our example, it's off.

3. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 9: perform a system restore

The implementation of the backup and restore strategy is a crucial action for the home and business environment. There are different solutions for Windows or for data recovery, and one of them is System Restore. What can be done with System Restore? If System Restore is enabled on your Windows machine, you can revert the operating system to the previous state when everything was working smoothly. Please note that you cannot restore your Windows machine to the previous state if System Restore is disabled. Read how to perform a system restore, following the method 17.

Method 10: change registry settings

In this method, you will need to change the spacing of the icons in Registry Editor. Before doing any registry settings, we recommend that you make a backup of the registry database. Why do you need to back up the registry? In case of incorrect configuration, you can revert the registry database to the previous state when everything was working smoothly. For this method, you must use a user account with administrator privileges, as the standard user account is not authorized to make changes to the system. See the steps to back up the registry database to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = P_Ncdre0tVU. After backing up the registry database, you will need to continue with the following procedure. Windows icon design 10 is created by design, so it is automatically set to recommended settings. To manually change the horizontal and vertical spacing of the desktop icon using Registry Editor, you can follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the following location HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Control Panel / Desk / WindowsMetrics

2. On the right side of the Registry Editor, navigate to IconSpacing

3. Right-click IconSpacing and choose Modify

4. Set the value between 480 Y -2730 and then click OK. In our example, it is -1128.

5. Close Registry Editor

6. Restart your Windows machine

7. Move your icons anywhere on the desktop

Method 11: change BIOS or UEFI version

In this method, you will have to change your BIOS or UEFI version. At first, we recommend that you update your BIOS or UEFI to the latest version. If that doesn't solve the problem, try to lower the BIOS or UEFI version. How will i do it? There are many articles that can teach you how to change your BIOS or UEFI version. Read the instructions on how to do it. Before changing the BIOS or UEFI version, We recommend that you read the technical documentation for your motherboard.