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Windows Troubleshooting: How to Fix Missing Desktop Icons (NoDesktop)

If your Windows desktop icons have suddenly disappeared and cannot be restored through standard settings, this is usually due to a registry policy restriction (NoDesktop) being accidentally enabled. Below are the detailed steps to fix this issue by modifying the registry with administrator privileges.

Step 1: Get User SID and Enter Admin Mode

First, we need to obtain the Security Identifier (SID) of the affected user to locate the correct entry in the registry.

  1. Click Start in the bottom left corner, type cmd.

  2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

  3. Note: Ensure the window title says Administrator: Command Prompt.

  4. Type the following command in the black box and press Enter:

    wmic useraccount where name='candidate1' get sid

Tip: Note down the long code starting with S-1-5-21 displayed on the screen (this is the SID); you will need it in the next step.

Step 2: Locate the Registry Target Path

  1. Continue in the command prompt, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

  2. In the left-hand tree list, do not expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER (this is a common trap).

  3. Please expand the path in the following order:

    • HKEY_USERS
    • <The long SID you just found>
    • Software
    • Microsoft
    • Windows
    • CurrentVersion
    • Policies
    • Explorer

Step 3: Forcefully Take Ownership (Unlock Permissions)

Since this registry key is often locked or system-protected, direct deletion might fail. You must elevate permissions first.

  1. Right-click the Explorer folder on the left.
  2. Select Permissions -> Advanced.
  3. Click Change next to Owner at the top.
  4. In the text box, type Administrators (ensure the plural s), then click OK.
  5. Check the box Replace owner on subcontainers and objects below the Owner field.
  6. Click Apply -> OK.
  7. Back in the small Permissions window, select Administrators from the list, and check Full Control at the bottom.
  8. Click OK to save settings.

Step 4: Delete the Faulty Key

Now that you have modification permissions, you can delete the policy item causing the issue.

  1. In the right-hand window, find the item named NoDesktop.
    • Explanation: This is the culprit causing the desktop to disappear; a value of 1 means the desktop is disabled.
  2. Right-click it and select Delete.
  3. Click Yes to confirm.

Step 5: Restart to Apply Changes

After modifying the registry, you need to restart Windows Explorer or sign out for the changes to take effect. Return to the black administrator command prompt window and run the following commands in order:

  1. Force close Windows Explorer:

    taskkill /f /im explorer.exe

  2. Attempt to restart Windows Explorer (if the desktop does not appear immediately):

    start explorer.exe

  3. Or sign out the current user to completely refresh the configuration:

    shutdown /l

After completing these steps, your desktop icons should be restored to normal.