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How can I persuade Windows Server 2012 onwards to put the "This PC" icon on the Desktop?

In Server 2008 it could be achieved through right-clicking the "Computer" icon in the Start Menu, or it can be done in the Control Panel through Personalisation -> Desktop Icons, if available.

But Personalisation requires the Desktop Experience feature to be installed in Windows Server editions, and the "This PC" tile on the Start Screen doesn't offer the Show on Desktop option.

mwfearnley
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4 Answers4

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Even in newer versions of Windows (including Windows 11 at time of writing), the old Desktop Icon Settings dialog is still available, and can be accessed through running desk.cpl 0,5 .

Run desk.cpl 0,5

This makes it possible to add back the usual array of Desktop icons, including This PC, the user's profile folder, etc.

Desktop Icon Settings

An alternative route to the same dialog is available through:

rundll32 shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,0

To really save on keystrokes, TenForums suggests desk.cpl ,5, although note that PowerShell won't like the argument beginning with a comma.

Either option works for me, doing quick tests in 2012R1/R2, 2016 and 2022, and Windows 10/11.

Just a quick caveat: I've found that on some Server versions that if the wallpaper hasn't been changed from the default, this method may remove it and give you a black background.

See my other answer for a Registry-based method that avoids this problem.

mwfearnley
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Use the classical way that exists since long before there were dialogs to show or hide desktop icons:

  1. Create a new shortcut on the desktop

  2. For the target, enter:

    explorer.exe shell:::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

  3. Give it any name you want, for example This PC

  4. Click on Finish

You can easily place this on the default desktop for all users or deploy it with scripts or group policies.

Gerald Schneider
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you can add the icons you want

  • go to Add Rule or Feature

  • press next without selecting anything till you get to the features dialog

  • select 'Desktop Experience' feature and install it (you will find it under 'user interfaces and infrastructure' )

  • restart your windows server
  • after restart right click on your desktop and choose 'Personalize' then select 'Change desktop icons'
  • add icons you want
MOkasha
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    The only real problem with this method is that it tends not to be convenient to restart an instance of Windows Server. – mwfearnley Feb 03 '17 at 07:04
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    Also, you are adding the whole "Desktop Experience" feature, which includes several things you might not want on a server. – Massimo Aug 05 '20 at 10:20
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I've found the desk.cpl method can sometimes remove the default wallpaper if one was set. So perhaps a slightly cleaner way to do this is with a Registry entry. This can be run from the command prompt.

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel /v "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" /t REG_DWORD /d 0

(If the value is missing or set to 1, the icon is "hidden". A value of 0 means "not hidden".)

After doing this, the icon should show on the desktop after a refresh, e.g. with F5.

A second registry key (ClassicStartMenu instead of NewStartPanel) perhaps sets it for older versions of Windows or a different Explorer mode. The desk.cpl method sets both values.

reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu /v "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" /t REG_DWORD /d 0

Both key names suggest to me that they're probably from Windows 8/2012 era or later. I don't know if older versions of Windows use something different.

mwfearnley
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