How do I reduce the desktop icon size in Windows 7?

How can I reduce the size of my desktop icons if the video resolution is already on the highest setting?

Sauron

Posted 2009-07-24T05:34:46.113

Reputation: 729

This answer allows to change icon size, horizontal and veritcal spacing, without rebooting!

– Basj – 2018-03-14T17:30:07.733

Answers

If you click a blank bit of the desktop, hold down the Ctrl key and scroll down using the mouse wheel, you can scale down the desktop icons until they're almost non-existent.

Ctrl + scroll wheel works to zoom in most applications (browser, MS Office, Windows Explorer, etc.).

pelms

Posted 2009-07-24T05:34:46.113

Reputation: 8 283

1What if you have a busted mouse wheel like mine? It is very hard to control precisely. I wish there was a keyboard combination – acheron55 – 2016-04-10T20:04:03.063

1Works on Vista too – Motti – 2009-09-08T09:42:08.220

Right click the desktop > View > Small Icons (Classic on Vista). That is the smallest icon size you can have.

enter image description here

If these sizes are still not small (or big) enough for you, then you can hold down Ctrl whilst scrolling the Scroll Wheel to change it to the exact size you want.

Josh Hunt

Posted 2009-07-24T05:34:46.113

Reputation: 20 095

Best answer - doesn't the mouse wheel just control the zoom? Pretty sure mine was on the smallest zoom already (default). – Brett – 2019-03-17T14:02:34.447

Ctrl + mouse wheel is great – eqzx – 2010-01-13T00:49:27.670

I haven't tested this but I would've thought this was a registry setting, according to google it is :)

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
"Shell Icon Size"="36"

The value '36' is the default (medium size) if I'm correct, a smaller value means smaller icons.

Note: Fiddling with the registry can be dangerous so only use this if the default 'small/medium/large/extra large' don't suffice.

Huppie

Posted 2009-07-24T05:34:46.113

Reputation: 341

I have tested this and there was no influence on the desktop icons size (though I did not attempt to restart). – Joe – 2012-07-01T10:57:50.823