Desktop Does Not Automatically Refresh When Moving/Renaming/Deleting Files & Folders in Windows 10

Question

When I create a new folder on the desktop and give it a name, the new name does not take effect until I manually refresh the desktop. The same thing happens when I try to delete it.

This behavior also applies to new .txt files, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, etc.

Here is a GIF of it happening to a folder:

Answer 1

Try this:

Settings -> Personalization -> Themes-> Change desktop icons ->Restore default

If it cannot solve your issue, please also try to reset folder views:

Besides that, also try to go to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID{BDEADE7F-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F}\Instance

look out for a DWORD value called "DontRefresh" which is set to "1" (on). Change the value to "0" (off).

Answer 2

Haven't tried this solution for your specific problem, but I'd consider it worth trying if I came up against your set of symptoms:

Save the following as a .bat file:

ie4uinit.exe -show
taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe
cd /d %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
attrib -h iconcache_*.db
DEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db"
DEL /A /F /Q "%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*"
start explorer

Save and close all files and programs, then run (it doesn't require admin).

When it completes restart your computer.

This script is for resetting desktop icon issues in Windows 10. Any shortcuts on your desktop should return to a default position to the upper-left of the primary screen.

Answer 3

Settings -> Personalization -> Themes-> Change desktop icons -> Restore default. Then uncheck "allow themes to change desktop icons" and Apply and OK. If this does not work, Restore default > check "allow" again > Apply > OK. Then go back in and Restore default > uncheck "allow" again > Apply > OK. Dunno why I had to do this more than once, but works now.

Answer 4

I had a samba share to a network printer scan folder pinned in the quick access folder. After trying all other solutions including resetting my Windows, this worked! Look to see if you have any shortcuts to poor performing network locations.

Answer 5

the same problem happened with my laptops desktop I also run Windows 10, the only thing I had to do was powering my laptop off and then on again, and then it refreshed When Moving/Renaming/Deleting Files & Folders. I hope it helps you too.

Answer 6

It took me forever to find out the fix to this issue. I was tempted to just reset my whole PC. The only thing stopping me was a slow connection. Thank you Joan for your answer which give me an idea of how to fix it. Here's how I finally got it.

After I went into my Windows settings> Personalization> Themes> and went to click "Desktop icon settings" I got a message saying something like "You do not have the permission to access this file", and the file name ("rundll32.exe") was listed in the top bar.

So I went to C:\Windows\System32\, found the file "rundll32.exe" and followed this procedure:

• Right click it and select "Properties".
• Next, click the "Security" tab and click "Advanced".
• From here click "Change" beside the "Owner" line of text. Change this to your user name.
• After that click "Apply", accept everything, and push "OK" to close all the security and properties tabs.
• Next, right click "rundll32.exe" and select "Properties" again, click "Security" then "Advanced". Now we will select "Enable inheritance".
• Click "Apply", then accept everything and click "OK" until you're out of the security and properties tabs, then close the Explorer window as well.
• Now restart your PC.

Upon restart your auto-update should be working again!

Answer 7

My solution to this is to go to folder options -> untick the 2 quick access options under the General tab under Privacy.

Then also click Clear File Explorer History.

Hope this helps!