Hide Windows Desktop Icons

When it comes to using a Windows XP graphical user interface, one of my main concerns is to remove as many Desktop Icons as possible. I guess I am a little Anal Retentive that way. I kept finding myself removing and adding icons as time went by. It was a loosing battle. I understand that it is also a bit difficult for Windows XP to load my desktop icons. So I thought of a way to semi-solve the problem.

The Solution:

It is a simple solution, HIDE ALL ICONS. Windows XP has a tool that will hide all Desktop Icons for me. However I wanted a simple and fast way of accessing my Desktop Icons. Here is what I did...

• Create a Desktop Shortcut
  
  
  
  1. Right Click on Desktop and Choose New->Shortcut
  
  
  2. Browse
  
  
  3. Select Desktop from Choices
  
  
  4. Click Ok
  
  
  5. Name the Shortcut to whatever you like. I chose the default name
  
  
  6. You should now have a shortcut to your Desktop on your desktop
  
  
  
  


• Add Shortcut to Taskbar
  
  
  
  1. Make sure your Quick Launch is Enabled
  
  
  
  
  • Right Click on Taskbar
  
  
  • Choose Properties
  
  
  • Under Taskbar Tab -> Check Show Quick Launch
  
  
  
  
  2. Drag the newly created Desktop Shortcut to your Quick Launch section on your Taskbar
  
  
  3. I tend to make that my first "icon" on the Quick Launch
  
  
  
  


• Hide your Desktop
  
  
  
  1. Right click on Desktop
  
  
  2. Choose Arrange Icons By -> Hide Desktop Icons
  
  
  
  

Finished

That should do it. You now have a clean Desktop in front of you. So whenever you do need to access your Desktop you can simply Click on the Quick Launch Icon and access your Desktop Icons from there.

Last but not least... you can delete the Desktop shortcut from your Desktop since it's in your Quick Launch section now.

Hope you enjoyed this post... My first... and many more to come...