Definition of Desktop Icon Placement

Windows uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that involves moving a mouse to control a cursor on a screen desktop. The cursor manages icons, which are small pictures labeled by accompanying text that represent programs and documents. You can control these icons by deleting, copying, moving or opening them.

Definition

Desktop icon placement describes where and how icons appear on the screen. Their arrangement and grouping can increase usability.

Moving

You move icons by clicking one, holding down the mouse key and dragging it to a new location.

Options

Right-clicking on an empty part of the desktop and choosing "Arrange Icons By" lets you arrange several icons at once. For example, choosing "Name" sorts them alphabetically.

Arrangement

To automatically arrange icons, choose "Auto Arrange." However, the new placement will not match your custom positions.

Alignment

For a neater layout, choose "Align To Grid." This ensures a more orderly layout when the icons align themselves into rows and columns.

Cleaning

If too many icons are cluttering up your desktop, choose "Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard," which automatically removes the lesser-used items.

References

• Organizing Desktop Icons