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Step 1
Decide what icon or icons you want to move to your desktop. An icon is simply the picture that is associated with a file. The name of the file or description of it is usually underneath its picture. When executing a program from the desktop you need the icon that is associated to the executable of the program.
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Step 2
Right click the icon and a window to the side of it will appear. From this menu you get to select to Cut, Copy or Send To. For safety's sake, if you are new to this process, you should choose either Copy, create Shortcut or Send To. This way if you delete the icon that is on the desktop you still have the file on your computer.
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Step 3
Select Create Shortcut and a copy of your icon appears, only this icon has an arrow at the bottom of it, showing it is a shortcut to this file. Drag this icon to the desktop by clicking it with the left mouse button and dragging it to the desktop.
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Step 4
Save yourself a step or two by selecting the Send To option when you right click the icon. It then automatically makes a shortcut to the file on your desktop.
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Step 5
Choose the Copy option when right clicking the icon of choice. This option sends the entire file to the desktop. You now have two copies of the same file on your computer. This sometimes leads to confusion when the file is a document, spreadsheet or other type of file that gets edited. Also hard disk space can get filled up quickly when you make too many duplicate files.
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Step 6
Arrange your icons on your desktop once you have moved or copied them. Right click an empty spot on the desktop and a screen appears that allows you to choose how you would like your icons arranged. You can also move them around to suit your individual needs by left clicking them and dragging them to their best destination.
