Why Do I Have Duplicate Icons On My Desktop? | Fix It Now

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Duplicates show up when shortcuts live in two Desktop folders, a sync app copies them, or the icon cache breaks—remove extras and rebuild the cache.

Seeing two of everything on the desktop is annoying. The good news: it usually comes down to a handful of simple causes, and each has a clear fix. This guide shows clean steps that work on Windows and Mac, with quick checks up top and deeper repairs after.

What Causes Duplicate Desktop Icons?

Desktop items can come from more than one place. On Windows there are two Desktop folders: your personal Desktop and the shared Public Desktop. If the same shortcut sits in both, you will see it twice. Sync utilities can also clone items when the Desktop is backed up to cloud storage. Another trigger is a broken icon cache, which can make one item render as two. On Mac, Launch Services and iCloud Desktop & Documents can create similar duplicates.

Cause What You See Quick Fix
Two Desktop folders in Windows (User + Public) Same shortcut shows twice Open both locations, keep one copy only
Cloud backup of Desktop (OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox) Extra copies with labels like “PC-name” or “Copy” Adjust backup for Desktop, merge one set, then resync
Icon cache corruption Ghost duplicates or wrong icons Rebuild the icon cache and restart Explorer
App installer recreates shortcuts Shortcuts reappear after updates Turn off “create desktop icon” in the app or remove the common one
macOS Launch Services glitches Duplicate app icons or stale aliases Reset Launch Services, refresh Finder, tidy aliases

Fixing Duplicate Icons On My Desktop: Quick Checks

Start with these fast steps. Many cases clear here.

1) Refresh The View

On Windows, press F5. Or right-click the desktop and choose View > Show desktop icons to toggle. On Mac, right-click the desktop and choose Use Stacks off and on to refresh the layout, then relaunch Finder with Option-right-click on Finder in the Dock > Relaunch.

2) Check Both Desktop Locations (Windows)

Open these two paths in File Explorer:

  • %UserProfile%\\Desktop
  • C:\\Users\\Public\\Desktop (the shared Desktop)

If the same shortcut exists in both, delete the extra copy. Shortcuts in the Public Desktop appear for all users. Keeping only one avoids double listings.

Want a refresher on the Public Desktop concept? The shared path is C:\\Users\\Public\\Desktop.

3) Review Cloud Backup

Open your sync app and check whether the Desktop is being backed up. OneDrive calls this Manage Backup and can add device names to duplicates. Microsoft explains duplicate file behavior and fixes on its help page for duplicate files in OneDrive. On Mac, confirm whether Desktop & Documents is enabled in iCloud Drive; Apple’s guide shows how that switch behaves and where files live.

4) Restart Explorer Or Finder

On Windows, open Task Manager, select Windows Explorer, and choose Restart. On Mac, hold Option, right-click Finder in the Dock, and pick Relaunch.

Why Desktop Icons Show Up Twice On Windows

Windows merges content from two places to draw the desktop: your account’s folder and the shared Public folder. Installers often place a shortcut in the shared folder so every user sees it. If you also have a copy in your own Desktop, it appears as a duplicate. Some installers also “self-heal” and put their shortcut back after you remove it. Folder redirection or a switch to OneDrive backup can add a third path, which leads to another set.

Here’s a clean way to fix it:

  1. Open %UserProfile%\\Desktop in one window and C:\\Users\\Public\\Desktop in another.
  2. Sort both by name and compare. If a shortcut exists in both, decide which one you want to keep.
  3. Delete or move the extra copy. If you want the icon for all users, leave it in the Public Desktop and remove your personal copy. If it’s just for you, keep it in your Desktop and clear the Public one.
  4. Empty Recycle Bin and press F5.

If icons reappear after app updates, open that app’s settings or installer and untick any “create desktop shortcut” option. When that choice is missing, remove the Public copy and keep a personal shortcut.

Cloud Sync Can Clone Desktop Items

Backup tools are handy, but Desktop backup can create duplicates. OneDrive’s Known Folder backup may add a computer name to a second copy. Google Drive and Dropbox can also create another set when both services watch the same folder. The fix is simple: let only one service back up the Desktop, or move the Desktop out of any secondary sync scope.

With OneDrive, open the tray icon > Settings > Sync and Backup > Manage Backup, then choose whether Desktop is included. If you need to clean up computer-name copies, follow Microsoft’s steps on the OneDrive duplicate files page linked above.

On Mac, open System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive and check Desktop & Documents. Apple explains the switch and file locations in its iCloud Drive guide linked earlier.

Sync Settings That Affect The Desktop

Service Setting To Review Where To Change It
OneDrive Desktop in “Manage Backup” OneDrive icon > Settings > Sync and Backup
iCloud Drive (Mac) Desktop & Documents System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Drive
Google Drive Folders backed up by Drive for desktop Drive for desktop Preferences > My Computer
Dropbox Backup of Desktop Dropbox app > Preferences > Backups

Rebuild The Icon Cache In Windows

A broken cache can make one item render twice or show the wrong art. Rebuilding forces Windows to redraw everything fresh.

Safe Steps

  1. Save work and close apps.
  2. Open Task Manager, select Windows Explorer, and pick End task.
  3. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to reopen Task Manager if needed, then choose Run new task and type cmd. Tick Create this task with administrative privileges, then press Enter.

Commands

del /f /q %localappdata%\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Explorer\\iconcache*
start explorer.exe

Then start Explorer again manually. That sequence removes the cached icon files and relaunches Explorer. Microsoft’s Windows forum shows this method on threads about clearing icon cache.

Seeing icons after the reset? Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then reboot; system files can block icons.

Clean Up Duplicate Icons On Mac

Most Mac duplicates come from iCloud Desktop & Documents or stale aliases. A few minutes clears both.

Check iCloud Desktop & Documents

Open System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive. If Desktop & Documents is on, Finder shows the iCloud version of your Desktop. Turning it off creates new local folders. Apple’s article on storing Desktop and Documents in iCloud explains the behavior and where files live.

Reset Icon Data

If file or app icons look doubled or generic, relaunch Finder from the Dock. You can also reset a single custom icon: select the item, press Command+I, click the small icon in the Info panel, then choose Edit > Cut to restore the default. Apple documents that process in Change icons for files or folders.

When Launchpad shows two of the same app, drag one tile onto the other to create a folder, then delete the duplicate tile from there, or reset Launch Services with a trusted utility if needed.

When Shortcuts Keep Coming Back

Some apps drop a new shortcut during each update. If you remove only your personal shortcut but the app plants one in the Public Desktop, you will soon see two again. Use one of these approaches:

  • Remove the Public copy and keep your own.
  • During the next update, uncheck any desktop-icon option.
  • If the app offers a “Start menu only” choice, pick that and add your own shortcut where you want it.

A Clean Routine To Remove Duplicate Desktop Icons

Step 1 — Snapshot The Current Desktop

Take a screenshot or list the items. That way you can spot any missing shortcuts later.

Step 2 — Compare The Two Windows Locations

Open your Desktop and the Public Desktop side by side. Remove the extra copy for each duplicate. If a shortcut breaks after you delete one, restore it from the Recycle Bin and remove the other.

Step 3 — Review Sync Settings

Let only one service back up the Desktop. If you switched services, pause one while the other completes a full sync.

Step 4 — Rebuild Icon Cache

Run the Windows cache steps above, then sign out and back in. On a Mac, relaunch Finder and reset custom icons on any file that still looks wrong.

Step 5 — Test New Shortcuts

Create a fresh shortcut to a random file and check whether only one shows. If two appear instantly, you still have two Desktop sources writing to the same view.

Simple Habits That Prevent Duplicates

  • Keep only one Desktop source: either your personal folder or the Public one for shared items.
  • Let only one sync app back up the Desktop.
  • During installs, untick desktop icon options you do not need.
  • Once a quarter, rebuild the icon cache on Windows and relaunch Finder on Mac.
  • Store app shortcuts in the Start menu or Dock instead of the Desktop when possible.

Two minutes of cleanup now saves time next month.

Mac: Stop iCloud From Duplicating Desktop Items Safely

When Desktop & Documents is on, macOS moves those folders into iCloud Drive. Turning the switch off creates a new local Desktop and can leave a second set in iCloud Drive. If you toggle the setting a few times, Finder may show both sets together, which feels like duplicates.

How To Stabilize The View

  1. Open System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive.
  2. Decide whether you want your Desktop in iCloud or only on this Mac. Pick one.
  3. If you turn the switch off, macOS creates new local folders. Open iCloud Drive in Finder and move any needed files back into the new local Desktop.
  4. Give iCloud a few minutes to settle, then restart your Mac.

Apple’s article on adding Desktop and Documents to iCloud Drive explains how this switch behaves and where your files live; you can read it here: Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive.

Deep Fix: Verify The Real Path Behind Each Windows Icon

Not every duplicate is a true copy. Two shortcuts can point to the same program while sitting in different folders. Checking the target path tells you which one to keep.

Steps

  1. Right-click a duplicate icon and choose Properties.
  2. On the Shortcut tab, check Target and Start in. Use Open File Location to confirm it points to the same app as the other shortcut.
  3. Now check Location on the General tab to see which Desktop folder holds this shortcut.
  4. Delete the copy that lives in the folder you do not plan to use for Desktop items.

This method is handy when two icons have different names or styles but open the same file.

Spots That Often Create “Phantom” Duplicates

Hidden Extensions

Windows hides known extensions by default. You can end up with one file named Note and a second named Note.lnk. Turn on file extensions in File Explorer > View > Show > File name extensions, then remove the extra.

Two Views Of The Same Thing

When icon size is set to Extra large, lines can wrap and place identical items side by side. Switch to Medium icons and turn on Align icons to grid under the desktop right-click menu to test.

Installer Folders On The Desktop

Some apps drop a folder with a second shortcut inside. Move that folder to another location or delete it if it is only a temporary installer.

Quick Checklist Before You Quit

  • Compared %UserProfile%\\Desktop and C:\\Users\\Public\\Desktop and removed doubles.
  • Set OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or iCloud so only one backs up the Desktop.
  • Rebuilt the Windows icon cache and restarted Explorer.
  • On Mac, confirmed the iCloud setting and relaunched Finder.
  • Tested with a new shortcut to see that only one appears.

If your desktop stays tidy for a day of normal use, you are all done.

Enjoy the clean view.