Why Do I Have 2 Desktop.ini Files On My Desktop? | Fast Fixes Now

Seeing two desktop.ini icons on the screen can feel odd. You likely switched on hidden items or unhid protected system items, and Windows is simply showing what it usually tucks away. This guide explains what those files are, why two appear on the Desktop, how to stop seeing them, and what to do if one turns into a regular text file.

What Desktop.ini Does

Desktop.ini is a tiny configuration file that tells Windows how to display a folder. It can store a custom icon, a localized folder name, and view hints. When a folder needs special presentation, Windows creates or updates this file and marks it Hidden and System.

Because every folder can have its own look, many folders contain a desktop.ini. You rarely notice them, since File Explorer hides system items by default. Once those protections are lifted, the Desktop view surfaces the copies that belong to the folders it aggregates.

Where Two Desktop.ini Copies Come From

Your Desktop isn’t a single folder. Windows shows a merged view built from your user profile’s Desktop folder and the Public Desktop folder. Each source folder carries its own desktop.ini, so the merged view shows two.

Having Two Desktop.ini Files On Desktop: Is It Normal?

Yes. One file belongs to your user Desktop. The other belongs to the Public Desktop that supplies shared shortcuts for all users. In setups that redirect Desktop to OneDrive, you may also see a synced copy during certain transitions, though Windows usually folds that away once sync settles.

Stop Seeing The Icons Without Breaking Anything

If you just want a clean view, switch back to hiding system items. That keeps desktop.ini intact and out of sight while folders keep their settings.

Hide Protected System Items

1. Open File Explorer. Go to View > Show and uncheck Hidden items if it’s on.
2. Open Folder Options, switch to the View tab, and enable Hide protected operating system files. Confirm the warning and apply.

Show Hidden Items Only When Needed

Need to peek at hidden content for a moment? Turn on View > Show > Hidden items, but keep protected system files hidden. That way desktop.ini stays invisible while ordinary hidden files are still visible.

Re-hide With A Shortcut

Press Alt+V in older File Explorer layouts to toggle folder view menus, or use the ribbon’s View menu in Windows 11. It’s a quick way to keep the Desktop tidy after maintenance.

Find Which Desktop.ini You’re Seeing

Want proof there are two sources? List both files by path. You should see one in your profile Desktop and another in the Public Desktop.

Use A Quick Command

dir /a "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\desktop.ini"
dir /a "C:\Users\Public\Desktop\desktop.ini"

If both lines report a file, you’ve confirmed the merged view. If the second path is missing, the Public Desktop might be hidden or removed by policy.

Paths That Produce Two Copies

• C:\Users\YourName\Desktop
• C:\Users\Public\Desktop
• If Desktop is redirected to OneDrive: C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive\Desktop

Why Are There 2 Desktop.ini Files On My Desktop: Fixes That Stick

If the icons keep popping back after you tidy File Explorer, use the steps below to make the change persist and repair stray attributes.

Reset Folder View Defaults

Open Folder Options. On the View tab, click Reset Folders for the current view template. Apply, then set Hidden items off and enable Hide protected operating system files again.

Restore Hidden And System Attributes

If a desktop.ini shows as a plain text file, it probably lost its attributes. Open Command Prompt and run:

attrib +h +s "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\desktop.ini"
attrib +h +s "C:\Users\Public\Desktop\desktop.ini"

OneDrive Redirection Note

When Desktop is redirected, the sync client may briefly surface desktop.ini during setup or sign-in. Let sync finish, then hide system items. If OneDrive keeps trying to sync desktop.ini as content, you can exclude it or delete the synced copy; Windows recreates what it needs.

Why Windows Uses A Merged Desktop

Installers often place shortcuts for all users. They drop those links into the Public Desktop so every account sees the same apps. The merged view saves you from hunting in two places and keeps shared items consistent across accounts. Because both source folders can carry presentation settings, two desktop.ini files are expected when system items are visible.

The Public Desktop folder is hidden by default. You can browse to C:\Users\Public\Desktop directly, or paste that path into the location bar.

Clean Up Public Desktop Shortcuts

Open C:\Users\Public\Desktop in File Explorer. Delete outdated shortcuts you no longer want every user to see. Leave system tools that your household or coworkers still use. This spring-cleaning doesn’t touch your personal Desktop items.

Keep The Merge But Reduce Clutter

If you prefer single-user links, move shared shortcuts from the Public Desktop to your own Desktop. Windows will still merge both locations, but fewer items will come from the shared folder.

When You Should Leave The Files Alone

If a folder uses a special icon or a localized name, desktop.ini holds those details. Deleting the file resets the look to plain defaults. On the Desktop that change is subtle, yet some app installers rely on those settings for consistent icons.

For that reason, hiding the files is a safer plan than trying to purge them. Windows is designed to manage them for you, and they take negligible space. This keeps your Desktop tidy.

Power Tips For Extra Checks

To list every desktop.ini on your Desktop sources, run a search. Command Prompt example:

dir /s /a "C:\Users\Public\Desktop\desktop.ini"
dir /s /a "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\desktop.ini"

PowerShell example:

Get-ChildItem -Path $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop, 'C:\Users\Public\Desktop' -Filter desktop.ini -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

If a file shows without Hidden or System attributes, restore them. Use attrib +h +s on each path. That moves the file out of sight when protections are enabled.

Why Two Files Appear Only Sometimes

In many setups you’ll only notice a single icon, or none at all. The extra icon appears when hidden items are on and protected system files are also visible. If you hide protected items, both copies stay on disk but vanish from view.

During a feature update or profile move, one file can lose attributes and become visible on its own. That’s when the attrib fix is handy. After you restore attributes, hide system items again.

For technical background, see Microsoft’s guide to customize folders with desktop.ini. If you need to change what File Explorer shows, follow Microsoft’s steps to show hidden files. And if your Desktop lives in OneDrive, Microsoft documents how to redirect known folders to OneDrive.

Practical Best Practices

Keep system protections on except when you’re doing maintenance. Use quick commands to verify paths instead of guessing. Clean the Public Desktop once in a while to avoid bloat from old installers.

When setting up a new PC, sign in to OneDrive and let it finish syncing before you change view settings. That reduces flicker from items that appear during the first sync. If you manage more than one PC, confirm that each uses the same Desktop location today.

Can I Delete Desktop.ini?

You can delete it from a folder without harming files. Windows will rebuild a fresh copy when that folder needs custom settings again. On the Desktop, deletion usually changes nothing visible, but the file will likely return later. Keeping the file and hiding it is the low-maintenance path.

Common Actions And What Happens

Here’s a quick reference for typical actions people try with these files.

What’s Inside Desktop.ini

Most entries live in a [.ShellClassInfo] block. IconResource points to an icon, LocalizedResourceName can show a friendly name, and InfoTip can add hover text. Here’s a short example from a normal folder:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconResource=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,3
LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21769
InfoTip=Contains your files

That content sits in the folder, not in a central database. That’s why the Desktop view shows two copies: each source folder brings its own instructions.

Fix Odd Cases Without Risk

Seen extra desktop.ini icons after copying from an external drive? Those often come from custom icons set on the drive’s folders. Hiding system items removes the clutter while keeping the settings on that drive intact.

If Only One File Shows Up

That’s fine. Some installs hide the Public Desktop entirely, or policy blocks access. You’ll still have a desktop.ini for your user Desktop.

If A Text Editor Opens At Sign-in

That means a program associated .ini files with itself and tried to open desktop.ini on startup. Reset the default app for .ini to Notepad or the system default, and remove any startup entry that launches it.

Fix Wrong App Association For .ini Files

If desktop.ini keeps opening during sign-in, the .ini extension might be tied to a startup app. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for .ini, and set it back to Notepad or the system default. Then check Task Manager’s Startup tab and disable any entry that launches a specific .ini file.

Handle Access Denied Errors

If attrib reports Access denied, you may be editing a file under another account or a locked sync path. Run Command Prompt as administrator and try again. If the path sits under OneDrive, pause sync for a minute, fix the attributes, then resume.

icacls "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\desktop.ini"
icacls "C:\Users\Public\Desktop\desktop.ini"

If the Public Desktop copy is missing, it might be hidden by policy. That isn’t a problem; the merged Desktop still works fine.

Peek Inside Safely

You can open desktop.ini in Notepad to see what it stores. It’s plain text; there’s no executable code inside. Typical entries include IconResource, LocalizedResourceName, and InfoTip.

After an edit, refresh the folder view or sign out and back in to apply changes. If the folder reverts, a program may be rewriting the file; leave it as is.

A Note On Cleanup Tools

Some cleanup utilities flag desktop.ini as junk. Deleting them isn’t harmful, yet the gain is negligible and the files will return. Skip those prompts for the Desktop and target real space hogs like temp caches and old installers.

A Simple Recipe You Can Reuse

1. Show hidden items only when needed.
2. Keep protected system files hidden.
3. If an icon appears as plain text, restore +h +s.
4. If OneDrive exposes duplicates during setup, wait for sync to finish.
5. Tidy the Public Desktop occasionally.

Quick Checklist

• Two files on the Desktop are expected when system items are visible.
• One comes from your profile, one from Public Desktop; OneDrive redirection can momentarily show another path.
• To tidy the view, hide protected system files and leave Hidden items off.
• If a file lost its attributes, restore them with attrib +h +s.
• Deleting is harmless but temporary; hiding is easier.