Windows 10 moves desktop icons when Auto arrange is on, scaling changes, or main display flips; turn off Auto arrange and stabilize display.
Windows 10 Rearranging Desktop Icons — What Causes It
Your layout looks perfect. Then you sign in again and the grid looks different. Windows sorts icons for a few common reasons. The big ones are view settings, display changes, and multi-monitor swaps. A quick pass through the usual suspects saves a heap of clicks later.
| Trigger | What You See | Fast Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Auto arrange icons” is turned on | Icons snap to a pattern and reset after restarts | Right-click desktop > View > turn off Auto arrange |
| “Align icons to grid” forces spacing | Icons jump into neat columns when moved near lines | Right-click desktop > View > uncheck Align to grid |
| Scale or resolution changed | All icons shift left or compress | Settings > System > Display > Scale & layout: use the Recommended pair |
| Main display switched | Icons migrate to the wrong screen | Settings > Display > select screen > “Make this my main display” |
| Tablet mode | Desktop feels hidden; positions return odd | Toggle Tablet mode off in Action Center or Settings |
| Explorer restarted or crashed | Layout reloads with defaults | Finish updates; sign out and back in |
| Theme swaps default icons | System icons change and nudge neighbors | Desktop Icon Settings > clear “Allow themes to change desktop icons” |
| GPU driver updated | Scaling resets during install | Recheck Scale & resolution after driver updates |
Turn Off Automatic Icon Sorting
The desktop has its own view menu. If Auto arrange is selected, Windows decides where each item lands. Turn it off and keep control. Right-click a blank area, choose View, then clear Auto arrange icons. While you’re there, clear Align icons to grid if you want free placement. Microsoft’s help page on arranging icons shows the same menu path and wording, so it’s easy to match on your screen. Repeat after driver updates and major Windows upgrades.
Fix Scale, Resolution, And Refresh Rate Mismatches
Icons move when the pixel map changes. A jump from 125% to 100% scale, or a switch from 1920×1080 to 1366×768, rewrites the grid. Open Settings > System > Display. In Scale & layout, pick the values marked Recommended. Keep the same scale across monitors when you can. If you work on a laptop plus a 4K panel, try a consistent pair like 150% on both, then sign out to apply cleanly.
Stop Icons Jumping To The Wrong Monitor
When Windows changes which screen is “Main,” the desktop lives there. Your apps and icons follow. To pin them to the display you use most, go to Settings > System > Display, select the right screen box, and tick Make this my main display. Drag the monitor boxes so their left-to-right order matches your desk. That step reduces shuffles when you dock and undock.
Check Tablet Mode And Fullscreen Tiles
Some PCs switch modes when you fold a convertible hinge or detach a keyboard. In Tablet mode, the Start view takes center stage and the desktop steps aside. That can look like a rearrange. Open the Action Center and tap the Tablet mode tile to turn it off, or open Settings > System > Tablet and keep Desktop mode on sign-in.
Freeze Your Layout With Two Simple Habits
Place Icons After The Display Settles
Let Windows finish booting, restore monitors, and load the GPU profile. Then place icons. If you move things while drivers are still initializing, the grid may reload and undo your move.
Stick To A Single Icon Size
Mixing Small, Medium, and Large on the same PC can prompt spacing changes between sessions. Pick one size from Right-click > View and leave it there. Medium works well for most screens.
Set Windows To Respect Your Choices
A few switches help Windows leave the desktop alone. The list below keeps things predictable on shared or docked machines.
- Theme changes: open Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings and clear Allow themes to change desktop icons.
- Fast users: sign out before another user signs in; don’t hot-swap users while moving icons.
- Sleep vs. shutdown: if layout shifts happen after sleep, try a full shutdown and cold start once to settle drivers.
Troubleshoot Stubborn Resets
If icons still jump around, run through the checks below. Each one targets a source that often gets missed.
1) Rebuild The Icon Cache
Corrupted cache files won’t usually move icons, but they can keep layout saves from sticking. Close apps. Open an elevated Command Prompt and stop Explorer, delete the icon cache files under your profile’s Explorer folder, then start Explorer again. This refresh replaces stale files and clears odd behavior.
2) Repair System Files
Run sfc /scannow in an elevated Command Prompt. When SFC reports fixes, restart and test the desktop. If SFC finds nothing and the issue persists, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, restart, and try again.
3) Lock The Main Display Before You Dock
Before plugging in a monitor, open Settings > Display and make sure your laptop panel is still set as Main (or switch to the external as Main if that’s your routine). Then connect the cable. This reduces that “everything jumped to the left screen” moment.
4) Use A Clean Graphics Driver Install
When updating GPU drivers, pick the clean install option if the vendor offers it. Reapply Scale and resolution afterward. Keep HDR and variable refresh toggles the same on each screen when possible.
Safe Settings Checklist
| Setting | Where To Change It | Use This |
|---|---|---|
| Auto arrange icons | Right-click desktop > View | Off |
| Align icons to grid | Right-click desktop > View | Off (if you want free placement) |
| Scale & resolution | Settings > System > Display | Both set to Recommended; keep scale the same on each screen |
| Main display | Settings > System > Display | Set your daily driver as Main |
| Tablet mode | Action Center or Settings > System > Tablet | Off while using a mouse |
| Theme control | Desktop Icon Settings | Clear “Allow themes to change desktop icons” |
Step-By-Step: Stop The Shuffle
- Place your PC on the screen setup you use most. Connect docks and monitors now.
- Open Settings > System > Display. Set Scale and Display resolution to the pair marked Recommended on each screen. If you can, match the scale value across screens.
- Select the screen you want as home base and tick Make this my main display. Confirm the screen order by dragging the boxes to match your desk.
- Right-click the desktop. Open View. Clear Auto arrange icons and leave it off. Pick one icon size and keep it.
- Restart once. Sign back in and move two or three icons. Restart again and check that they hold.
- If they don’t hold, rebuild the icon cache and run SFC. Then repeat steps 2-5.
Extra Tips For Multi-Monitor Desks
Use the same connection on both screens when you can. Mixed HDMI and DisplayPort can wake at different times and trigger a redraw. Turn on quick-wake on the monitor. Update dock firmware. For undocking, sign out, then unplug. For docking, plug in, wait ten seconds, then sign in.
When Third-Party Tools Move Icons
Launchers and some cleaners can sort the desktop at sign-in. Pause them and test. Do the same for tools that resize the taskbar or scale apps. If resets stop, open the tool and turn off any desktop sort rule. If you can’t find it, leave the tool off while you place icons, then turn it back on.
Good Habits That Keep Layouts Stable
- Leave a little space near the left edge so Windows has room to drop new items without pushing a row down.
- Keep downloads, installers, and screenshots in folders, not on the desktop. Fewer additions mean fewer shifts.
- Create simple left, center, and right zones for work, media, and tools. A loose map makes resets easier to spot.
- Use names that sort the way you like. A “1-” or “A-” prefix can keep anchor icons locked at the top of a zone.
Why This Keeps Happening On Some PCs
Docking stations, gaming monitors, and remote sessions all change the display map more than a single screen at a desk. Each time that map changes, Windows redraws the desktop grid to fit the active resolution and scale. If the redraw happens while Auto arrange is still on, icons stack to the upper-left. Turn that toggle off, match scale across screens, and set a stable Main display. Those three steps stop most reshuffles.
Helpful Official References
Microsoft’s guide to arranging icons explains the View menu and the Auto arrange switch. The Display article shows where Scale & layout lives in Settings and which values Windows marks as recommended. Keep those two pages handy while you work through your setup.