Why Is Homegroup On My Desktop? | Fix It Fast

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The HomeGroup icon appears when Windows detects sharing features or legacy settings tied to home networking.

Seeing a sudden HomeGroup icon on the desktop can be jarring. Good news: it’s not malware. It’s Windows signaling that file or printer sharing features are active, or that legacy HomeGroup components are still present on an older setup. Below you’ll find clear reasons it shows up and safe ways to hide it or turn it off based on your Windows version.

What Homegroup Was And Why The Icon Pops Up

HomeGroup was Microsoft’s easy-share feature for home networks in older Windows releases. It let nearby PCs share libraries and printers with a simple PIN. That feature was removed starting with Windows 10 version 1803; newer releases use standard network sharing instead. If you still spot the icon, it’s usually because a setting or service related to sharing is active, or you’re on Windows 7/8/8.1 where HomeGroup still exists.

On older versions, the icon can appear when a HomeGroup is detected on your network, when you join one, or when Network Discovery toggles on. On newer versions, the desktop may still surface a placeholder if old cache files or registry entries remain after upgrades. Either way, you can remove it quickly.

Homegroup Showing On Desktop — Common Triggers

You Are On Windows 7/8/8.1 With Homegroup Enabled

Those editions support the feature. When Windows sees a compatible network, it can show that desktop link. Joining a group or enabling sharing makes it more likely to appear.

You Upgraded From An Older Release

Systems that moved from Windows 7/8/8.1 to Windows 10 may carry leftover HomeGroup traces. Even though the feature was removed in version 1803, cached items or old settings can still prompt the icon until you tidy them up.

Network Discovery Or Sharing Just Turned On

Switching on sharing can trigger desktop namespace items tied to networking. A quick toggle or refresh often clears it.

Quick Checks Before Deeper Fixes

Refresh The Desktop

Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and select Refresh (or press F5). That alone removes the icon for many users.

Toggle The Network Desktop Icon Trick

Right-click desktop → Personalize → Themes → Desktop icon settings. Check Network, click Apply, then uncheck Network and click OK. This forces Windows to rebuild desktop namespace items.

Pick Your Path By Windows Version

Windows 10 (Version 1803 And Later)

HomeGroup was removed in these releases. Microsoft’s official note explains that you can’t create or join a HomeGroup anymore; sharing uses standard mechanisms like Share in File Explorer and printer sharing. If an icon lingers, you’re dealing with remnants from an upgrade or a visual glitch. Basic cleanup steps below will take care of it.

Windows 7/8/8.1

These versions still include HomeGroup. If you don’t need it, leave the group and shut down its services. That removes the desktop icon and trims background activity.

Proven Fixes That Work

1) Leave The Group (On Windows 7/8/8.1)

  1. Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → HomeGroup.
  2. Click Leave the homegroup, confirm, then restart the PC.

This breaks the link with the network group and usually removes the icon at next sign-in.

2) Turn Off Homegroup Services (Windows 7/8/8.1)

  1. Press Win+R, type services.msc, press Enter.
  2. Double-click HomeGroup Listener → set Startup type to Disabled → click Stop → OK.
  3. Repeat for HomeGroup Provider.
  4. Restart Windows.

If you never use HomeGroup, disabling both services is a clean way to keep the icon away.

3) Clear The Peer Networking Cache (Stubborn Cases)

  1. Stop the two services above first.
  2. Open File Explorer and browse to:

    C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\PeerNetworking\
  3. Rename idstore.sst to idstore.old.
  4. Restart the PC.

This resets a local identity file used by peer networking and often clears the lingering icon.

4) Hide The Desktop Entry With A Safe Registry Toggle

If you prefer a one-click switch, add a policy that hides the desktop namespace entry tied to the feature. Create a simple .reg file using the block below.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Hide the HomeGroup desktop icon for the current user
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93}"=dword:00000001

How to use it:

  1. Open Notepad.
  2. Paste the block above, save as hide_homegroup_icon.reg with All Files selected in the Save dialog.
  3. Double-click the file and approve the change, then sign out and back in.

To undo, delete that value or set it to 00000000 and sign out again.

5) Use The Desktop Icon Toggle As A Reset

As mentioned earlier, toggling the Network desktop icon under Desktop icon settings forces a refresh that replaces the phantom item and then removes it. Many users prefer this because it avoids registry edits.

What If You Still Need Simple Sharing?

On modern Windows builds, use File Explorer’s Share menu or the Properties → Sharing tab for specific folders. Printer sharing lives under Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners. This approach replaces the old HomeGroup workflow while giving you per-folder control.

Safety Notes Before You Edit Settings

  • Create a restore point if you plan to edit the registry.
  • If the PC is part of a company network, check with your admin before changing sharing or services.
  • Never delete files under PeerNetworking without stopping the related services first.

Signs You’re On The Right Track

After a refresh, sign-out/in, or reboot, the desktop should be clear. In File Explorer, you shouldn’t see HomeGroup in the navigation pane on modern Windows. On Windows 7/8/8.1, leaving the group and disabling both services removes it there too.

When The Icon Keeps Returning

If you still see the icon after all steps above, try these extra checks:

  • Turn off Network Discovery temporarily and test. Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Advanced sharing settings and switch discovery off for your current profile. Re-enable once you confirm the behavior you want.
  • Remove any unused network bridges or old virtual adapters that may confuse discovery.
  • Sign in with a different user account. If the icon is gone there, apply the registry hide key only to the affected profile.

Clean Sharing Setup For Modern Windows

Skip the legacy feature and share directly:

  1. Right-click a folder → Properties → Sharing → Advanced Sharing.
  2. Check Share this folder, set permissions, then click OK.
  3. On another PC, press Win+R, type \\PCName\ShareName, then press Enter.

This gives you a straightforward share without any HomeGroup artifacts.

Simple Decision Guide

Use this quick guide to match your version and pick the right fix.

Windows Version Why The Icon Appears Best Move
Windows 10 1803+ Leftover entries or a UI refresh glitch Refresh desktop; apply registry hide; use modern sharing
Windows 7/8/8.1 Feature actively detected on the network Leave the group; disable Listener/Provider; clear cache
Mixed-version homes Old PCs advertising the group Disable the feature on those PCs or move to standard shares

Copy-Paste: One-Click Hide File

Prefer a ready-to-go file? Use this block for a quick .reg script. It hides the desktop entry for the current user without touching system-wide settings.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Quick toggle OFF (hide)
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93}"=dword:00000001

; Quick toggle ON (show again) - optional
; "{B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93}"=dword:00000000

Extra Tips For A Tidy Network

  • Give each PC a clear name under Settings → System → About so network paths are easy to read.
  • Stick to one sharing method. Standard SMB shares are enough for home use.
  • If you use a third-party suite that injects its own network layer, check its settings for desktop overlays.

Trusted References

Microsoft explains that the feature was removed starting with Windows 10 version 1803, and that regular sharing now covers the same use case. You can also review the original concept of this home networking feature in Microsoft’s help material for older editions. Those two pages clarify both the removal and the legacy behavior.

Read more on HomeGroup removed in Windows 10 version 1803 and the older HomeGroup overview for legacy Windows.

Bottom Line For Fast Relief

If the desktop link showed up out of nowhere, refresh first. On older PCs, leave the group and stop the two services. On modern PCs, hide the entry with the small registry toggle and move to standard folder or printer sharing. That’s it—the icon stays gone, and your network stays neat.