How-To Geek
Display My Computer Icon on the Desktop in Windows 7 or Vista
I don’t know about you, but I really preferred having the My Computer icon right on the desktop. Seems like modern versions of windows don’t have it by default anymore. There are two different ways you can add the icon back.
Easy Method
To put the Computer icon on the desktop, click the Start button, and then right-click on “Computer”.
Click the “Show on Desktop” item in the menu, and your Computer icon will show up on the desktop:
Nearly as Easy Method
Right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize, then click on “Change Desktop Icons” on the left-hand side of the screen.
In the Desktop Icons panel you can choose which of the built-in icons to show on the desktop:
One of the most common requests is how to add the Recycle bin back… which you can also do from the above panel.
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Comments (70)
Programmer by day, geek by night, The Geek, also known as Lowell Heddings, spends all his free time bringing you fresh geekery on a daily basis. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 01/2/07
Where do I find “my computer” on Windows Vista? How do I enlarge the lettering on the tool bars and icons? Why am I unauthorized to open Network?
Thank you for answering my questions and sending the answers to -removed-
Thank you…very helpful!
The desktop wallpaper will not show up on the desktop. What do I need to do to fix this problem?
Thank you. Just what I needed & wanted. Bless you.
Thanks! It seems obvious now….
You can also add a toolbar called “Computer” on the Taskbar. Click on “>>” and you’ll get subfolders and drives. Easier access.
The writing on the icons of my desktop is much smaller, how do I enlarge it?
thank u… finally i know how to change
Thank you very much, well done. :D
I don’t see ‘my computer’ on my Vista system. I am learning how to copy a file to a disc and it said I needed to click on ‘my computer’ to begin the process. I am an ole’ Gal, but I thought smarter than this…I don’t see it. Help please
Hi Guys
Thank you soo much for valuable informations you have for Vista.
:)
thank you! very helpful.
Great. Thanks!
Where and how do I find hardware acceleration on windows vista
i want to know how to make my icons bigger on my new vista
thanks pete
i did both things and my icons still are not showing on my destop
Worked like a charm. Thanks, Peter
Thank you , Thank you , Thank you
You have no idea how gr8ful I am
:)
Very helpful, thanks!
Hi there guys, to find my computer, go to Accessories, system tools and right click my computer, create shortcut copy then drag the created shortcut copy to start up. thanks folks …
I’d like to know how you got the real IE8 icon back onto the desktop!
I WANT THE INTERNET ICON BACK ON MY DESKTOP. IHAVE THE INTERNET EXPLORER ICON ON MY DESKTOP ALSO I WANT JUST THE INTERNET ICON ALSO.
I have an HP Pavilion dv7 with Vista and NVIDIA graphics…just did a driver update through windows update providing it to me…..next thing I know everything’s smaller. Internet pages are as if the margins were enlarged to where the entire page is in the center of the window rather than using up the entire window space as I’m used to. Messenger fonts are all different now also. My desktop fonts are all smaller and different. I did a driver roll back, a system restore, anything I could think of I’ve tried. I’ve gone into NVIDIA Control Panel, Vista Control Panel, played with all the dipslay settings but nothing!!! I’m frustrated!! Please help!!! Thank-you everyone!
Thanks a lot…
Thank you very much. Just what I needed & wanted. very helpful.
I just bought Windows 7.
I want to delete a document that I no longer need.
Where in the world is the ‘delete’ icon so that I delete that term paper?
How can I get to the desktop if my program fills the whole screen (no menu bars )?
I am trying to teach my 82 year old mother-in-law how to use the computer. Do you know of any sites that has step by step very basic instructions with pictures on how to use the computer, which can be down loaded free. I can create a power point with screen prints and instructions myself. But thought if I could save time and not re-create the wheel.
Anybody know how to set it on Windows 7 Starter? I’ve got a netbook :P
Thanks a lot….
hy i need help when i turn on my computoer my star menu does not appear and none of my computer icons neither help me please
THANKS
Help. I have a print job stuck in the print queue. I have followed instructions up to “scroll down to the print spooker service and right click on it and select stop”
Now I don’t know how to get to the directory C.
I have a print job stuck in the print queue. How do I fix that. I have gone to “start, control panel, administrative tools, double click on services icon, scoll down to the print spooker servicce and right click on it and select stop”
I have a windows 7 program and I don’t know how to go to the directory C to delete all.
Help.
Thanks dear for ur help
running vista, after doing a program update, it asks to restart the computer, i do this alright,but the the computer hangs up. any ideas? hp computer was born in 1962
thanks
my computer is gone..where can find it??????its gone at the desktop!!
windose 7 download
Thanks! :D
Thanks. So easy felt like a dork after.
What is my computer icon?
Yes! i finally got a chance to waist my time by reading this. Where do i find the dang My Computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
how do i show ‘my computers’ on a dell computer i need to know because my camera is a kodak and to upload the internet i have to goto my computers and i se everything like desktop,my documents and others besides that. thank you for the answer.
if any drive icon does not comes up, delete the autorun file and rename the drive. hope it will work.
dats great.
Thanks!
is my pc running vista, as i have ie8, and would like to upgrade to ie9, but i need to know if vista is part of my computers data??? i’d like to know asap…… Thank you Joe
Hi i just remembered, i’ve got windows xp not vista…. could i still upgrade to ie9…… Joe
GO TO START ON COMPUTER ICON RIGHT CLICK AND TICK ON SHOW ON DESKTOP
No startbutton on my tablet …don’t know where my computer is on this tablet
man my desktop is blank………….i tried everyhting,restart,log off n on, shutdown………….but still my desktop is blank………i didnt delete anything cox when i open in start menu-computer….and then desktop…..its shows everything …but but but but…….aaaaaaaaaaaaah………in desktop still blank why why why ???????????????????????????????????
any1 kill me……………………….4 my windows 7 ultimate desktop blank ??????????????????why blank ??????????????
to allow use of usb
well i dont have vista i have windows 7
my windows 7 has 6 gb speed that fast then ubuntu is 1 gb speed relley fast
my b a d drives are broken i can oley transfer files at drive c lot of space this pc is junk get windowsxp it has 1 gb im going to have at test its calld ubuntu vs windows xp start up and shut dwon windows xp wins now for shutdwon windows xp shut dwon was fast
i tryed updateing it had errors plese comment
wellla losion go to recycle binit willl say are you shure to delete thsi file i tryed and it worked
jay to do this it came with it i tryed it worked no errrors hope this helped
well guset i have toshiba notebook
say press alt delte it goes to task maneger it was not resonding i restarted it wento to normal thanks
how to upgrade your pc it keeps on saying it heeeeeeeeeeelp heeeelpppp whats the professijol upgade key heeeeeelp if you dont im confused
how to download windows xp it had errors oley ib want windowa xp
ok it does not come with meseegnger dwonlaod it i tryed dwonloading
ok it came with windows live movie maker and toshiba programs you kow why its a toshiba computer
it came with help and support
ok oley vista has that
wtf
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thanks a lot :)
it helped me