Windows XP and the Display - Desktop - Add or Remove Special Desktop Icons

SUMMARY: Add or remove these Windows XP Desktop icons - My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer.

Do you try to keep a clean Desktop on your Windows XP machine? Tired of icons such as My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer taking up space and hiding your wallpaper?

Or, do you frequently need access to these features and find that they are not immediately available on your Desktop? Tired of searching through the "Start" menu?

Here's how to enable or disable such Desktop icons:

1. Right-click an empty area of your Desktop and choose "Properties".

2. When the "Display Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "Desktop" tab.

3. Click the "Customize Desktop" button near the bottom of the dialog box.

4. A "Desktop Icons" dialog box will appear. Underneath "Desktop icons", check or uncheck the icons as desired.

5. When done, click "OK" on the dialog boxes to close them.

If the "Internet Explorer" checkbox is missing in the "Desktop Icons" dialog box, you can still add the Desktop icon in other ways. For more information, visit Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 945402.

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