How to stop desktop icons from moving?

Question

How to stop desktop icons from moving?

Answer 1

Sounds like the Auto-Arrange option is selected.



What does it say when you right-click a blank spot on the desktop, and select 'Arrange Icons By'? Is there a check next to AutoArrange? If so, clear it by clicking on the option. This should let you move your icons freely.

Answer 2

I have this same problem at times of the icons moving to one side of the screen and all lined up. This usually occurs when I have run Windows Updates, and are asked to re-start the computer to complete the installation. I've never found any reason for this to happen and it doesn't always happen. I use the same setting as you indicate for the icons. I've not run across a solution yet. I have Vista, but you didn't indicate what operating system you are running, so I'll just provide you with the list of links I found. I looked through several pages and found nothing that I wished to try. There is some free software downloads available that claim to stop this, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go that far. It doesn't happen that often to make me want to add more software to my startup. You may find the solution to your problem here somewhere. Hope this info will help in some way! Good luck!



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Answer 3

As far as I know there is no way to do it, unless there is some 3rd party software out there.

(Your not the first person asking this either... http://forum.soft32.com/win3/LOCK-DESKTOP-ICONS-PLACE-ftopict124471.html )



I have some alternatives...



Put your icons in a folder on the desktop, the layout in that folder window should stay the same. I used to keep my desktop cluttered with only a few spaces free on the entire screen, but now I put that excess in a "Stuff" folder, keeping my desktop clean and less embarrassing.)



Put your most used icons in the quick launch toolbar. You should not have any problem with those moving by themselves. If you do not have the quick launch, just right click on the taskbar then go to toolbars and enable it there. If you want to re-size the toolbar area you can do that if you unlock the taskbar (right click taskbar)



If you want to access programs easy, you could consider shortcut keys. Right click on a shortcut, then click into the shortcut key box and hit a shortcut key combination (Control + Alt + key / Control + Shift + key / Control + Alt + Shift + key)

Answer 4

stop moving them.