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Is there a way to remove icons from my desktop without deleting the associated files when right-clicking the icon doesn't offer that option?

Anonymous
2010-02-19T04:42:29+00:00

Most icons that appear on my desktop after I download new application files can be removed without uninstalling or deleting the associated files.  But when I right click on icons that appeared after reinstalling Panda Internet Security and downloading an Adobe Reader update there is no option to remove the icon, rather there is a prompt asking if I'm sure I want to move the file to the recycle bin---which I don't.  When I look at "properties" I see that the location for both is my desktop.  I'm trying to reduce visual clutter, is there a way to do it?

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-19T04:58:35+00:00

    Hi,

    Right Click the Icon - Properties - General tab - Type of File - if it is a LNK then it is only a

    ShortCut and if you DELETE it then only it is removed and the underlying program is not

    affected. To see where the program resides check the ShortCut tab - Target :  .

    If it is not a LNK and is a .EXE, .COM, .BAT and some others then if if you delete the file

    (which is not a shortcut) then the program will not run. Usually ShortCuts have ARROWS

    on them in the lower left corner.

    For programs that are stand-a-lone (were copied to the Desktop and not installed) you

    can make Folders elsewhere and copy them (and any other parts such as .DLL or .CFG

    only as examples and some will have no other parts) to that then remove them from the

    Desktop. If you have programs that were installed to the desktop you need to uninstall

    them and them re-install elsewhere.

    Hope this helps.

    Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

    300+ people found this answer helpful.
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  1. Anonymous
    2016-09-02T13:44:07+00:00

    The fail is strong in this one.

    7 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2012-12-25T19:35:09+00:00

    if i were smart enough to understand your answer I probably wouldn't have needed to ask the question.

    7 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-26T22:36:23+00:00

    Hi Socalla,

       I have discovered a good way to deal with Desktop items.  Enter the "Owner" folder on your desktop, then the "Desktop" folder.  You can then treat the links and programs as ordinary files, deleting, copying or moving them to another folder.  If you create another folder in here, it will appear on your desktop, and can be used to store files, programs or links.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2010-02-19T05:45:13+00:00

    Thanks so much for such clear information! 

    Both Panda and Adobe are .exe files.  I deleted Adobe because it was easy to go to the website and download it again, and this time I saved it in "Downloads."  I'm in the process of uninstalling Panda and will designate another location for it when I get to the reinstall.  I have to say that I inadvertently created this problem myself when I saved these files to my computer and designated my Desktop as the location.  I hadn't thought it through...in retrospect I believe that I thought that just the icons would end up on my desktop. 

    A third icon that I was trying to remove was LNK and so I deleted the icon and indeed found that that the files had not been deleted, just as you said.  So it was a short cut icon even though it didn't have that little arrow in the corner. 

    Not only did I get my question answered, and quickly too, but I feel that I learned something that I'll be able to rely upon in the future.

    I truly appreciate your help!

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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