KIOSK User in Windows 11 - Icons missing from public desktop

Question

Hallo,

I have some issues about the KIOSK mode (Assigned Access with an OMA-URI) in Windows 11.

Problem:

• Since end of October on new profiles on Windows 11 the desktop is clear. No icons, no links.
• All icons and links which droped on the desktop folder (C:\Users\kisokUser0\desktop) of the "kioskUser0" (other account types are also affekted) account are accessible, but not visible on the desktop (see example Image from Microsoft ) itself.
• The old profiles update itself after a time or to an unknown event x to the new desktop settings/profile type.

Expected result:

• All icons and links of programs and files that are on the desktop of the user account itself and the public desktop should be visible and accessable to run a program, open a website or open a file.

Configuration:

• Look in to the attachment. (AssignedAccess_Production.txt)
• It was configurated als multi app KIOSK mode.
• Currently Windows 11 24H2 (Build 26100.2033)
• Cloud only and also hybrid devices.
• No changes since August 2024 (Big rollout over 100 devices with no problem)
• It has the issue on VMs also on physical devides (as example SurfaceGo-2).
• They all running on Windows 11 Pro licenses.

Messures:

• Update from 23H2 to 24H2. >> No effect about the issue
• Delete a currently working profile (with Icons) with a new start. >> The new profile had an empty desktop. (Faiure reproduced for every new profile)
• Disable "./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Desktop/NoDesktop" with "0". >> No effekt on the KIOSK profile / user.
• Check on other userprofiles. >> On other profiles / users the icons are visible from the public desktop folder on the desktop.
• Verify that the kioskUser0 have access to on the path "C:\Users\public\desktop". >> Without any problems.

Currently I have no direction to search futher and I got the feeling this is no mistake, but an intent of a new setting of the KIOSK mode. (Feture no Bug) Still, it complcates the work and some customers are not very amused.

Have some one an idee why this happening now?

Did Microsoft chaned some pre settings?

Thank you of your time and effort!

Answer 1

@RK-IT, Thanks for posting in Q&A. For your issue, I know the icons and links are already under desktop folder and the file permission is correct. You already tried upgrade to the latest version. but it is not showing icons on the kiosk user desktop. I go to do researching but didn't find any similar issue. Please open case to get help on this.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/get-support

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Answer 2

Hi,

one of our customers is experiencing the same behavior and we have opened a case for this. The result is that not showing the desktop icons is the intended behavior for an assigned access profile user. Which was not working until the mentioned updates.

Answer 3

"There was a change to the default behavior for desktop icons to be hidden by default in I think the August 2024 cumulative update. This was due to various complaints regarding the recycle bin, edge and teams icons always being on the desktop. There is no control int he AssignedAccess policy to reenable them at the moment"

Seems like Microsoft deactivated them. If you find a workaround it would be nice to know.

Answer 4

Hello,

short update. The Microsoft 365 support submitted the issue to Windows OS. As long the configuration will be deployed successfully to the client, it is an Windows 11 issue.

We scholuld contact the Windows Support, but the costs are to be borne by us for the chargeable support. That is currently not a way that we will follow.

At the moment we allowed the access to the public desktop over the Explorer.exe as symbol on the taskbar and the start menu.

The second workaround is that all shortcuts will be referenced to the start menu over the path of the public folder.

Not the best solution, but a way to go until a GPO, configuration policy or registry entry is found.

My hope is that the current manual will be updated or a new setting will be found.