Delete a Desktop Shortcut
At times your desktop can get cluttered with desktop shortcuts and program icons making it hard to find things on the desktop and generally makes it cluttered.
When your desktop gets to a point where it is suffering from “desktop clutter” it’s time to delete a desktop shortcut or two.
Deleting a Program Desktop Shortcut
Deleting a program desktop shortcut does not remove the program from your computer. Moving the shortcut to the recycle bin only removes the program shortcut from the desktop.
Windows will remind you of this as you move the shortcut to the recycle bin:
Deleting the shortcut to (program name) only removes the icon. It does not uninstall the program…
Reference: Windows message window as you drop the program icon over the Recycle Bin
Deleting a File or Folder Desktop Shortcut
When you delete a desktop shortcut for a file or folder, unlike a program shortcut, you do not get a message from Windows.
Deleting a file or folder desktop shortcut which you created yourself does not remove the file or folder. It only removes the shortcut from the desktop.
If you downloaded something from the Internet to your desktop, then when you delete the shortcut, you will loose the program or file. See our Saving Downloads article for a better way to do this so you can include the file or program in your backup routine.
How to Delete a Desktop Shortcut
There are several ways to delete a desktop shortcut from the desktop in Windows.
Method 1
This first method to delete a desktop shortcut is quite simple:
- Move your mouse over the desktop shortcut you wish to delete and press the left mouse button.
The icon will become selected and highlighted.
- With the icon still selected and the left mouse button still down, drag the desktop shortcut over to and on top of the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
- Release the left mouse button.
If it is a program shortcut you are deleting, Windows will show a message (as explained above) and ask for confirmation.
No message appears if the desktop shortcut is for a file or folder.
That’s it! You are done!
Missed the Recycle Bin? Then just repeat the instructions above, making sure this time you dragged the desktop shortcut over the Recycle Bin.
Method 2
- Left click the desktop shortcut to select it.
- Right click the desktop shortcut.
A menu appears.
- Left click the Delete item on the menu that appeared.
- Windows will ask you to confirm deleting the shortcut.
Just like our first method, you will get a message from Windows about deleting the shortcut if it is for a program. See the beginning of this article if you missed what the message says.
For a file or folder shortcut, you will see a message from Windows asking for confirmation.
That’s it for method number 2.
Method 3
- Left click the desktop shortcut you wish to delete.
- On your keyboard, press the Delete button.
The delete button is in the bottom left corner of the bank of buttons above your arrow keys, if you are using a desktop computer.
- You will get a message from Windows asking for confirmation.
The messages for this method are the same as the ones for method 2 above.
Now that you know how to delete a desktop shortcut, there’s no excuse for your desktop to become cluttered with unwanted shortcuts.
Desktop Shortcuts Related Posts
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June 4th, 2009 at 6:29 am
Wow this really will help me organize my files and get to access them easily thanks for your post its really a great help for me who don’t know nothing about deleting other shortcuts to the folder desktop.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:25 am
How about a list of the kinds of things people have on their desktops because they’re afraid to get rid of them, like installer icons (once the plug-in has been installed) or setup icons (once it’s been run)? what about those? And other things I’m forgetting to mention. What is it safe to get rid of on the desktop?
August 24th, 2009 at 7:02 am
kris,
I would make sure that you have a backup copy of your plug-ins and programs that the setup icons are for before deleting them.
The problem of these icons being on the desktop is quite common. When downloading programs and plugins, save the downloads in a folder instead of saving to the desktop.
If you have removed a program from your machine, sometimes the removal doesn’t rdelete the desktop shortcut. These would also be safe to remove.
August 26th, 2009 at 1:22 am
There is simple way to identify a shortcut from an executable file (.exe) in windows. A shortcut always has a small arrow on the bottom left.
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:09 am
Very useful, practical tips and step by step instructions. Finally! Quality content on the Web!
October 20th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
You know…it is these simple things many of us take for granted. I do a lot of work with older folks that believe it or not…some barely know how to use the web. And sometimes I really have to slow down and go over something as simple as deleting a shortcut with them. We sometimes forget that some really have never do that before. Checking email is fun to teach someone who has never really done it.
December 9th, 2009 at 7:27 am
This is all easy stuff,how do you delete a shortcut in Vista,when the program is already deleted?It keeps saying cannot delete because the file does not exist.I have tried everything and cannot delete several icons,because the poor programs did not delete all the files as usual.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Bob,
Try Revo Uninstaller Pro and see if that will help.
January 18th, 2010 at 9:41 am
When I try to delete shotcut from desktop I get:
“Could not find this item ”
“This is no longer located in c:\users\Public\public desktop. Verify the items location and try again”
January 18th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Mike,
Try this: Can’t Rename/Move/Delete Desktop Shortcut