Why Do Desktop.ini Files Keep Appearing?
If you have configured Windows 10 to “Show hidden files and folders,” you will undoubtedly notice two faint icons named desktop.ini sitting on your desktop. These are system configuration files that tell Windows how to display a folder (like assigning a custom icon or localising the folder name).
Windows constantly recreates these files automatically because the Desktop is technically a folder. While they are harmless, they look messy. If you want to keep hidden files visible for development work but don’t want these specific configuration files cluttering your desktop, you can hide them by declaring them as “protected operating system files.”
How to Hide Desktop.ini Files Permanently
You cannot stop Windows from generating the data, but you can stop the files from being visible on the desktop.
- Open File Explorer (the yellow folder icon on your taskbar).
- Click on the View tab at the top of the window.
- Click the Options button on the far right (or “Change folder and search options”).
- In the Folder Options window, click the View tab.
- Scroll down the list of “Advanced settings.”
- You will likely have “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” checked (which is why you see the ini files). Leave this checked.
- Look slightly further down for the checkbox labelled Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).
- Check this box.
- A warning prompt will appear asking if you are sure. Click Yes.
- Click Apply and then OK.
Return to your desktop. The desktop.ini files will immediately disappear, leaving your workspace clean while still allowing you to view other standard hidden folders (like AppData) throughout the rest of your system.