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Show This PC on Your Windows 11 Desktop: The Setting to Use

Use Windows 11’s Desktop icon settings to show This PC on the desktop, or restore all icons if the desktop’s visibility toggle is off.
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To put This PC on your Windows 11 desktop, open Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings, check This PC, and select OK. This turns on Windows’ built-in desktop icon for accessing your drives and connected devices.

Turn on the This PC desktop icon

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Personalization, then Themes.
  3. Select Desktop icon settings.
  4. Check This PC.
  5. Select OK.

Microsoft’s desktop icon instructions describe This PC as providing access to the computer’s drives and connected devices. The same window lets you show other system icons, including Recycle Bin, Network, and your user files. The Allow themes to change desktop icons option determines whether themes can change icons such as This PC, User’s Files, Network, and Recycle Bin.

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If no desktop icons are visible

Windows has a separate toggle that can hide every desktop icon. Right-click an empty area of the desktop, choose View, and make sure Show desktop icons is checked. Microsoft documents this fix in its guidance for finding the Recycle Bin.

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If other desktop icons are visible but This PC is not, return to Desktop icon settings and check This PC.

#1 Best Overall
Dell Windows 11 Desktop Computer OptiPlex 5060 | Intel Core i5-8500 Six Core (4.3GHz Turbo) | 16GB DDR4 RAM | 500GB SSD Solid State + 1TB HDD | WiFi + Bluetooth | Home or Office PC (Renewed)
  • Connectivity: Includes WiFi, Bluetooth, and LAN for wireless and wired connections
  • Memory: Features 16GB DDR4 RAM for smooth multitasking and performance
  • Storage: Combines 500GB SSD and 1TB HDD for ample storage space
  • Graphics: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 for crisp visuals and video playback
  • Design: Sleek desktop tower with black color and slim profile for modern look
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Desktop icon versus File Explorer’s opening location

These settings do different things:

What you want Where to change it What it affects
Show This PC on the desktop Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings Displays the built-in This PC icon on the desktop.
Have File Explorer open to This PC File Explorer options Changes File Explorer’s opening view; it does not add a desktop icon. See Microsoft’s File Explorer instructions.

You do not need to create a manual shortcut for the built-in desktop icon. Windows’ general shortcut commands—such as right-click desktop > New > Shortcut or Show more options > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut) for files and folders—are separate ways to make shortcuts, not the setting for enabling This PC.

Quick Recap

Rank #3
Dell Optiplex 7050 SFF Desktop PC Intel i7-7700 4-Cores 3.60GHz 32GB DDR4 1TB SSD WiFi BT HDMI Duel Monitor Support Windows 11 Pro Excellent Condition(Renewed)
  • Model: Dell OptiPlex 7050 Small Form Factor (SFF)
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-7700 3.60 GHz
  • Memory: 32GB DDR4 Ram
  • Storage: 1TB Solid State Drive (SSD) Fast Boot + Storage
  • Operating System: Windows 11 Pro (64-bit)
Rank #2
Dell Optiplex 3060 Desktop Computer | Intel i5-8500 (3.2) | 32GB DDR4 RAM | 1TB SSD Solid State | Built in WiFi | Bluetooth | Windows 11 Professional | Home or Office PC (Renewed)
  • [INTEL POWERED CONTENT] - Built with a 8th Generation Hexa-Core Intel i5 and 32GB of DDR4 RAM; Modern, Windows 11 ready, with 4K support, Executive multitasking, media streaming and smooth, multi-tab web browsing; Perfect as an all-purpose multimedia computer; built for content creators; Plenty of RAM and Mass storage for photo and video editing powered by Intel HD 630
  • [LATEST WIRELESS TECH] - This Dell Desktop Computer easily connects to the internet through the Built In WiFi / Bluetooth
  • [SOLID STATE STORAGE] - This Dell Computer setup comes with an ultra-fast 1TB Solid State Drive (SSD); Setup as the primary boot device; Boot and load programs with lightning speed ; Additional expansion available
  • [BUY & OWN WITH CONFIDENCE] - From the world's largest Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher; Quality Guarantee and Free Tech Support; Award-winning Customer Service; | Support Sustainable Business
  • [MODERN HI-SPEED PORTS] - USB 3.0 (x4) | USB 2.0 (x4) | DisplayPort (x1) | HDMI Port (x1) | Audio Combo Jack (x1) | Audio Out (x1) | RJ-45 Ethernet (x1) | Internal SATA (x3)

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