How to add “This PC”, “Network”, and “Recycle Bin” icons to Windows 10 desktop

If you are upgrading from Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 to Windows 10 or you cleanly install Windows 10 to your PC, you will noticed that the usual shortcut icons such as This PC, Recycle Bin, Network, and Control Panel are missing from the desktop. These icons are hidden from the desktop by default on newly-installed Windows 10. Today, we are going to show you how you can enable these icons and add them to your desktop.

The reason why Microsoft chose to hide the This PC (formerly My Computer), Recycle Bin, User’s Files, and Network from the Windows 10 desktop is a mystery in itself because these shortcuts are the goto for most users in accessing their contents and windows settings directly from the desktop without having to fumble around. Only the User’s Files icon is visible on the desktop by default.

Also learn: How to resize Windows 10 desktop icons

Without further ado, here’s how you can add the hidden shortcut icons to your desktop:

Step 1

Right-click an empty space on your Windows 10 desktop and select “Personalize” from the options.

Step 2

In the personalization window, select “Themes” on the left sidebar menu. In themes, click the “Desktop icon settings” under the options provided on the right sidebar as shown in the picture above.

Step 3