Edit Article

Your wallpaper is too good-looking to be messed up by icons. It is possible to remove icons from your desktop without sacrificing productivity.

Ad

Steps

  1. Have an Empty Desktop in Windows XP Step 1 Version 2.jpg
    1
    Right-click an empty spot on your desktop.
    Ad
  2. Have an Empty Desktop in Windows XP Step 2 Version 2.jpg
    2
    Click "Arrange Icons By"
  3. Have an Empty Desktop in Windows XP Step 3 Version 2.jpg
    3
    Click "Show Desktop Icons". This will uncheck the box, and hide all of your icons
  4. Have an Empty Desktop in Windows XP Step 4 Version 2.jpg
    4
    Your icons are still exactly where they are. Just hidden. You can still access your shortcuts in Explorer. All you need to do is simply check the box "Show Desktop Icons" again.
  5. Have an Empty Desktop in Windows XP Step 5 Version 2.jpg
    5
    Enjoy the great view of your wallpaper, with no obstructions whatsoever.
  6. Have an Empty Desktop in Windows XP Step 6 Version 2.jpg
    6
    If you want to do individual files in XP (ultimate hiding trick), right click on the file, go down to properties. Under properties select change icon. make sure the icon directory is windows/system32. Select the blank icon. Here comes the tricky part, now only the title is visible, right click on it and go to rename. Once your cursor is in the box press and hold ALT. while holding down ALT type 255 with the NUM pad, when you release the ALT key the name will be gone, and the icon will be completely blank, you must know the physical spot on the screen to open it. If you try to rename a file to a blank name, it will revert back to its original name, so the ALT 255 is necessary.
    Ad


We could really use your help!

Can you tell us about
sim cards?
Yes
No
sim cards
how to completely wipe a sim card
Can you tell us about
Virtual DJ?
Yes
No
Virtual DJ
how to use Virtual DJ
Can you tell us about
personal grooming?
Yes
No
personal grooming
how to thread your own eyebrows
Can you tell us about
work relationships?
Yes
No
work relationships
how to get a guy to notice you at work
Thanks for helping! Please tell us everything you know about
...
Tell us everything you know here. Remember, more detail is better.
Tips
Provide Details.
Please be as detailed as possible in your explanation. Don't worry about formatting! We'll take care of it. For example:
Don't say: Eat more fats.
Do say: Add fats with some nutritional value to the foods you already eat. Try olive oil, butter, avocado, and mayonnaise.
Submit

Tips

  • To go for the ultimate visual appeal, hide your Start Menu. Right-click your Taskbar>Properties>Auto-Hide the Taskbar.
  • After doing this, press Ctrl + Alt + Del all at the same time. Go to processes, run down the list and find explorer.exe then click this and press end process. and warning message will come up just hit yes, you start bar will not be there anymore. To get it back, just press Ctrl + Alt + Del all at the same time again and then go to applications and press new task. Type explorer.exe and your start bar will be back.

Related wikiHows

How to
Make Your Windows XP Desktop Look Like a Windows Vista Aero Desktop

How to
Pimp Your Windows XP Desktop to Look Like a Cool Mac Desktop

How to
Change Your Desktop Background in Windows

How to
Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows

How to
Organize Your Desktop

Article Info

Categories: XP Instructions

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 13,586 times.

Did this article help you?
Yes No

Become
an Author!

Write an Article