For Windows 10 and Windows 11

Every desktop. Exactly your order.

Show or hide desktop icons separately for every virtual Windows desktop. Desktop Icon Switcher remembers your choice and applies it automatically whenever you switch desktops.

Get it from Microsoft Store How it works
  • No telemetry
  • No cloud
  • No ads
Desktop Icon Switcher – Settings
Desktop Icon Switcher Control desktop icons separately for every virtual desktop
Current: Work – desktop icons visible
✓ Work (current) Visible
✓ Presentation Hidden
✓ Personal Visible

Small in the notification area, big in daily use

A clean desktop without moving a thing.

The app never changes files or shortcuts. It only controls the existing desktop icon area provided by Windows Explorer.

01

Separate profiles

Every virtual desktop gets its own visible or hidden icon state.

02

Automatic switching

The matching profile is restored automatically when you switch desktops.

03

Quick access

A left-click on the tray icon toggles the current desktop immediately.

04

Clear settings

See all virtual desktops and their icon states in one compact overview.

05

Optional startup

Windows controls startup, and it is enabled only when you request it.

06

Drag windows anywhere

Hold your shortcut and drag a normal window from any point inside it.

Window movement without hunting for the title bar

Grab a window wherever the pointer already is.

Hold the configured shortcut and drag with the left mouse button anywhere inside a normal window. Combine up to three keys, apply the new shortcut immediately, or restore the Windows-key default with one click.

  • Works system-wide while Desktop Icon Switcher is running
  • Custom shortcut with up to three keys
  • Reset to the Windows-key default at any time
Desktop Icon Switcher settings showing Window movement enabled with the Ctrl and Alt shortcut
Window movement and its shortcut are configured directly in Settings.

Set up in seconds

Three steps to calmer desktops.

Start the app

Desktop Icon Switcher appears in the notification area and opens Settings on first launch.

Choose each state

Select the right icon state for work, presentations, focus, or personal use.

Simply switch

From now on, the icon area automatically follows the active virtual desktop.

Private stays private

Your profiles never leave the PC.

Desktop Icon Switcher needs no account or internet connection. Settings and optional error logs remain exclusively on the device.

Read the full privacy policy
  • No analytics: no usage statistics or tracking libraries.
  • No ads: no ad networks or user profiling.
  • No cloud: no synchronization or data transmission.
  • Local control: settings and logs can be removed at any time.

Frequently asked questions

Clarity before the first click.

Does the app change my desktop files?

No. It never moves, deletes, or modifies files or shortcuts. It only shows or hides Explorer's existing desktop icon area.

Does it need administrator rights?

No. Desktop Icon Switcher runs with the normal permissions of the signed-in Windows user.

Does it work with multiple virtual desktops?

That is its purpose. New desktops begin with visible icons and can then be configured individually.

What happens when I exit?

The app shows the desktop icons again as a safety measure before it exits.

Desktop Icon Switcher

More focus, without rebuilding your desktop.

Desktop Icon Switcher is now available from Microsoft Store.

Download from Microsoft Store View support