How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10?

How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10? If you're a Windows 10 user, you've probably noticed that the operating system offers a high degree of customization. One of the simplest, yet most useful, settings is changing the size of the desktop icons. Adjusting the size can help you better organize your screen, optimize space, or simply customize the aesthetics to your preferences. 

In this article, we will explain how to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10 quickly and easily, as well as give you Some tips to get the most out of this feature How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10?

Why change the size of desktop icons?

Before we get into the details, it's helpful to understand the reasons why you might want to change the size of your icons. Some of the key benefits are:

• Easy to use: If you have a small screen or poor eyesight, making icons larger can make apps easier to identify.
• Space optimization: On larger screens, reducing the size of icons allows more shortcuts to fit on the desktop.
• Custom aesthetics: Resizing your icons can help you achieve a visual design that suits your preferences.

Before continuing reading this article on how to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10?, if you have Windows 11 and want to go back, we have this tutorial on Tecnobits about How to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11?

Steps to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10

How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10? There are several ways to change the size of desktop icons. Here are the most common ways:

Method 1: Using the desktop context menu

This is the quickest and easiest way: 

• Right-click on an empty space on the desktop.
• In the context menu that appears, select the “View” option.
• Three size options will appear: Large Icons, Medium Icons, and Small Icons.
• Click on the option you want, and the icons will change size.
• This method is ideal for those who are simply looking for a quick and easy adjustment without going into the details of the configuration.

Method 2: Resize with the mouse wheel

If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you can change the size of the icons directly from the desktop itself. How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10? To do this, follow these steps:

• Place the mouse cursor over an empty space on the desktop.
• Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
• Resize icons by using the mouse wheel to increase or decrease the size.
• Release the Ctrl key when you have reached the size you want. 

Since we are not limited by the predefined sizes provided by the Windows context menu, this method offers you more flexibility than the previous one. Moving on, we are almost done with how to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10?

Method 3: Change the screen scale

If you'd like icons, text, and other elements in Windows 10 to scale at a different scale, you can make an adjustment in the display settings. Let's see how:

Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and choose "Screen settings". In the window that just opened you should look for the “Scale and distribution” section.

CFrom the drop-down menu under “Change the size of text, apps, and other items,” you can choose a scaling percentage. The changes will be applied automatically in Windows, so you can see how the icons also scale to their new size.

This method is the one indicated if you want to carry out a more general change to the entire operating system interface, not just on the desktop. Now you know how to answer the great question of How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10?

Tips for organizing your desktop after changing icon sizes

Now that you've scaled your icons, it's a good idea to get your desktop organized, and here are some suggestions:

• Use folders: Group related shortcuts into folders to reduce visual clutter.
• Automatically align icons: Right-click on the desktop, select “View” and activate “Align icons to grid” so that the order in which they are aligned is uniform.
• Get rid of unnecessary icons: If you have shortcuts that you don't use often, you can even remove them, and relocate them to another folder, or to the taskbar itself.
• Use minimalist wallpapers: A minimalist desktop wallpaper can often prevent loading or parallel processes on your PC. 

Common troubleshooting

Sometimes, you may encounter problems when changing the size of icons. Here's how to solve the most common ones:

• Changes are not saved: If after restarting your PC the icons return to their previous size, there may be a problem with your user account settings. Try updating Windows 10 or creating a new user account to test.
• Icons are blurry: This can happen if you are using a custom scale in your display settings. Make sure you select a recommended scale to avoid display issues.
• Icons overlap: Enable the “Automatically arrange icons” option from the desktop context menu to prevent icons from cluttering up.

What to do if you can't change icon size?

If the above methods do not work, try these additional steps:

1. Restart your PC to rule out temporary errors.
2. Update graphics card drivers from Device Manager.
3. Perform a system scan with the sfc /scannow command to repair possible errors in system files.

How to change the size of desktop icons in Windows 10? In this article you have learned everything. I hope it has been useful to you and that you do not hesitate to come back here if you have any problems. If you do not have Windows 10 yet and you have read all this, it is still possible to have it with this Windows 10 ISO. See you in the next article!