Windows: desktop icons arrange themselves automatically - what to do?
Desktop icons sometimes arrange themselves automatically under Windows. This can be quite annoying if you have your own ordering system. We show you how to deactivate the function and how to change the spacing between the symbols.
Remove automatic icon arrangement on the desktop in Windows 7 and 8
To determine the position of the icons yourself, proceed as follows:
- Right-click an empty space on the desktop.
- In the context menu "View" there is a sub-item called "Arrange symbols automatically". Remove the check there.
Remove automatic arrangement at XP
It works the same way with Windows XP. However, the menu item is not called "Display", but "Arrange symbols by".
Align icons on the desktop with the grid
In addition to automatic alignment, there is the "Align to grid" option. With this setting, the icons are arranged at fixed intervals. Many users deactivate the function because the spacing of the icons is too large for them:
- In Windows 7, enter "Change window colors and metrics" in the Start menu.
- In Windows XP, right-click on the desktop and click the "Properties" menu.
- In both operating systems, select the "Display" tab and click on "Advanced".
- In the following menu you can select "Symbol spacing (horizontal)" and "Symbol spacing (vertical)" and reduce the size (see picture).
