Keep control of your desktop icons by putting a stop to the Desktop Cleanup Wizard

The Desktop Cleanup Wizard helps you maintain a clean desktop, free from the clutter of unused shortcuts. It keeps track of your desktop icon usage and periodically offers to remove the icons you haven't recently used. The icons aren't deleted, but are instead moved to a storage folder.

However, if you're accustomed to working with multiple icons on your desktop, you might not like the streamlined look this wizard enforces. If you'd prefer the wizard not to run automatically, and would like to run it manually at a time of your choosing instead, disabling the wizard is a breeze.

1. Right-click on the desktop and choose Properties to open the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Select the Desktop tab and click the Customize Desktop button to open the Desktop Items dialog box.
3. Deselect the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard Every 60 Days check box, and click OK to close the dialog box.

You can now run the wizard manually by clicking the Clean Desktop Now button in the Desktop Items dialog box.