Duplicate icons on the Windows desktop can be a frustrating issue, leading to clutter and confusion. This problem can occur due to various reasons, such as system glitches, user errors, or software bugs. In this article, we will explore how to identify and resolve duplicate icons on your Windows desktop using practical examples and commands.

Examples:

1. Manual Removal of Duplicate Icons:

   • Right-click on the duplicate icon and select "Delete" from the context menu. Confirm the deletion if prompted.
   • Ensure that you are not deleting the original icon by checking the file path or properties of the icon.

2. Using File Explorer:

   • Open File Explorer and navigate to the desktop folder. You can do this by entering %userprofile%\Desktop in the address bar.
   • Look for duplicate files or shortcuts. They often have a number appended to their name, like "Shortcut (2)".
   • Select the duplicate files and delete them.

3. Using Command Prompt:

   • Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Windows search bar and selecting "Command Prompt".
   • Navigate to the desktop directory by entering:

     cd %userprofile%\Desktop

   • Use the DIR command to list all files and shortcuts:

     DIR

   • Identify duplicates and delete them using the DEL command:

     DEL "duplicate_icon_name.lnk"

4. Using PowerShell:

   • Open PowerShell by typing powershell in the Windows search bar and selecting "Windows PowerShell".
   • Navigate to the desktop directory:

     Set-Location -Path "$env:userprofile\Desktop"

   • List all desktop items and identify duplicates:

     Get-ChildItem

   • Remove duplicates using the Remove-Item cmdlet:

     Remove-Item -Path "duplicate_icon_name.lnk"

5. Preventing Duplicate Icons:

   • Ensure that software installations are not creating duplicate shortcuts by checking installation options.
   • Regularly clean your desktop and organize files into folders to prevent clutter.