If you prefer to align the desktop icons your way instead of letting Windows do it for you, and want to keep them stick to their position until you change manually, the configuration process isn’t complex at all.
However, since many people may get confused with the term ‘Lock’ which may mean both locking the icons in the position they are manually placed and keeping the icons locked to their default position even if they’re accidentally moved, this tutorial covers both the processes.
PROCESS 1
LOCK DESKTOP ICONS (TO YOUR PREFERRED POSITION)
Step 1
Get to the desktop context menu
Right-click anywhere on the desktop. This opens the desktop’s context menu. From here you can access additional options to manage and configure your Windows’ desktop screen as long as you have right-clicked a blank area and not any icon.
Step 2
Disable auto positioning
Go to View from the context menu, and de-select both Auto arrange icons and Align icons to grid options from the submenu that appears. This keeps Windows from auto arranging and aligning the desktop icons’ position upon restart or when you click Refresh from the context menu. After de-selecting the two options, you can now go ahead and arrange the icons your way, and their position won’t change until you do so manually.
PROCESS 2
LOCK DESKTOP ICONS (TO WINDOWS DEFAULT ARRANGEMENT)
Step 1
Get to the desktop context menu
Use the method given in Step 1 from the OPTION 1 section to open the desktop’s context menu.
Step 2
Set Windows’ default alignment
Go to View, and check the Auto arrange icons option. This automatically aligns the scattered desktop icons in a row. To arrange them in alphabetic order, go to Sort by from the context menu, and click Name. Additionally, you can also choose the Align icons to grid option from the View submenu in order to keep the icons from getting misaligned during accidental mouse drags.
However, since many people may get confused with the term ‘Lock’ which may mean both locking the icons in the position they are manually placed and keeping the icons locked to their default position even if they’re accidentally moved, this tutorial covers both the processes.
PROCESS 1
LOCK DESKTOP ICONS (TO YOUR PREFERRED POSITION)
Step 1
Get to the desktop context menu
Right-click anywhere on the desktop. This opens the desktop’s context menu. From here you can access additional options to manage and configure your Windows’ desktop screen as long as you have right-clicked a blank area and not any icon.
Step 2
Disable auto positioning
Go to View from the context menu, and de-select both Auto arrange icons and Align icons to grid options from the submenu that appears. This keeps Windows from auto arranging and aligning the desktop icons’ position upon restart or when you click Refresh from the context menu. After de-selecting the two options, you can now go ahead and arrange the icons your way, and their position won’t change until you do so manually.
PROCESS 2
LOCK DESKTOP ICONS (TO WINDOWS DEFAULT ARRANGEMENT)
Step 1
Get to the desktop context menu
Use the method given in Step 1 from the OPTION 1 section to open the desktop’s context menu.
Step 2
Set Windows’ default alignment
Go to View, and check the Auto arrange icons option. This automatically aligns the scattered desktop icons in a row. To arrange them in alphabetic order, go to Sort by from the context menu, and click Name. Additionally, you can also choose the Align icons to grid option from the View submenu in order to keep the icons from getting misaligned during accidental mouse drags.