By default, the icon size on your Windows desktop is set to ‘Medium’. If you want, you can increase or decrease desktop icon size using the built-in resizing options. Here’s how.
On Windows, you can place any number of icons on the desktop. In fact, most applications you install automatically add their icons to the desktop. One of the biggest advantages of desktop icons is they provide quick and easy access to files, folders, and applications. For example, I always have a simple text file and recycle bin icon for quick access. I’ve even seen people meticulously organize their desktop icons for easy access.
As good as the desktop icons are, you can resize them in three ways if you think they are too big or small. Also, if you accidentally change the desktop icon size, you can reset it to fix the problem.
In this quick and simple tutorial, let’s learn how to resize desktop icons in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Resize Desktop Icons from Right-click Menu
The easiest way to change the desktop icon size is by using the right-click menu.
To do that, right-click on the desktop and select the “View” menu. From the sub-menu, select one of the following options to resize desktop icons.
- Large icons
- Medium icons
- Small icons
Also, these pre-defined sizes (small, medium, and large) are dependent on the screen resolution and DPI settings. For example, if you are using a high-resolution (4K) monitor with recommended DPI settings, the small or large option might be too small or too big for your screen. So, keep that in mind while choosing the option.
Keyboard Shortcut to Resize Desktop Icons
Just as you can resize icons from the desktop right-click menu, you can also use keyboard shortcuts to switch between large, medium, and small. Here’s how.
First, go to your desktop. Next, use the below shortcuts to change the desktop icon size.
- Large – Ctrl + Shift + 2
- Medium – Ctrl + Shift + 3
- Small – Ctrl + Shift + 4
Use Mouse Scroll to Resize Desktop Icons
For more fine-tuned control over your desktop icon size, you can use the mouse wheel trick. The best thing about this approach is that you can choose the exact icon size you want, not just between the three predefined sizes. Here’s how.
To start off, minimize all the application windows. Next, hold down the “Ctrl” key on your keyboard and scroll the mouse wheel up or down to resize desktop icons. If you scroll down, the desktop icon size will be reduced. If you scroll up, the desktop icon size will be increased. If you changed the scroll direction, it will be in reverse.
There is an upper and lower limit to how big and small desktop icons can be. You cannot go past that limit. So, keep that in mind while resizing.
Wrapping Up — Changing Desktop Icon Size
As you can see, you have three ways to resize desktop icons. You can use the desktop right-click method or keyboard shortcuts to use predefined icon sizes. Alternatively, you also use the “Ctrl + Mouse wheel” for fine control over the icon size. The best thing is that you can use this method to change the icon size in File Explorer too. Of course, if you just don’t like the icon on your desktop, you can remove or hide desktop icons to keep it clean and minimal.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
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