Users often see a file called Desktop.ini on their Windows screen. Since for the most part users do not know what kind of file it is and where it came from, it is considered a virus. In fact, most often, it does not bring any danger.
What is the desktop.ini icon
Desktop.ini is a file containing information about a directory, used in all versions of Windows, including 7 and 10. This element all information is about the appearance of the Windows directory - background image, color and much more. Usually "desktop" is used by various programs. From it you can find out about the location of system files that are necessary to run some utilities.
Many utilities that the user uses on his desktop access this small file. In general, this config is part of the system. Therefore, when uninstalling, and then when opening any program, this element recreated again.
Desktop or desktop, translated from English means desktop, but despite this, it is located in every folder of the Windows system. Since the desktop is not a program, but also a folder created for each user of the system, desktop.ini is also located in it. It is in this directory that it is most conspicuous, and that is why many seek to remove it.
Contents of desktop.ini
What does this icon contain inside:
- Nosharing- this parameter allows or closes access for everyone to this directory. To open, you can set the value to "0", and to close "1". It has an analogue Sharing". Performs the same actions.
- IconFile- this option allows you to change the icon and folders. Analog IconResource for later versions of Windows.
- HTMLInfoTipFile– indicates a link to a global network resource.
- Owner- indicates the owner of the folder. In order to open a directory, you must enter the username and password of its owner.
- personalized name- gives personal names. For example, without this setting, "My Documents" would simply be called "Documents".
- IconAreaImage– route to the background image.
- IconArea_ text background– creates color in 16th format for icons and folders.
In the screenshot you can see what this file looks like: 
How to open it
You can open this icon with any text editor. Even in a regular notepad. However, the only thing to remember when opening is to edit the configuration in no case. Not recommended. Since any change can lead to undefined consequences and unpredictable operation of utilities.
How to remove and is it worth it
There is one nuance. All configurations after deletion and restoration will be reset to default values. That is, every time you change something on the desktop, it is fixed in this element, so all user settings will be lost after deletion.
It is deleted in the standard way - either through the trash, or through the shift and delete buttons. It can be deleted through the trash can by right-clicking on it and finding the item “ delete to cart» and click on it LMB, thereby deleting it into the trash. And you can empty the trash by right-clicking on it and selecting "Empty trash". You can also do this by clicking the Delete button.
Deleting with Shift+Delete deletes it permanently, bypassing the trash. Click on it LMB, thereby selecting it and hold down the "Shift" + "Delete" buttons together.
Hiding an icon
Usually, if you have a Desktop.ini file displayed on your desktop, it means that you have unchecked the “ Hide protected system files". Therefore, go to "Explorer", click on the "View" tab. Then you will need to select "Options". And go to the "View" tab again. Scroll through the menu to the item "Hide protected files" and mark it with a checkmark. 
The likelihood of a viral infection
Desktop.ini is not a virus. This is a system config that is in the Windows folders. However, there have been cases when Trojans and other viruses were disguised as such an element.
Therefore, it is recommended to pay attention to the presence of this icon on the Windows desktop when you have checked all system files and hidden the protected ones. If, after the steps taken, it is still on the table, then most likely it is a virus. Usually, many users, upon seeing this element, take it for a system and thereby miss the opportunity to respond in time to a viral infection.
In addition, you need to pay attention to the name and behavior of the system. There cannot be two identical items in one directory. And if the user saw something similar to desktop1.ini or desktop_ini.ini, then this is a virus. Also, a sign of a virus infection can be a permanent reset of the desktop settings and other directories after a reboot.
After loading the operating system, a Windows 10 user can observe the appearance of the desktop.ini file on the desktop. By removing it in the standard way and restarting the computer, it would be possible to score about all the problems. However, the file reappears. And no matter how much this file is deleted from the desktop, it will still return after the system is rebooted. What is this file? What is desktop.ini responsible for? How to hide desktop ini on desktop in Windows 10?
What is desktop.ini?
The desktop.ini file is a standard set of configurations that is available in every Windows operating system, regardless of the version and bitness of the system. It is necessary for the normal functioning of the entire system. Typically, system files with the .ini extension have hidden attributes and are not visible to the user.
The .ini type configuration file contains settings that are responsible for the appearance of the system folder. It specifies the characteristics of such parameters as text color, drawing, and so on. Inside the file there is clearly structured data divided into sections. If the user has made some changes to the folder view settings or has independently turned on the display of hidden files, then the desktop.ini file (no matter how many times it is deleted) will appear on the desktop.
Ways to remove Desktop.ini from Windows 10 desktop?
Since the desktop.ini file appears due to incorrect settings for displaying system files in Windows 10, you do not need to delete it initially. It is worth making adjustments to the OS settings. To do this, do the following:
- Open "Explorer". Select the option "View", "Options".
- A small window will open. You must first uncheck the box "Hide protected operating system files".
- Then click "Apply" and "OK". Back to the Windows desktop
- Several more desktop.ini files will appear on the desktop.
- Select and delete everything.
- Now back to the settings for displaying folders and files.
- We put back the checkmark "Hide protected system files", as well as "Do not show hidden files, folders and drives."
- After saving the settings and restarting the PC, the desktop.ini file will no longer appear on the desktop.
Therefore, if you are faced with a similar situation and you need an effective way to remove the desktop ini from the desktop, then first scan the system for viruses (if you did not make changes to the settings, the system may be infected), and then use the above method.
Sometimes it happens that users are very surprised, for no reason at all, having found files unknown to them for objects on the "Desktop", many simply do not know. And some even take them for viruses or the consequences of their impact, which is the deepest delusion. Next, we will consider what these files are, why they appear and whether they can be deleted.
Desktop.ini: what are these files?
So, it's worth starting with a description of the extension of these files. We assume that Desktop.ini files appeared on the desktop. It is not difficult to figure out what these objects are by looking at the extension. INI is an abbreviation for the English term Initial or Initialize, which in a computer environment can be interpreted as initialization, or, more simply, configuration settings for an application.
But why then is the file located exactly on the "Desktop", and not elsewhere? The fact is that the content of such objects may be partially responsible for the settings of the screen or the available workspace (although this is not always the case). In other words, when the program starts, it initially refers to the settings file, which is used to display the workspace of the application itself.
And creating such files after installing some program with a desktop location is a standard process. Many users do not understand why these objects became visible. The answer is simple: apparently, the display mode of hidden files and folders, as well as protected system objects, was turned on. Thus, in order to remove them from the working area, you can simply disable the corresponding view functions in Explorer, but more on that later.
Desktop.ini files on the "Desktop": how to open them?
Many inquisitive users are trying to see what kind of information the file of this type contains. As a rule, by default in Windows no program for viewing or editing responds to such files. But you can open them in an elementary way - in the standard Notepad, since initially the files are text.
This can be done through RMB with the selection of the item "Open with ..." and the selection of the appropriate application. But you can first just start Notepad and open the file through the standard menu, specifying the type "All files", since the TXT format is set by default.
File contents
As a rule, the contents of the Desktop.ini file (Windows 7 is used or another system, it doesn’t matter) will not tell the average user anything special.
Typically, the configuration files that are located on the "Desktop" have only two lines. One contains data about the Shell initialization class, the second refers to the dynamic library used, which is necessary for the operation of a particular application and located in the System32 system directory.
Questions about expediency of removal
But most users have a completely logical question about the possibility of deleting such files. In general, by and large, it is not recommended to do this, although the removal will not affect the system's performance.
But a violation of the work of some user programs can occur. Suppose the user has configured some application for himself and saved the settings, and for the screen. They will be located not only in the XML files in the main application directory, but also in the Desktop.ini file. What is it in terms of parameters? These are the very user settings that the program will apply at each launch, in contrast to those that were originally set.
But if such a file is really not needed, the question of how to delete Desktop.ini is solved quite simply by selecting the object and pressing the Del key or the Shift + Del combination to delete, bypassing the Recycle Bin. You can also use the most common right-click context menu. The question is: is it worth it to do such things?
Hiding files
Wouldn't it be easier to just hide such objects so that they, as they say, do not an eyesore? Desktop.ini files in Windows 8 or in any other system can be removed from the workspace using the standard “Explorer” menu, called, for example, through the Win + E combination.
Here, however, it is necessary not only to deactivate the line for displaying hidden folders and files, but also to check the box to hide protected system objects. Only in this case, the Desktop.ini files are guaranteed not to be shown on the "Desktop".
Instead of an afterword
That's all in a nutshell about Desktop.ini files. What these objects are, probably, is already a little clear. It remains to clarify the most important issue regarding their removal. In principle, it is better not to do this, but simply hide it. With this approach, the settings and the user programs themselves will not suffer. In the extreme case, when setting new parameters after deleting such files, whether you like it or not, they can again be created and placed on the "Desktop" automatically, without your participation.
If files of this type are still visible in the workspace after applying the above settings, you can use RMB on the selected object with the selection of the property line. In the new window, you just need to check the box next to the "Hidden" attribute line. Now the file will definitely not be visible in the workspace.
Yes, and you should not consider such files as viruses. Of course, some current threats can also be disguised as configuration initialization files, but in this case, this is not an issue. If you want, of course, you can scan these objects with an anti-virus scanner, for example, through RMB or by specifying the scan area in the form of "Desktop" in the anti-virus itself, but, most likely, the result of detecting threats will be negative. Therefore, doing such things is just a waste of time.
Almost all computer users, regardless of which operating system they use, have heard of such a concept as Desktop. What it is, in most cases, many imagine, understanding this term as "Desktop". Partly true, but not quite. The fact is that this concept itself has a somewhat broader meaning than is commonly believed.
Desktop: what is it in understanding the form factor of a computer?
Let's start with the fact that initially the term itself was used solely as a description of the form factor of the computer device itself. Judge for yourself, because today you can find a lot of such equipment in different variations (stationary terminals, laptops, netbooks, ultrabooks, etc.).
But let's dwell on the general understanding of the term Desktop. What it is? It is generally accepted (based on the literal translation - “table surface”) that this definition corresponds to a desktop (stationary) computer with a system unit that is used in an office or at home. In contrast, Laptop (lap - "knees") is a regular laptop. Netbook or Nettop - small laptops without a drive, focused mainly on working on the Internet. Palmtop is a pocket PC like a mobile phone or tablet.
Windows Desktop: Common Meaning
However, sorting computers according to the form factor of execution is somewhat irrelevant today. For example, on Windows, Linux or Mac OS X systems, this designation (Computer Desktop) corresponds exactly to the “Desktop”, on which the main controls of the graphical interface are located. This is more in line with the "table surface".
That Mac Desktop, that the "Desktops" of other operating systems are very similar to each other. The impression is that the object-oriented programming used to create all operating systems does not do without it. Thus, we will consider the term itself in its current interpretation from this point of view.
Desktop settings
As for the desktop itself, there are several main parameters that should be highlighted in its functionality. Firstly, on the "Desktop" when installing programs, almost always, if this function was not disabled during the installation of the application, application shortcuts are created for quick access, bypassing various kinds of start / start buttons.
Secondly, it is through the RMB menu on the free area of the "Desktop" that in most cases you can get quick access to the main screen parameters and design personalization settings.
Thirdly, it is immediately possible to change the graphics adapter settings (again, from the context menu).
Fourthly, through RMB on the "Desktop" (at least in Windows), you can use the creation of files / documents / folders of the main types registered in the operating system (office documents, contacts, archives, directories, etc.).
Possibilities for accessing parameters and programs
But this is only briefly about understanding a term or GUI element in the Desktop view. What that is in terms of form factors and workspaces is a little clear. Now a few words about access to programs through shortcuts with the ability to quickly launch them with elevated privileges.
Suppose the user has a link (shortcut) to the program on the "Desktop", but at startup the system constantly issues a notification that administrator rights are required to start the application. There is nothing easier than setting the applet to run permanently just with admin rights.
Through the RMB menu, select the properties of the shortcut, and then activate the permanent launch as administrator (after that, an icon in the form of a shield will be added to the main icon). The same goes for obtaining additional permissions or viewing basic information about the program's publisher.
In passing, it is worth noting another rather interesting setting. The fact is that some programs are not focused on the latest modifications of operating systems and cannot function in their environment. What to do in a situation where the program is installed, but, to put it mildly, does not want to work? Here, again, the properties section comes to the rescue, where you can set the application to start in compatibility mode with a lower version of the OS. And for this it is absolutely not necessary to go into some advanced system settings.
Instead of total
In general, as it is probably already clear, the term itself can be attributed to both types of computers and workspaces. However, it is worth considering that although it was originally applied exclusively to the description of form factors, today it has lost its former meaning to a fairly high degree. It was replaced by the understanding of the usual "Desktop", which can be found in almost any system based on object-oriented programming with the creation of a graphical interface through which the computer and installed software interact with the user without the use of specialized commands (as it was, for example , on legacy DOS or UNIX systems).
Desktop.ini on the desktop can be a real mystery for many Windows users. Moreover, the desktop.ini file usually appears as two identical .ini files on the desktop, regardless of the version of Windows.
Since most users do not know what desktop.ini is and where it came from on the desktop, therefore, many people perceive it as a virus or a dangerous program. However, this file does not pose any danger.
In this article, we will explain what desktop.ini is, where it came from and how to remove it from the desktop.
What are .ini files?
Files in the .ini format are plain text files that contain configuration data used by various programs. Most .ini files contain information about the location of system files needed to run certain programs. You can open any .ini file with notepad and see what it says.
Typically a file. ini contains the following text:
Almost every program installed on your computer requires an .ini file to work properly. Thus, even if you delete the .ini file on your computer, the program will re-create it.
Ini files are usually hidden, and the only reason you can see an .ini file on your desktop is because you checked the box next to Show Hidden Files. In short, .ini files are always present on your computer, they are just usually hidden.
Where does desktop.ini come from on my desktop?
If .ini files are used by applications, programs, and folders, then why does the desktop show them? In fact, the desktop is just another folder on your computer that is unique to each user account. What's more, there are two desktop folders on your computer: one is made up of user files and the other is made up of shared folders. What you see on your desktop is a combination of these two folders. So two desktop.ini files on your desktop mean two folders.
How to remove desktop.ini from desktop?
To hide desktop.ini on the desktop, go to Conductor, then click on View on the top bar, select Options, then go to the tab View and check the box next to " Hide protected system files».
