Regardless of whether you lot have upgraded to Microsoft Windows 11 or are nonetheless using Windows 10, the Windows desktop is where you are most likely to showtime your estimator session. For many users, the shortcut icons that populate the Windows desktop are the primary gateway to their productivity applications, games, preferred web browser, etc. The desktop is where their solar day begins and ends.

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Personalizing Windows 11 desktop shortcut icons is limited. Users can use a filigree to keep icons orderly and they can sort icons based on name, size or modified date, only lilliputian else. By default, the vertical and horizontal distance between each desktop icon when using the grid choice is fixed and unchangeable. Unless, of grade, you know where those settings reside in the Windows Registry file.

This how-to tutorial shows how to change the vertical and horizontal distance between Windows eleven desktop icons by editing the Windows Registry file.

How to change the icon spacing on the Windows eleven desktop

Equally y'all tin come across in Figure A, while we can modify the size of the Windows 11 desktop shortcut icons by right-clicking on an empty part of the desktop, we cannot modify the vertical and horizontal distances between the icons. We will have to edit the Windows Registry file to achieve that personalization modify.

Figure A

Disclaimer: Editing the Windows Registry file is a serious undertaking. A corrupted Windows Registry file could render your computer inoperable, requiring a reinstallation of the Windows operating system and potential loss of information. Support the Windows Registry file and create a valid restore indicate before you proceed.

To make our edits in the Windows 11 Registry File, we will type "regedit" into the Windows 11 search tool. From the results, choose the Regedit app and so use the left-hand window to navigate to this key, as shown in Figure B.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Console\Desktop\WindowMetrics

Figure B

When y'all select the WindowsMetrics folder in the left-hand navigation window, you volition see a long list of parameters in the right-mitt window. Within that list y'all volition run across an detail labeled IconSpacing, that is the setting for horizontal distance betwixt desktop icons. The item labeled IconVerticalSpacing is, obviously, for vertical altitude.

The default setting for those parameters in our case is -1128 pixels. When yous double-click those items, you volition be able to alter the values to a setting of your choosing, equally shown in Figure C.

Figure C

Before you go wild making changes to these icon distance settings, I would suggest you proceed with caution. Moving those desktop icons likewise close together may lead to overlap and run counter to your likely purpose of more than efficiency and a better user experience. On the other hand, setting the distance between icons besides large could force icons off the desktop, rendering them unusable. Exist judicious in your changes.

When you are satisfied with your personalization changes, exit out of the registry editor.