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Desktop Gone After Windows 10 Update: 5 Ways to Restore it
You may use an OS reset as a last resort
4 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Users have complained that after a Windows 10 update, their desktop is gone or disappears.
If you have notdisabled automatic Windows updatesin Windows 10, your computer will automatically download and install theupdates.
While regular updates are good, things can seriously go wrong if the update starts deleting files. For example, after the recent update, many users have reported that desktop files and some apps have disappeared from their systems.
If you want to recover the deleted desktop files, follow the troubleshooting tips in this article.
Why did my desktop disappear in Windows 10?
Users have experienced that there could be several triggers that make your desktop disappear in Windows 10. Here are a few of the top causes:
What can I do if the desktop is gone after Windows 10 update?
Before going into any of our recommended solutions, you should restart your computer. While this is not a guaranteed fix, a restart may assist with half-completed installations and resolve the post-update desktop issue.
1. Check for Temporary Profile
Before you take any more actions to recover the lost files, ensure you are not logged into your temporary profile created after the update. If you are logged into a temporary Profile, you won’t find the desktop files on the desktop.
2. Show Desktop Icons
3. Roll back Windows Build or update
Also, Microsoft Windows allows you to roll back to the previous build in case the new build is too buggy or creates issues, like deleting files, etc.
Note:Rolling back to the previous build does not guarantee that all the files will be restored, if at all. However, it can prevent the OS from deleting your files again.
4. Check for new updates
If you have issues with specific updates, you often correct them by getting the latest update releases. Microsoft often gives releases to fix known bugs and OS issues. This may help if your Windows 10 Desktop is gone after an update.
5. Restart Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is responsible for displaying the desktop icons and taskbar. Sometimes, restarting it can solve the issue.
In conclusion, a disappearing desktop after a Windows 10 update can be a frustrating experience, but there are multiple steps you can take to restore it.
You can succeed using any of the solutions we offer in this article. Following these steps, you can restore your Windows 10 desktop if it is fine after an update. Then, you will return to using your computer as usual.
Please let us know what solutions worked for you in the comments section below.
Tashreef Shareef
Tashreef Shareef is a software developer turned tech writer. He discovered his interest in technology after reading a tech magazine accidentally. Now he writes about everything tech from Windows to iOS and streaming services to IoT at WindowsReport.
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