How to Change Desktop Icon Spacing in Windows 11.
Back in the days of Windows 7, you could quickly change the spacing between the default desktop icons by visiting the OS appearance and personalization settings page. However, this parameter is missing in newer versions of Windows. & Nbsp;
If you are using Windows 11 or Windows 10, this article will show you how to change the spacing between icons on the desktop by tweaking the system registry or using third-party desktop customization software.
Important: Make a Backup of the System Registry
Changing the distance between desktop icons in Windows 11 and Windows 10 is due to editing the system registry. However, changing it incorrectly can lead to serious problems, so we recommend that you create a backup before proceeding. & Nbsp;
For detailed step-by-step instructions, see this guide to backing up and restoring the Windows Registry.
Modify the Registry to Change Desktop Icon Spacing
You can change the horizontal and vertical distance between desktops in Windows 11 and 10 by changing the values of the two corresponding entries in the system registry. The following steps will help you find and edit them.
1. Press Windows + R to open the Run window.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
3. In the Registry Editor window, copy and paste & nbsp;
HKEY_CURRENT_USER Control Panel Desktop WindowMetrics to the address bar of the Registry Editor and press Enter.
4. You should find two registry entries that affect the default desktop icon spacing to the right of the window: IconSpacing: affects the horizontal spacing of icons. IconVerticalSpacing: Affects the vertical spacing between icons.
The default is & # 8211; 1125 for both records, and the range can be from.
Note. Increasing the value decreases the spacing because the values are negative, while decreasing it increases the spacing.
5. Make changes to one or both keys and click OK to save your changes.
For example, the screenshot below shows the horizontal spacing between icons on the desktop after modifying the IconSpacing registry entry with a value of -2000.
Note. Changing the horizontal distance also affects the bounding areas of the icons. This affects how the text underneath is displayed.
Also, the screenshot below shows the vertical spacing between desktop icons with IconVerticalSpacing set to -2000.
Important: To update your Windows 11 or 10 desktop with the changes, you must sign out and go back to your user account or restart your computer.
If you want to undo the changes, just reopen the Registry Editor and set the IconSpacing and IconVerticalSpacing keys to -1125.
Use Third-Party Desktop Customization Software
If you don’t want to dig into the system registry in Windows 11 or Windows 10, you can use third-party desktop customization apps to change the default desktop icon spacing. Desktop Icon Spacing and DesktopOK are two free programs that can help you with this. Distance between desktop icons
Desktop Icon Spacing is a lightweight and easy-to-use tool that allows you to change the default desktop icon spacing in Windows. & Nbsp;
After downloading the app, simply launch the executable and use the sliders next to the horizontal and vertical fields to change the spacing between the icons as needed. Then check the boxes next to All data saved and All other windows closed and select Apply. After that, File Explorer will automatically restart and your changes will be reflected immediately.
If you want to rollback them, open the Advanced menu and select Default. DesktopOK
DesktopOK is another application that not only allows you to change the default icon spacing on the Windows desktop, but also offers many additional options, including adjusting icon sizes, fonts, saving icon layouts to screen resolutions, and more.
After downloading DesktopOK, unzip it and run the executable file. In the appeared DesktopOK window, open the “Tools” menu and select “Windows Metrics”.
In the Windows Metrics window, use the sliders next to the Horizontal Spacing and Vertical Spacing boxes to adjust the spacing of the icons as needed. The changes should take effect immediately. If they don’t, select Restart File Explorer to force File Explorer to restart.
Click the Default button next to the two sliders if you want to revert to the default spacing.
Set Your Preferred Desktop Icon Spacing Easily
The instructions above should help you set the distance between desktops in Windows 11 and Windows 10 just the way you like. As a reminder, fiddling with the registry can cause problems, so be sure to create a backup before making any additional changes. If you want to play it safe, use one of the aforementioned two apps instead.
So, here’s what you can do to spice up your desktop by fully customizing your icons.
How to Change Desktop Icon Spacing in Windows 11
How to Change Desktop Icon Spacing in Windows 11