Windows 8 suddenly removed my Desktop tile from the start-screen, how to restore it?

windows-8 start-screen

10,056

Solution 1

If searching for desktop doesn't work, try the tutorial from Eightforums:

How to Restore Missing "Desktop" Tile on Start Screen in Windows 8

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/19533-desktop-restore-missing-tile-windows-8-start-screen.html

Download this zip and extract it:

http://www.eightforums.com/attachments/tutorials/15949d1359879003-desktop-restore-missing-tile-windows-8-start-screen-desktop.zip

copy the extracted desktop.lnk to %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
open Startscreen, scroll to the end and move the Tile back to where you want

Solution 2

Press + Q

The search box will automatically appear, type desk. You will see a purple tile labeled Desktop. Right click it and a menu will appear at the bottom with a button labeled Pin to start. Click that and your desktop will be back up on Start.

10,056

Warren P

Software Developer, Delphi, C/C++, ObjectiveC, Embedded Systems, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X. I want a pwny. I'm a Windows 10 user, and Windows Server 2012 R2 user, and I really like Client Hyper-V in Windows 10.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Warren P almost 2 years
(Not a duplicate, because the suggested fix in the linked duplicate DOES NOT WORK, read the whole post!)

I did not delete the Desktop (go to classic Win desktop) tile (icon) from the Start screen, but my system updated, rebooted, and it's gone. The Win+U command, nor the search on the start screen cannot get it back, which is the usual workaround, because it's also completely GONE from inside the start menu, even when searching.

Is there any OTHER way to repair windows or tell Windows to put that tile back?

Updates installed on the day it went screwy:
```
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=2859541  KB2859541                                                                               
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=2862073  KB2862073                                                         
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=2864629  KB2864629
```
Update The accepted answer on the linked "duplicate" did not work, but sfc /scannow plus a reboot solved the issue, so while this is perhaps a duplicate, the linked accepted answer is NOT very helpful. I upvoted the answer that helped me, and since this appears to be a bug in windows 8, I hope that other people find the answer that isn't the accepted one, in the linked duplicate.
- Admin almost 11 years
  
  @magicandre1981 As the OP stated on my answer, the tile is not available or showing up in Metro Search on the Start Screen. That means this is a whole other problem.
- magicandre1981 almost 11 years
  
  ok, I posted a new answer.
- nhinkle almost 11 years
  
  Did you try this answer on the suggested duplicate?
- nhinkle almost 11 years
  
  In fact, at least 2 answers provide a solution to the problem @Warren describes here, including one that links to a similar if not identical download for the desktop icon.
- Warren P almost 11 years
  
  While the SFC /scannow did not appear to repair the issue, a reboot plus the SFC /scannow, and the desktop icon is back.
Warren P almost 11 years

Hmm. That purple tile doesn't show up in Win+Q either.
Admin almost 11 years

@WarrenP Could you please attach a screenshot of all the updates you installed on the day it went missing? [Control Panel] > [System and Security] > [Windows Update] > [View update history]. At this point in time you can try to repair Windows files. As the desktop shortcut you are referring to is a system file. Run command prompt as admin and type sfc /scannow.
Warren P almost 11 years

I ran it and it said it created a log. The log is in the Windows\Logs\CBS folder and is over 500 megs in size and I cannot read it even with notepad++.