Internet Explorer Icon Cannot Be Removed From Desktop on Windows 10

MrSerious · 25 Jan 2019

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read this. This is my first post here. My problem is that I have an Internet Explorer icon on my desktop that will just not go away. I am running Windows 10 Pro.

I have tried:

1. Moving it to the recycle bin.
2. Right clicking it to delete it. No option to remove it shows up. Only open home page, start without add-ons, bottom, create shortcut, and rename.
3. Removing it through programs and features/turn windows features on and off. When I do this, the icon remains, but does not function.
4. Hiding it by means of Group Policy.
5. Running several malware scans.

Nothing is helping. I found a post from a few years ago that is very similar to what I have shared here, but unfortunately the author did not say where he found a solution. From his post and the other threads I've been reading in this forum I'm guessing it has something to do with the registry.

Does anybody have any idea what might be going on? I could really use some help.

FreeBooter · 25 Jan 2019

Hold down Shift key while selecting Delete from Desktop context menu to permanently delete the icon.

bro67 · 25 Jan 2019

Is it causing errors? If this is your personal desktop, leaving it there is not going to harm anything.

Brink · 25 Jan 2019

Hello @MrSerious, and welcome to Ten Forums.

Just to verify, are you sure this is for Internet Explorer and not Microsoft Edge instead? Windows 10 will add a Microsoft Edge icon on your desktop by default.

Step 4 in the tutorial below may be able to remove the Internet Explorer desktop icon for you.

Add or Remove Internet Explorer Desktop Icon in Windows 10 | Tutorials

MrSerious · 25 Jan 2019

@FreeBooter: Unfortunately that does not work for me as there are only the items I listed in my context menu.

@bro67: You are correct, but I would prefer to have it gone.

@Brink: Thank you. Yes, it is in a icon for Internet Explorer (and not a shortcut or Microsoft Edge). Funny you should reply--I had seen your thread! I tried step number 4 again but it didn't work. I will post some pictures that may or may not be relevant.

Brink · 25 Jan 2019

MrSerious said:

@[URL="https://www.tenforums.com/members/freebooter.html"]@Brink: Thank you. Yes, it is in a icon for Internet Explorer (and not a shortcut or Microsoft Edge). Funny you should reply--I had seen your thread! I tried step number 4 again but it didn't work. I will post some pictures that may or may not be relevant.

It looks like it will be the DWORD value set to "0" in your screenshot above as the cause.

Setting this value to "1" instead or deleting the DWORD, and refreshing (F5) your desktop afterwards should remove it.

MrSerious · 25 Jan 2019

As you have instructed, I changed the DWORD value to "1" and refreshed the desktop using F5, but it is still there. I then deleted the DWORD and refreshed the desktop using F5, but that didn't work either. Finally, I added the DWORD back and changed the value to "1" because I don't really know what I am doing.

Honestly, this has been driving me crazy!

Brink · 25 Jan 2019

In that case delete the "{871C5380-42A0..." DWORD from all locations in your screenshots, and restart the computer to see if it still remains afterwards.

MrSerious · 25 Jan 2019

Tried it, made sure I deleted the values, and the icon is still there. This is baffling to me. Thank you for helping me troubleshoot this.

edit: typo

Brink · 25 Jan 2019

If the full DWORD in your screenshots is {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}, then you can try downloading and merging the .reg file I created below to delete it.

Remove_Internet_Explorer_Desktop_Icon.reg

(contents of .reg file)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}"=-

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}"=-

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30301D}]