How to merge several same name files on PC

I am not sure how it came about, but I have two desk top icons and other files.
when clicked on, each icon shows a file with different contents.
Is there a way to merge the files without losing some of the contents.

ignatzatsonic said:

Not sure what you are asking. I see maybe 40 icons.

Looking at your picture, what specific files and or folders do you want to "merge"?

For example, when I click on one of the desktop icons and then on the other, it shows different items on each.
The same when I click on a documents icon and then the other, each show different content.
How can I merge the contents of both and delete one of the icon/shortcut.

PS. the second picture is the bottom part of the list.

In the left-hand pane in your diagram, there are what appear to be folders but are actually special shortcuts to your own folders in C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents etc. MS thought this would be helpful.

In the right-hand pane in your diagram, there are what appear to be folders but are actually special shortcuts within "Libraries" to your own folders in C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents etc. MS thought this would be helpful.

It is possible to hide many or all of these "helpful" things if you are not going to use them. See, for example,
Add or Remove Folders from This PC - TenForumsTutorials

Please consider this information & then review your problem. I think you are still experiencing a problem [i.e. not just confusion] but it is difficult to tell at the moment.

Denis

Try3 said:

In the left-hand pane in your diagram, there are what appear to be folders but are actually special shortcuts to your own folders in C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents etc. MS thought this would be helpful.

In the right-hand pane in your diagram, there are what appear to be folders but are actually special shortcuts within "Libraries" to your own folders in C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents etc. MS thought this would be helpful.

It is possible to hide many or all of these "helpful" things if you are not going to use them. See, for example,
Add or Remove Folders from This PC - TenForumsTutorials

Please consider this information & then review your problem. I think you are still experiencing a problem [i.e. not just confusion] but it is difficult to tell at the moment.

Denis

Hi Denis, I probably did not explain the problem clearly.
The left hand pane is actually the bottom part of the right hand pane.
What I was hoping to accomplish is to merge both folders into one without losing some of the contents.
As it is now, for example the documents, each folder has a lot of the same content, but one has more folders and other items than the other.
See the sample of the two desktop shortcuts. it is the same thing with the documents shortcuts .

Just to emphasise definitions - everything you have referred to is a shortcut to one or more folders. When you look at each one, you can see the files & subfolders within the folder or folders.

Both Documents entries are shortcuts not folders despite their appearance.
- The uppermost Documents entry is a shortcut to C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents
- The lower Documents entry is another shortcut and is part of your Documents "Library", another collection of shortcuts. It includes, by default, a shortcut to C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents but you can add other elements to your Documents Library to suit yourself.

How to Add or Remove Documents Library - TenForumsTutorials
How to Include Folder to a Library - TenForumsTutorials - this one includes steps you can take to check which folders form part of any Library such as your Documents Library.

Similarly, your Desktop entries are shortcuts not folders.
- The uppermost Desktop entry is a shortcut to your C:\Users\YourUserName\Desktop that you [or the computer] has placed within the 'Quick access' group merely for ease of use.
- The third one is also a shortcut to your C:\Users\YourUserName\Desktop
- The middle one is a special case of Windows displaying everything else with 'Desktop' shown at the top of the hierarchy.
- You need to examine the Properties of each to see which each one points to. You are not looking at, for example, two different aures.jpg files, you are looking at a single aures.jpg file using two different views.
- Windows makes the situation more complicated by also showing, in some views, standard shortcuts to other things such as This PC, Libraries, Network, Control panel, your own user profile's folders [voltigeur], OneDrive, Recycle bin. These particular items can be hidden to avoid confusion. How to Add or Remove Common Desktop Icons - TenForumsTutorials

Based on the clarification in your last post, there is no problem as such - there is nothing that needs to be merged or, indeed, that could be merged.
- You are just getting misled by the different views Windows is providing of the same sets of folders.
- You can simplify how File explorer displays everything by right clicking in a blank area of the left-hand pane below the end of all the entries and unticking Show libraries and Show all folders. It can be useful to keep the tick next to Expand to current folder.

Denis

Try3 said:

Just to emphasise definitions - everything you have referred to is a shortcut to one or more folders. When you look at each one, you can see the files & subfolders within the folder or folders.

Both Documents entries are shortcuts not folders despite their appearance.
- The uppermost Documents entry is a shortcut to C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents
- The lower Documents entry is another shortcut and is part of your Documents "Library", another collection of shortcuts. It includes, by default, a shortcut to C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents but you can add other elements to your Documents Library to suit yourself.

How to Add or Remove Documents Library - TenForumsTutorials
How to Include Folder to a Library - TenForumsTutorials - this one includes steps you can take to check which folders form part of any Library such as your Documents Library.

Similarly, your Desktop entries are shortcuts not folders.
- The uppermost Desktop entry is a shortcut to your C:\Users\YourUserName\Desktop that you [or the computer] has placed within the 'Quick access' group merely for ease of use.
- The third one is also a shortcut to your C:\Users\YourUserName\Desktop
- The middle one is a special case of Windows displaying everything else with 'Desktop' shown at the top of the hierarchy.
- You need to examine the Properties of each to see which each one points to. You are not looking at, for example, two different aures.jpg files, you are looking at a single aures.jpg file using two different views.
- Windows makes the situation more complicated by also showing, in some views, standard shortcuts to other things such as This PC, Libraries, Network, Control panel, your own user profile's folders [voltigeur], OneDrive, Recycle bin. These particular items can be hidden to avoid confusion. How to Add or Remove Common Desktop Icons - TenForumsTutorials

Based on the clarification in your last post, there is no problem as such - there is nothing that needs to be merged or, indeed, that could be merged.
- You are just getting misled by the different views Windows is providing of the same sets of folders.
- You can simplify how File explorer displays everything by right clicking in a blank area of the left-hand pane below the end of all the entries and unticking Show libraries and Show all folders. It can be useful to keep the tick next to Expand to current folder.

Denis

I did have a look at the tutorials, but due to my dyslexia I always have a problem following written instructions.
Thank you all very much, I get it now.