How to Create a Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows
Show desktop can be used to minimize and restore all of your open windows at once.
The included Show desktop transparent button is at the end of the notification area on the taskbar just to the right of the clock. Show desktop on the taskbar is not available while in tablet mode. You can use either option below to use the Show desktop button:
- Press the Win + D keys.
- Click/tap on the Show desktop button.
- Right click or press and hold on the Show desktop button, and click/tap on Show desktop.
This tutorial will show you how to download or create a Show desktop shortcut for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.
Contents
- Option One: To Download a Show desktop Shortcut
- Option Two: To Manually Create a Show desktop Shortcut
1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .zip file below.
2 Save the .zip file to your desktop.
3 Unblock the .zip file.
4 Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the shortcut to your desktop.
5 If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to All apps, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
6 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.
1 Right click or press and hold on an empty area on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.
2 Copy and paste the location below into the location area, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{3080F90D-D7AD-11D9-BD98-0000947B0257}
3 Type Show desktop for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
You could name this shortcut anything you would like though.
4 Right click or press and hold on the new Show desktop shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.
5 Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, then click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)
6 In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll
7 Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)
You could use any icon that you would like instead though.
8 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)
9 If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to All apps, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.
That's it,
Shawn Brink