Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows  

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows

    How to Create a Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows
    Published by Category: Customization
    18 Mar 2023
    Designer Media Ltd

    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.

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows-taskbar_show_desktop-1.png Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows-taskbar_show_desktop-2.png

    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


    1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .zip file below.

    Show_desktop_shortcut.zip

    Download

    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.






    OPTION TWO

    To Manually Create a Show desktop Shortcut


    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}

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows-shortcut-1.png

    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.

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows-shortcut-2.png

    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)

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows-shortcut-3.png

    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

    Create Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows-shortcut-4.png

    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






  1. Posts : 253
    64-bit Windows 10 Home ver.1607
       #1

    Shawn, I'm getting the UAC prompt when I click the icon. How do I avoid that? Do I need to create a task for that? Thanks.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,658
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Art, :)

    Double check using OPTION EIGHT below to see if you may have mistakenly set it to always "Run as administrator".

    Run as Administrator in Windows 10
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 253
    64-bit Windows 10 Home ver.1607
       #3

    Yup. That was it. Thanks!
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,658
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    You're most welcome. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 1
    W10
       #5

    Thank you. I am using this pinned to the taskbar to get out of fullscreen applications in VR from SteamVR desktop view. SteamVR keyboard does not support the Windows key ... with this trick, I can switch to another screen (got 3) and press the icon there while the mainscreen was showing the app fullscreen.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,658
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    gogogo131347 said:
    Thank you. I am using this pinned to the taskbar to get out of fullscreen applications in VR from SteamVR desktop view. SteamVR keyboard does not support the Windows key ... with this trick, I can switch to another screen (got 3) and press the icon there while the mainscreen was showing the app fullscreen.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       #7

    Thank you Shawn. The Desktop shortcut is a life saver. With all the telecommuting it is already difficult to keep track which system the keyboard responds to and how and Windows key (as much as they like to push it) doesn't work for me most of the time for various reasons (I am connecting from my Mac to Windows and then mstc to other Windows ... it's complicated!).
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,658
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I'm glad it could help @VioletL, and welcome to Ten Forums.
      My Computers


 

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