The new Windows 11 operating system comes with just one icon on the desktop which is for the Recycle Bin. If you have been a long-time user of the Windows operating system, then you must be familiar with the setup which shows several system icons, including the Computer, User’s Files, Network, and Control Panel, on the desktop.

If you are looking for a way to bring them back, then we have got you covered. In this step-by-step guide, we will show you how to bring back the legacy desktop icons on your Windows 11 computer through the Settings apps.

How to show legacy desktop icons on Windows 11

Step 1: Open the Settings application on your Windows 11 computer. For this, you can press the Windows + I keys on the keyboard or select the app from the Start menu.

Step 2: When the Settings window opens, select the “Personalization” option from the left sidebar.

Step 3: In the Personalization settings, select the “Themes” option from the right-side pane.

Step 4: Under the “Related settings” section, click on the “Desktop icon settings” option.

Step 5: In the window that opens, select the icons that you want to appear on the desktop and then click the “Ok” button.

That’s it. All the icons that you selected from the options — Computer, User’s Files, Network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel will now appear on the desktop. To remove the icons from the desktop, you can follow the same steps and above and then untick the checkbox for the icons that you don’t want on the desktop.