Restore, Enable and Display the Missing Internet Explorer (IE or IE7) Icon on Windows Vista Desktop
Windows Vista does not place Internet Explorer (currently Internet Explorer 7 or IE7) icon or shortcut on desktop. Even if initially there is IE desktop icon, once you delete or hide the IE icon, it’s pretty hard to get back the full applet IE7 desktop icon even though during the deletion, the warning message prompts you to restore it later from Personalization in Control Panel, as IE7 or IE is not contained in Desktop Icon Settings Creating shortcut to IE7 won’t be nice as it’s shortcut icon, not an actual IE7 desktop icon which allows you easy access to Internet Properties and other related Internet functions (see image below).
IE7 desktop icon and desktop shortcut side by side.
To re-enable, restore, show and display the Internet Explorer 7 (IE or IE7) Vista desktop icon, here the step on how to do it:
- Start registry editor by clicking on Start button, then select “Run”. Type in “regedit” in the Open text box and hit “OK” or press “Enter”.
- Navigate to the following registry key:[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]If you’re using classic theme or scheme, browse to the following registry location instead:[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]If the above key doesn’t exist, create a new key.
- Edit or create a DWORD (32-bit) value named {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} and set it with value of 0 (dword:00000000).
- Refresh Windows Vista desktop by pressing F5 or right click on desktop and click “Refresh”.
You will see the IE or IE7 icon has been put back on Vista desktop.
For easier way, here is the registration (.reg) file that you can download and then double click to execute the file to merge the required registry key and value into the Vista registry. Refresh desktop after applying the registry hack.
Download vistaie_icon.reg or vistaie_icon_classic.reg (for classic Vista desktop theme only).
Alternatively, copy and paste the below code to a text file and save it as a file name with .reg extension. Then double click on the file to merge the data to the registry. After refreshing desktop, IE7 desktop icon will be back on view.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
“{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}”=dword:00000000
Or for classic Windows desktop:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
“{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}”=dword:00000000
The trick is also used to restore IE desktop icon in Windows XP SP3.
Share and contribute or get technical support and help at My Digital Life Forums.
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Entries (RSS)
December 10th, 2007 00:16
This fix didn’t work for me. I found it all over the internet in forums and in tips others had posted. This is what I did, and perhaps making the registry changes first helped in the icon appearing, but I had to take these extra steps:
Right click on the task bar, you will see the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties. Click the Start Menu tab. Make sure the Start Menu radio button is checked and then choose Customize. Then you will see Customize Start Menu. Toward the bottom of the box you will see Use Default Settings, immediately beneath that you will see Show on Start Menu and beneath that you will see two check boxes. Make sure Internet Link is checked and in the drop down box choose Internet Explorer.
In the Start Menu, right click on the Internet Explorer icon and choose Internet Properties. Click on the Programs tab. The last option in the Programs tab is Internet Programs. Choose Set Programs, then choose set program access and computer defaults, if you are prompted to stop or continue, choose continue, you will see Microsoft Programs, Non Microsoft and Custom. Click the Custom Radio button. The first option is Choose a Default browser, click the Internet Explorer radio button and then click OK and then click out of all open windows.
I hope this works for those for whom the other methods didn’t work.
March 8th, 2008 00:14
Thanks so much for that. I’ve been trying to bring back my IE shortcut for about a week now.
May 5th, 2008 06:51
OMG, I’ve been searching for a couple of days for the solution, Microsoft.com didn’t help. Ty to Brenda and the My Digital Life. Works like it should again.
May 11th, 2008 02:57
[...] previously from Windows XP SP2 or earlier when user install hotfix updates or IE7, but there is trick to restore the IE desktop icon, which continue to applied now). The behavior of Internet Explorer 7, which is bundled with Windows [...]
August 8th, 2008 04:10
Thanks so much! The fix worked perfect! I must have deleted it back accident from my wifes laptop. She got pissed, because she liked the convenience of right clicking and having internet options available to her while at the desktop.
Thanks again!!!
August 14th, 2008 16:51
Thanks you.. really helpful.. I manage to restore the IE7 icon on the desktop by regedit the registry