Uninstalling
How to remove DeskDrawer cleanly, what is left behind (nothing), and how to get your desktop icons back.
The right order#
- Quit DeskDrawer from the tray menu. This restores the Native icon layer immediately.
- Uninstall it from Windows Settings → Apps, or by right-clicking it in the Start menu.
Quitting first is not strictly required — see below — but it makes the transition seamless.
What is removed#
The Store version's Configuration folder is removed automatically by Windows along with the package. Nothing is left in the registry, no services, no scheduled tasks, no shell extensions, because none were ever installed. See Installation.
For a Portable build: delete the executable and %APPDATA%\DeskDrawer.
Your files#
Untouched. Every file is exactly where it was on your desktop, because DeskDrawer never moved anything — see Board membership. Uninstalling a desktop organizer should never be a data decision, and with DeskDrawer it is not.
If the desktop looks empty afterwards#
This happens if DeskDrawer was still running when it was uninstalled: it had hidden the native icon layer and was removed before it could restore it.
Two fixes:
- Immediately: right-click the desktop → View → Show desktop icons. If it already shows a check mark, click it twice.
- Or do nothing. The hiding is session-only and never written to your Windows settings, so your icons return at your next sign-in regardless.