The Easiest Tricks To Make Your Windows 11 Desktop Look Minimal – SlashGear

If you followed the previous steps and filed all your desktop items into a solitary desktop folder, the Recycle Bin icon will not disappear from the desktop — the copy that was transferred into the new folder is merely a shortcut — but you can easily hide it from view, Microsoft explains on its support website.

1. Go to Settings and choose Personalization from the left panel.
2. Head to Themes and select “Desktop icon settings.”
3. Uncheck Recycle Bin and hit OK.

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This will make the Recycle Bin on the desktop screen disappear from view, but you can always access it through the shortcut that was created in the new folder with all the desktop icons in it, anytime you need to. Alternatively, you can always follow the steps above and mark Recycle Bin again with a check to make it visible again.

Having one desktop folder that contains all the files and shortcuts you need quick access to should be enough to fulfill your minimalist desktop dreams. However, if you want to take it a step further, you can switch out the folder icon to something a little more negligible:

1. Right-click on the folder containing all the desktop items.
2. Select Properties.
3. Go to the Customize tab.
4. Hit the Change Icon button.
5. Select an option that looks plain, like the transparent folders or arrow.
6. Hit OK.

Jam Kotenko/SlashGear

Doing this should make the desktop icon folder blend into the background a bit more and increase your desktop’s minimalist appearance.