SOLVED Desktop & Toolbar Icons disappeared

[Lance Brown]

I found my 18-month old daughter pounding away at my laptop today, and after I got her away from it, I noticed there was a problem.

I can no longer view my desktop and the icons on my toolbar are missing (Edge, Chrome, Word, etc.). When I reboot my computer, I can see my desktop wallpaper in the background, but there are no icons/files on it, and the windows apps are up front and center, which I cannot move or minimize (Screenshot below). Even when I have windows/applications open, the icons do not appear in the toolbar. Can someone please help me restore my desktop and icons to the way they used to be?

 

[davidhk129]

Cannot completely solve all your stated problems.
However, one thing that is certain........
Your screenshot shows you are on "tablet mode ".
At the bottom right of your taskbar, there is a Notification icon right next to the Time > click it > click Tablet mode.
That will bring you back to normal Start screen........But not your desktop.

As to the desktop.......
After you are back to your "normal" Start screen, click the Power icon near bottom left > click Restart.
That might bring you back to your desktop upon restart.

 

[Lance Brown]

Cannot completely solve all your stated problems.
However, one thing that is certain........
Your screenshot shows you are on "tablet mode ".
At the bottom right of your taskbar, there is a Notification icon right next to the Time > click it > click Tablet mode.
That will bring you back to normal Start screen........But not your desktop.

As to the desktop.......
After you are back to your "normal" Start screen, click the Power icon near bottom left > click Restart.
That might bring you back to your desktop upon restart.

Well look at that, it worked! Everything is back to normal. I learn something new every day

 

[davidhk129]

Good.

Have fun learning. Many times frustrating. But the joy of new discovery immeasurable.

 

[Michel Auclair]

I had the same issue. Thanks to this post, its fixed.