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Because it appears on their computer suddenly, some people mistakenly believe that the Desktop.ini is malware or a virus. This is not the case. However, if you are curious about what Windows’ Desktop.ini is, here’s the answer.
This article will explain what Desktop.ini is and how to use it. It also discusses whether or not it can be deleted.
Desktop.ini can be used to create a desktop hidden configuration file It can be found in any folder of Microsoft Windows (including Vista or Windows 10/11). Every Desktop.ini file has the configuration settings specific to that particular folder.
Because it is a protected file in the operating system, Desktop.ini cannot be seen by default. It may suddenly appear on your computer because you, or someone else has changed the folder settings so that hidden folders are displayed.
Files called Desktop.ini are created whenever a particular change is made to a directory, such as giving it specific icons or setting up sharing options.
The Desktop.ini files can be hidden or protected so that the average user won’t see them. You can make these files visible by placing them in your directory:
You should find the Desktop.ini file in every folder that has been modified or rearranged.
Simply deleting the Desktop.ini files will restore an existing folder back to its default settings. You can also delete the Desktop.ini files. If you wish to preserve the settings of a folder, however, you can conceal the Desktop.ini files by following the directions in the preceding section.
The Desktop.ini file can be used to modify a Windows folder. To begin, first you must: The folder can be hidden Label it with the important system folder designation so Windows can grant it the read-only attribute required to enable special behavior.
To do so:
The next step is to edit and create the Desktop.ini files. You will need to first create a text document in the folder that you wish to modify.
Now, you can populate the Desktop.ini file with configuration settings. These settings can be used to personalize your folder:
This is an example: Here’s a test directory I made using a customized icon and InfoTip:
This is the Desktop.ini file that was used to customise it:
You now know the contents of Desktop.ini and can how to use it for custom folder options. Although it may not be very useful, knowing that the mysterious folder hidden from your antivirus isn’t malicious is always a good thing.