Is It Safe to Delete Desktop.ini?

What is Desktop.ini?

If you have “Show Hidden Files” enabled in Windows, you may have noticed translucent, ghost-like files named desktop.ini suddenly appearing on your desktop and inside various folders. Because they look suspicious and appear randomly, many users mistakenly believe they are viruses.

They are actually simple, plain-text configuration files created automatically by Windows.

Why Does It Exist?

The desktop.ini file holds custom view settings for the specific folder it is inside of. For example, if you change a folder’s icon to a custom picture, or if you tell a folder to display large thumbnails instead of a list, Windows writes those preferences into the desktop.ini file. The next time you open the folder, Windows reads the file to remember how you like things arranged.

Can You Delete It?

Yes, it is safe to delete, but it is ultimately pointless.

Deleting a desktop.ini file will absolutely not harm your computer or delete your personal files. However, it takes up less than 1 Kilobyte of space, so deleting it won’t save you any storage.

How to Hide It (Recommended)

Instead of deleting them, it is highly recommended to simply hide them from view (which is the default Windows setting).

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click the View tab at the top (or click the three dots ... in Windows 11 and select Options).
3. Open the Options menu and click the View tab.
4. Check the circle next to “Don’t show hidden files, folders, or drives”.
5. Check the box next to “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)”.
6. Click Apply. The files will vanish.

What Happens If You Delete It?

If you delete a desktop.ini file, the folder it was inside of will simply revert to its default Windows appearance. Any custom folder icons, specialized layouts, or specific background settings you applied to that folder will be lost. Furthermore, the very next time you customize the folder, Windows will just instantly recreate the file.

Bottom Line

Desktop.ini is a completely harmless system configuration file. While safe to delete, it’s a much better idea to simply configure Windows to hide them from view so they stop bothering you.