Solved Very Minor Desktop Icon issue

duckworth · May 23, 2023

The reply after mine with instructions on uninstalling the Widgets feature of W11 worked for me:

marodor50 said:
Completely uninstalling the Widgets feature of W11 is the only solution I have found. No more problems with the icons
I don't care about widgets

How to completely uninstall Widgets feature on Windows 11 - Pureinfotech

To remove Widgets completely on Windows 11, open PowerShell (admin) and run the "Get-AppxPackage *WebExperience* | Remove-AppxPackage"

pureinfotech.com

spapakons · May 23, 2023

For all of us using Edge but not widgets, I think is better to disable the latter. Download Winaero Tweaker and have a look at the available tweaks.

tigandym · May 26, 2023

Ultragravy said:
Hi all, having a slightly odd issue on Windows 11 that is very minor but wanted to see if it was anything to be remotely concerned about in case something wasnt setup right.

Whenever I leave my PC for a length of time, maybe 15-30 minutes, about the time you'd expect a screensaver or power management to kick in, when I return, my Desktop icons do not highlight when i hover over them, and mouse clicks to them will not respond. However, if I click on the taskbar or load up another app, everything is then 100% fine and the system works with no issues and all icons respond normally.

I have most screensaver/sleep/power management things turned off I believe, but it's a curious issue. There's nothing untoward in event logs, and a single click on a bar or loading an app or anything like that will resolve it fine. I'd read things about invisible windows from the Windows 11 Search function in previous patches, and wondered if it was related, but I've turned off the search box on the taskbar. I havent established EXACTLY what makes the icons start working again, but just clicking on the taskbar seems enough.

Is this something anyone has experienced before?

I honestly believe it's the widget window. If I move my icons outside the window footprint, they work fine. Make sure your widget window is minimalized. For me, when maxed, the window takes up the full screen and the icons won't work anywhere you put them. I'm going to use this work around until it gets fixed...

arby80 · Jun 5, 2023

You people are lifesavers. I have been trying to figure out for a week and a half as to why my desktop froze for 10 seconds after being left idle for 25-30 minutes. Go figure it is a mandatory half baked (ie useless) program from Microsoft that out of nowhere started causing the issue. I noticed that the location icon was suddenly always up on my PC and so I turned location settings off for widgets. Then sometime later I noticed the freezing issue. Who would have guessed the 2 were related.

I tried everything; sfc/scannow, deleting the file explorer cache and turning off frequently used folders, creating a new profile, messing with the display scale (I really thought I was on to something there), turning off all non Microsoft services and disabling startup services. I thought for sure that the only way I would fix the issue was going to be to reinstall windows.

Nope it is a Microsoft program that was poorly implemented to begin with causing the issue, go figure. Even funnier that it is so far only affecting my gaming PC and not my Surface Pro or other PC. Uninstalling Widgets using Powershell seems to have worked like a charm.

GaryB007 · Jun 19, 2023

Wow glad I found this. This has been going on for months with mine. The IT guy at work said I didn't have enough memory. I thought I had a virus or maybe my Norton was doing something. Nooo, it's freakin Windows. I moved my most used icons to the far right side of the screen and now no more freezing. Thanks all. I hope they fix this issue soon, it's been ridiculous.

computers · Jun 27, 2023

hi guys, i'm new and i'm italian, now i don't know how many people this is happening to, however i'm following you and i tried to remove the widget as Duckworth showed us, the situation has improved but sometimes, random, i have the frozen desktop icons, I repeat, it doesn't happen often but it does happen. So I don't think it's just a widget issue but I can assure you that it's been happening to me for a few months and I think after an update.

JohnnyGui · Jun 27, 2023

arby80 said:
You people are lifesavers. I have been trying to figure out for a week and a half as to why my desktop froze for 10 seconds after being left idle for 25-30 minutes. Go figure it is a mandatory half baked (ie useless) program from Microsoft that out of nowhere started causing the issue. I noticed that the location icon was suddenly always up on my PC and so I turned location settings off for widgets. Then sometime later I noticed the freezing issue. Who would have guessed the 2 were related.

I tried everything; sfc/scannow, deleting the file explorer cache and turning off frequently used folders, creating a new profile, messing with the display scale (I really thought I was on to something there), turning off all non Microsoft services and disabling startup services. I thought for sure that the only way I would fix the issue was going to be to reinstall windows.

Nope it is a Microsoft program that was poorly implemented to begin with causing the issue, go figure. Even funnier that it is so far only affecting my gaming PC and not my Surface Pro or other PC. Uninstalling Widgets using Powershell seems to have worked like a charm.

The issue in the OP happens in my case when the location icon comes up temporarily in the systray which happens after leaving the PC for a while.

Hovering over the location icon shows that Web Experience Pack is using the location. When it's done, the issue is gone.

Zinoviev · Jun 28, 2023

I think this issue got fixed in yesterdays update. Anyone else noticed? Build 22621. 1928

Zinoviev · Jun 28, 2023

Zinoviev said:
I think this issue got fixed in yesterdays update. Anyone else noticed? Build 22621. 1928

Actually i was wrong. The issue is still happening.

DigitalGoat · Jun 28, 2023

Windows Pro users can use GPE to disable Widgets at Computer Configuration/ Administrative Templates/ Windows Components/ Widgets, just set the policy to disable.
Not sure if this can be implemented on Home or not.
This just seems a better way to deal with issues if you don't want/ need Widgets as the setting stays regardless of updates and you don't need to be concerned with the 'feature' being re installed at some point despite your choice to maybe uninstall it.

computers · Jun 28, 2023

yes it is true Zinoviev, problem not solved even if uninstalling the widget the situation is improved but not solved.

spapakons · Jun 28, 2023

Sorry for asking again, just to confirm, using a local account instead of a Microsoft Account doesn't disable widgets? I haven't seen the issue you describe as I have a local account and widgets don't load.

rezpower · Jun 29, 2023

DigitalGoat said:
Windows Pro users can use GPE to disable Widgets at Computer Configuration/ Administrative Templates/ Windows Components/ Widgets, just set the policy to disable.
Not sure if this can be implemented on Home or not.
This just seems a better way to deal with issues if you don't want/ need Widgets as the setting stays regardless of updates and you don't need to be concerned with the 'feature' being re installed at some point despite your choice to maybe uninstall it.

This seem to have fixed the problem for me. Thanks a lot to all of you for your precious support.

Khgt650 · Jul 5, 2023

spapakons said:
Sorry for asking again, just to confirm, using a local account instead of a Microsoft Account doesn't disable widgets? I haven't seen the issue you describe as I have a local account and widgets don't load.

Widgets are functional, even with a local account. Some features of widgets might need a MS account, but the widget window itself is accessible and it does indeed display up to date content like news, weather etc... So yeah the widgets work even on a local account. Maybe yours are disabled for some other reason ?

I ended up uninstalling the widgets using powershell (The tutorial in marodor50's post) and the issue is gone completely.

Zinoviev · Jul 5, 2023

DigitalGoat said:
Windows Pro users can use GPE to disable Widgets at Computer Configuration/ Administrative Templates/ Windows Components/ Widgets, just set the policy to disable.
Not sure if this can be implemented on Home or not.
This just seems a better way to deal with issues if you don't want/ need Widgets as the setting stays regardless of updates and you don't need to be concerned with the 'feature' being re installed at some point despite your choice to maybe uninstall it.

This also fixed my issues and was a simple thing to do. Thank you. Finally the annoyance is gone.

JohnnyGui · Jul 27, 2023

Not sure if anyone has made a feedback about this issue in the Feedback app before but if anyone wants to upvote, here is my feedback:

The Windows Insider Program

Be the first to see what's next for Windows in the Windows Insider Program. Join the community, provide feedback to help make Windows even better.

aka.ms

bihslk · Jul 27, 2023

I uninstalled widgets too seems that problem dissapeared. Thanks!

spapakons · Jul 27, 2023

Yes, if you don't use Widgets, you better disable/uninstall them to free resources as well as prevent such bugs. You can always use the good old gadgets by installing 8gadgetpack.

giuarc · Aug 16, 2023

glasskuter said:
Whaaaat? Neither you nor the OP has completed your user profile. We do not know what version of 11 you are running. Are you running an insider build? If so, that could be your problem. We need to know what we are working with before we can give answers that might apply to you.

Yes, it happens for me too
It seems that the widget bar moves forward when "windows web experience pack" uses location services... only for the left side of the screen

Melchior · Aug 19, 2023

yup "windows web experience pack" is definitely the issue.
I sent in a feedback hub report on it.

Solved Very Minor Desktop Icon issue

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