How To Change Icon Size In Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Home » How-To

5 min. read

Published on October 25, 2025

Fix Windows errors with Fortect:
Fortect can repair common computer errors by scanning your entire system for damaged or missing OS files and replacing them with the original, working versions. Optimize your PC in 3 simple steps:

Download and Install Fortect on your PC
Use the PC Scan feature to look up any Windows issues (including drivers)
Right-click on Repair, and fix it within a few minutes.

Besides that, it helps you clean up junk files, fix stability problems, and get rid of annoying programs and malware traces.

Customizing the appearance of your Windows 11 desktop is a great way to personalize your computing experience. One simple yet effective customization is adjusting the size of your desktop icons. Whether you want larger icons for better visibility or smaller ones to maximize screen space, Windows 11 offers several easy methods to achieve the desired look.

This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough of all the methods available to change icon sizes in Windows 11. By following these instructions, you’ll be able to quickly and easily adjust the size of your desktop icons, improving both the aesthetics and functionality of your Windows 11 environment.

Want Bigger or Smaller Icons? Here’s How

Method 1: Using the Desktop Context Menu

This is the quickest and easiest way to adjust icon sizes on your desktop.

Right-click on any empty space on your desktop. This will open the context menu.
Hover your mouse cursor over the “View” option in the context menu. A submenu will appear.
Select your desired icon size from the submenu: “Large icons,” “Medium icons,” or “Small icons.”

Method 2: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

For even faster adjustments, use keyboard shortcuts in conjunction with your mouse.

Click on the desktop to ensure it’s the active window.
Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
Scroll the mouse wheel up to increase icon size, or down to decrease icon size. Release the Ctrl key when you’ve reached your desired size.

Method 3: Changing the Display Scaling Settings

This method changes the size of all elements on your screen, including icons, text, and apps. It’s useful if you find everything too small or too large.

Right-click on any empty space on your desktop.
Select “Display settings” from the context menu.
Scroll down to the “Scale & layout” section.
Click the dropdown menu under “Scale” and choose a scaling option. Higher percentages will make everything larger.
Confirm your changes. Windows may ask you to sign out and back in for the changes to take full effect.

Method 4: Adjusting Icon Spacing in the Registry Editor (Advanced)

This method provides granular control over icon spacing, which indirectly affects how many icons can comfortably fit on your desktop, giving the impression of size changes. Warning: Incorrectly editing the registry can cause serious problems. Back up your registry before proceeding.

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics
Find the IconSpacing and IconVerticalSpacing values in the right pane. These values control the horizontal and vertical spacing between icons, respectively.
Double-click on each value to modify it. The default value is typically -1125. Smaller negative numbers will reduce the spacing, making icons appear closer together (and effectively smaller, visually). Larger negative numbers will increase spacing.
Enter your desired value and click “OK.”
Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Tips

Experiment with different methods to find the one that best suits your needs.
If you’re using a high-resolution display, you may need to increase the scaling to make icons and text more readable.
Remember that changing the display scaling will affect the size of all elements on your screen, not just icons.
Back up your registry before making any changes to avoid potential problems.

Let’s compare the different methods for changing icon sizes:

Method	Granularity	System-Wide Effect	Complexity	Reversibility
Desktop Context Menu	Low	No	Low	Easy
Keyboard Shortcuts	Medium	No	Low	Easy
Display Scaling Settings	Low	Yes	Medium	Easy
Registry Editor (Icon Spacing)	High	No	High	Requires Backup

Fine-Tuning Your Icon Display

Changing icon sizes in Windows 11 is a simple way to customize your desktop and improve your overall user experience. By using the methods described above, you can easily adjust the size of your icons to suit your preferences and needs.

FAQ

How do I revert to the default icon size in Windows 11? You can revert to the default icon size by right-clicking on the desktop, selecting “View,” and choosing “Medium icons.” You can also reset the display scaling to 100% in the Display settings.

Why are my desktop icons blurry after changing the size? This can happen if you’re scaling icons beyond their intended resolution. Try using smaller increments when adjusting the size, or consider using higher-resolution icons if available.

Can I change the size of icons in File Explorer? Yes, you can change the size of icons in File Explorer by using the “View” tab in the ribbon and selecting different icon sizes.

Will changing the icon size affect the performance of my computer? In most cases, changing the icon size will have a negligible impact on performance. However, if you’re using a very old or low-powered computer, you may notice a slight slowdown.

How do I backup my registry before making changes? Open Registry Editor, click File > Export. Choose a location and name for the backup file, and click Save.