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Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Wintips.org. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

125 Comments

  1. David
    November 1, 2018 @ 11:44 pm

    You can also just press the Windows key and "D"

    Reply

  2. Pedro
    October 11, 2017 @ 6:28 pm

    The 3 command lines worked fine with me!
    Just started working with 2 screens it was very, very, very, very annoying try to show desktop with the default button.
    A VERY BIG THANK YOU!

    Reply

  3. emine cirpili
    April 20, 2017 @ 2:04 pm

    how do i get rid of the show desktop on the botto right hand corner once ive created another one on the bottom left?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      July 1, 2017 @ 9:18 am

      @emine cirpili: You cannot move or get rid of it, because is a Windows component.

      Reply

  4. Fix it
    August 27, 2016 @ 10:39 pm

    For everyone it doesn't work for Windows is now dumber than ever… Make sure your shortcut is running in Admin mode, because Microsuck wants to protect us from ourselves you're no longer the admin of your computer… Even if your account is an administrator account. (Unless it's the hidden one.)

    Reply

  5. mike
    June 24, 2016 @ 7:46 pm

    If anyone else can be helped with this. The "Easy Way" is to download a free tool from http://www.sordum.org/7615/easy-context-menu-v1-6/. It is well worth a donation as it gives you total control over adding almost anything to the right click menus.

    The Show Desktop function as stated here works fine in it. Add a custom right click option (I have mine at the top) name it whatever you want, give it whatever icon you want. Right click desktop and there it is when needed for instant minimize-all.
    I have to give their Context menu editor high marks as one of the best I have ever seen.

    I wish it could be the default left click on empty desktop space as no other program uses that. But a right click is easier than adding to my overloaded task-bar.

    Reply

    • Bobby
      February 11, 2020 @ 3:41 pm

      Not everyone can download tools such as this one. The solution in this posting works.

      Reply

  6. mike
    June 24, 2016 @ 7:22 pm

    Anyone have an idea bout how to make this work by left-clicking any "empty" space on desktop? Left click on empty space is not used by anything now and would be an easy natural move to get "behind" all the windows in the way

    Reply

  7. David Prasetyo
    December 8, 2015 @ 8:26 am

    Windows 8 should add this feature to default.

    Reply

  8. Alice
    October 2, 2015 @ 1:33 pm

    Two thumbs up! A warm hug and a smile
    good work ;)
    Thanks

    Reply

  9. BB
    August 29, 2015 @ 11:06 pm

    WORKS for me on Win 8.1. Thanks!

    and… Windows-D is what I now have learned.

    Reply

  10. Peter Quan
    August 14, 2015 @ 3:58 am

    Hi all,
    {Show the Desktop} It works perfectly for me. I am using Windows 8.1.
    Note: you just do exactly what the author of this post wrote, then it should be run smoothly!
    Thank you!
    Peter Quan (Vietnam)

    Reply

  11. igobythisname
    August 8, 2015 @ 8:41 am

    Hi!! Thank you so much for this neat little hack! I just tried this in Windows 10 and it worked-for the most part…

    Pinned & clicked Showed Desktop just great! but clicking it a 2nd time does not bring back all the windows like the 2nd click normally does.. any idea how to further tweak this?

    I used the Internet Explorer method

    Thanks!!!

    Reply

    • Rotcod
      October 25, 2015 @ 5:57 pm

      That would be good. Did you figure that out? Or did you find out how? Clicking that little space to the right of the date does it. But for some reason I want a bigger icon. (size matters)

      Reply

  12. Laurence
    July 15, 2015 @ 6:19 pm

    Very helpful! Thank you very much!

    Reply

  13. Aakif
    July 3, 2015 @ 9:25 am

    Another simple solution,

    1. open the start menu
    2. type desktop
    3. it will be most likely the 1st or second option which will say "Desktop"
    4. right click on it and click "Pin to Start"
    5. the icon will be added to your start menu at the end
    6. just scroll a side to adjust where you want it. thats it.
    no shortcut creation :) no copy paste command issue :)

    Reply

    • Tor
      July 6, 2016 @ 8:25 am

      Cheers, Aakif – a 5 second-fix, couldn't be simpler! :)

      Reply

  14. Jeff
    June 12, 2015 @ 5:06 pm

    Works great, thank you!

    Reply

  15. Hass
    April 20, 2015 @ 4:00 am

    Works well…cheers mate

    Reply

  16. Rob
    April 19, 2015 @ 3:29 am

    Thanks so much for this – great instructions and works great! Recently come to 8.1 from XP so a rather steep learning curve! Already found and installed Classic Shell to get my start button back!

    Reply

  17. Tom
    March 29, 2015 @ 3:39 pm

    Thank you. I looked all over the web for a solution to put a show desktop button on my taskbar. I have Widows 8.1. I admit I struggled at first and could not get it work until I read through the comments. Two things finally made it work for me. First, typing in the quotes manually and two, following the instructions. You know. . .when all else fails, read the instructions. : )

    Reply

  18. greg
    March 8, 2015 @ 3:54 pm

    does not work for me in windows 8.1 wih bing, says that file can not be found, tried both several times, could not c n p them had to type them out, looked at what it says on page and in error looks the same to me.

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 9, 2015 @ 12:08 pm

      @greg: I try this morning. Works great for me on Windows 8.1. Make sure that you type (copy/paste) right the command.

      Reply

  19. aaa
    February 18, 2015 @ 10:37 pm

    Nice & useful guide, thanks for it! Working 100%

    Reply

  20. HappyUser
    January 22, 2015 @ 8:03 pm

    Thank you…the directions were excellent. Works great.

    Reply

  21. Mead Dogman
    January 16, 2015 @ 7:47 pm

    Works perfectly! Thanks for the posting!

    Reply

  22. v-ger06
    December 7, 2014 @ 12:41 am

    Works perfectly,thanks a lot !

    Reply

  23. stacy
    December 2, 2014 @ 1:34 pm

    yeah thank you so much! helps me a lot since I always open so many things on my desktop…

    Reply

  24. oubli
    October 4, 2014 @ 5:23 am

    Omfg! A million thank you's for this!!!!!

    Reply

  25. susnsil@gmai.com
    September 5, 2014 @ 3:39 am

    worked perfectly! thanks a lot!! :D

    Reply

  26. Ann
    August 18, 2014 @ 8:24 am

    It worked !! thank you so much :D

    Reply

  27. aaa
    August 13, 2014 @ 7:17 pm

    Thanks!

    Reply

  28. Pinkest_Teddy
    July 8, 2014 @ 1:21 pm

    Worked for me thank you. Why do Microsoft 'improvements' make things worse? Why not have the desktop item ready on the taskbar? You'd be mad to not have it!

    Reply

  29. kerry yoder
    May 14, 2014 @ 4:39 pm

    Reply

    • D.
      June 4, 2015 @ 3:22 am

      Thats funny, i never knew that code.

      Reply

  30. Delfina
    May 14, 2014 @ 11:54 am

    Just click to the right of the clock as hi said in the first place, there´s your shortcut!!!!!!

    Reply

  31. hercules jr
    March 5, 2014 @ 8:21 am

    thx a thousand times!!!!

    Reply

  32. Kim
    February 23, 2014 @ 3:51 am

    Hi, I tried and it did not work at all and I have Windows 8. I typed in the 2nd link and I kept getting a black pop up screen that goes away every time I click on the icon on the taskbar.

    Reply

  33. Stefan Wulph
    February 7, 2014 @ 4:14 am

    It works great and one of the functions that I've missed from WinXP

    Reply

  34. mandyjmoore
    January 8, 2014 @ 5:52 pm

    Thank you. This worked wonderfully. It's amazing the lengths we go to to add back features software companies take away from us!

    Reply

  35. Marky
    January 2, 2014 @ 6:59 pm

    Great! I needed this and works fine ! Thanks !!!

    Reply

  36. Todd Stark
    December 11, 2013 @ 10:35 pm

    Thank you!

    Reply

  37. AJ
    December 4, 2013 @ 2:43 pm

    Thanks man, nice little trick

    Reply

  38. Navaneet Badami
    November 23, 2013 @ 1:07 pm

    great man its works fine…!

    Reply

  39. Soesapto Joeni H
    November 19, 2013 @ 1:45 pm

    it works! thanks

    Reply

  40. egija
    November 15, 2013 @ 4:24 pm

    it works perfectly fine, just need to change the user name and that's it!

    Reply

  41. Nekoj coek
    November 3, 2013 @ 9:58 pm

    works perfectly thanks :D

    Reply

  42. Thade Grey
    November 2, 2013 @ 9:28 am

    Works great. Although this is a pretty simple thing to do, it shouldn't be necessary. Why remove the show desktop icon from the task bar in the first place after all these years?

    Reply

  43. JammaMan
    October 29, 2013 @ 5:27 am

    Yep, change the weird quotation marks in the example to regular quotation marks and it works like a charm!

    Reply

  44. Atle
    October 21, 2013 @ 11:00 pm

    Did not work for me either, but I found the problem.

    The quotation marks are not recognized. Change them with standard "" instead of the funky dysfunctional ones and you are set to go.

    Reply

  45. Sangay Tenzin
    October 16, 2013 @ 5:47 am

    Yes, I have tried with it. Thnx

    Reply

  46. Nicholas Joll
    October 9, 2013 @ 5:09 pm

    The problem mentioned above – about the quotes – owes, I think, to the fact that the command as presented in your article uses 'smart' a.k.a. 'curly' quotes . .

    Actually, no, it still doesn't work . .

    Reply

  47. Damien Ó Cochláin
    October 9, 2013 @ 12:57 pm

    http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5069-quick-launch-add-taskbar-windows-8-a.html

    This method will get your quick launch menu back which includes the original Show Desktop button

    Reply

    • Andy
      November 21, 2013 @ 12:45 pm

      omg my quick launch is back together with the show desktop, thankss

      Reply

  48. K (@VichusSmith)
    October 8, 2013 @ 9:45 pm

    Nah, doesn't work. Neither solution does. Too bad, because this is the only attempt at this that I've seen. I had the solution for Win 7, but Win 8 killed that.

    Reply

    • lakonst
      October 9, 2013 @ 8:45 am

      Try to write the command by yourself. Don't use copy-paste.

      Reply

  49. John
    October 6, 2013 @ 5:53 pm

    “Shows Desktop.lnk” shortcut wont settle on taskbar!!… and there's no provision to add it to taskbar on right-click.

    Reply

  50. thai
    October 6, 2013 @ 8:35 am

    Open explorer
    search "Shows Desktop.lnk" file
    You take the file and copy it to your desktop
    right click and add to taskbar

    Reply

  51. John
    October 1, 2013 @ 11:06 pm

    Thanks works fine… But how about you manage this shortcut to undo minimize and restore desktop again. Thanks again!

    Reply

  52. Eric
    October 1, 2013 @ 5:27 pm

    Thanks for this, worked for me no problem!

    Reply

  53. epSarasomewellfoodgrowers
    September 25, 2013 @ 2:13 am

    it just doesn't work for me, though I was meticulous to follow the instructions carefully.

    Reply

  54. JK
    September 21, 2013 @ 3:31 pm

    Simple way to avoid above walk-through..
    You can just use the right bottom invisible show desktop buttom by just clicking it.
    Just click right bottom of task bar it will work just like windows 7.
    Also It brings back all the windows back the one you were working previously.

    Reply

  55. Mrc
    September 15, 2013 @ 11:58 pm

    Only problem is that with the old XP version and the new one on the right side of the taskbar, the minimized programs would reappear if you clicked on it again.
    With this hack, you can't do that, because you're only putting one command in the command prompt.

    Reply

  56. Jim
    September 11, 2013 @ 7:53 pm

    Thanks, works great….sorry Balmer and Gates, we WANT this option !! By the way, to get it to work, typing in the quotes manually was the trick.

    Reply

  57. Leslie
    September 11, 2013 @ 3:36 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I tried it at first and it didn't work. Then I read further and removed and retyped the " " and it worked.

    Reply

  58. Paulie
    September 3, 2013 @ 6:29 pm

    Thanks for spelling this out. Very helpful, and if above users follow the exact instructions, it'll work like a charm!

    Reply

  59. Jude Lee
    September 1, 2013 @ 2:24 am

    Great thanks! It was bugging me not having that. :)

    Reply

  60. tuyen
    August 17, 2013 @ 5:54 pm

    tks!!it's working …

    Reply

  61. John
    August 16, 2013 @ 5:01 am

    Thank you for this!! So helpful…this was driving me crazy

    Reply

  62. paul
    July 22, 2013 @ 8:59 pm

    Much better idea "Windows key" + D toggles the desktop and apps. This approach only minimizes…

    Reply

    • Ryan Beckett
      October 7, 2013 @ 3:38 am

      Fantastic! Thanks Paul…

      Reply

    • Sunny Sammut
      June 3, 2015 @ 1:02 am

      Wow great, thanks Paul

      Reply

  63. Mike
    July 20, 2013 @ 3:20 pm

    Thanks!

    Reply

  64. Radek
    July 20, 2013 @ 1:02 pm

    Great stuff, thank you

    Reply

  65. Holly D
    July 18, 2013 @ 10:59 pm

    Worked perfectly!! Thanks

    Reply

  66. Axel
    July 17, 2013 @ 2:21 pm

    Thanks, worked like a charm in Windows 8

    Reply

  67. Sunny Sammut
    July 5, 2013 @ 10:58 am

    It worked for me too. I used the first link. Just one issue though. When you click the Show Desktop icon again for the second time to get back to the work you were doing, it does not bring up the pages back on screen, which it used to do in Windows XP. Have I missed something

    Reply

  68. Amles Wonkes
    July 3, 2013 @ 10:55 am

    Even though it took a while finally I have my Windows 8 notebook working the way I want. I found all the previous comments very helpful. Thank you

    Reply

  69. Prasad
    June 29, 2013 @ 5:18 am

    Thanks a lot. I now have the show desktop button in my task bar. The procedure seemed very complicated but it worked well. It is really stupid and irritating to see the Windows team monkeying around with some very important convenience features with every new version. I start hating them for creating such irritants.

    Reply

  70. MWM Zinan
    June 28, 2013 @ 7:00 pm

    Working Thanks

    Reply

  71. Ester
    June 25, 2013 @ 4:07 pm

    is it normal that I see some black window straight after I press that icon?

    Reply

  72. Hans
    June 21, 2013 @ 3:04 am

    Oh wow thanks man, very helpful.

    Reply

  73. blah blah
    June 18, 2013 @ 11:40 am

    or you can just double right click on the bottom left corner. Problem solved. All windows/programs will drop to show just the desk top. No need to make things more complicated than they should be :)

    Reply

  74. Nick Allan
    June 14, 2013 @ 4:35 am

    Legend – great tip. WTF were Microsoft doing removing the Windows 7 shortcut?

    Reply

    • agbullet (@agbullet)
      June 20, 2013 @ 5:49 pm

      uh it's still there. bottom right corner. I don't know why people are going through this trouble TBH.

      Reply

  75. Oscar Curiel
    June 13, 2013 @ 1:16 am

    the only think is that itwont let you do the double click swtch from ex. this page to deskot 1 click to another click to this page capish?

    Reply

  76. Ron
    June 4, 2013 @ 7:23 pm

    What about clicking on the task bar to the right of the Date, just like Windows 7? Guess what? It's still there in Windows 8!

    Reply

    • PB
      October 25, 2013 @ 8:23 am

      Way cool! Never would have found that out by myself!
      Thanks

      Reply

  77. Danielle @ More Than Four Walls
    June 1, 2013 @ 12:53 pm

    Wonderful!! Thank you!

    Reply

  78. Storybookstory
    May 30, 2013 @ 6:59 pm

    Oh wait…never mind. I figured it out…
    :P
    Thanks for the instructions by-the way!! Awesome job. :-)

    Reply

  79. Storybookstory
    May 30, 2013 @ 6:57 pm

    When I right click on the Icon to "pin to task bar" there is no option for that. How is everybody else pinning it to task bar? What am I missing here?

    Reply

  80. Pieman
    May 23, 2013 @ 5:21 pm

    Thank you! Works great. Stupid of MS to omit this extremely useful button.

    Reply

  81. Bill Gates
    May 19, 2013 @ 11:47 am

    Ah, it stopped working again!

    Reply

  82. francescaWakefield
    May 16, 2013 @ 6:46 pm

    thank you! worked perfectly.

    Reply

  83. Isaac
    May 16, 2013 @ 4:14 pm

    thanks!! Exteremely helpful

    Reply

  84. Karl
    May 15, 2013 @ 3:32 am

    Thanks! This worked perfectly! This is even better than the Windows 7/8 location of the show desktop on the right side beside the clock. I never got use to it being there.

    Reply

  85. sandrine
    May 9, 2013 @ 11:44 pm

    Fabulous! i actually changed the icon – using the explore.exe file rather than shell32.dll but it works wonders! thanks very much!!!!

    Reply

  86. Keepitlit
    May 3, 2013 @ 9:32 am

    Dangerism's suggestion a lot simpler and works perfectly. No need for all those steps.

    "I could have done it in a much more complicated way" – Red Queen Alice in Wonderland

    Reply

  87. Ben
    May 2, 2013 @ 5:38 am

    it works very well for me thanks

    Reply

  88. dangerism
    April 30, 2013 @ 10:35 am

    or click at the blank area beside the clock/date area.Saves you a whole lot of steps you know. ;)

    Reply

    • marcof
      October 2, 2013 @ 8:22 am

      great. lol :)

      Reply

  89. acne cyst
    April 29, 2013 @ 7:13 pm

    I have study this publish extremely carefully and I have to say I'm charmed. Personally you're very gifted. Splendid see, brilliant performance….

    Reply

  90. diva_007
    April 28, 2013 @ 6:20 am

    This worked! I feel so smart. Your instructions were absolutely straightforward. Thank you.

    Reply

  91. Jonny
    April 23, 2013 @ 3:49 am

    It works G-R-E-A-T! Thanks. Someone please tell me why MS won't just bring that infinitely useful button back automatically? Seems really stupid that it was done away with.

    Reply

  92. Sompong
    April 22, 2013 @ 7:13 pm

    Thanks Thanks Thanks (^o^)

    Reply

  93. Brian McLaughlin
    April 22, 2013 @ 3:06 am

    Thanks, this was awesome.

    Reply

  94. Tony
    April 19, 2013 @ 8:06 am

    This is awesome. Took 5 minutes which I know is gonna save 100s of minutes of frustration and cursing. Thanks.

    Reply

  95. Stacy
    April 19, 2013 @ 1:33 am

    you are amazing. thank you!!!!

    Reply

  96. QtM
    April 18, 2013 @ 2:58 am

    Hey, it worked! Thanks!!

    Reply

  97. Bonnie
    April 11, 2013 @ 4:22 pm

    Two thumbs up!!! This worked exactly as you said.

    Reply

  98. Ross Cook
    April 7, 2013 @ 9:11 pm

    Worked perfect, thanks so much

    Reply

  99. Moon
    March 24, 2013 @ 11:32 am

    Works perfectly. Many thanks .

    Reply

  100. John2
    March 22, 2013 @ 5:26 pm

    Worked perfectly. I copied and pasted the first command. thanks.

    Reply

  101. Joe
    March 22, 2013 @ 1:37 am

    Thanks!! Works perfect…Much appreciated :)

    Reply

  102. John
    March 20, 2013 @ 6:39 am

    Not Fixed!!! I just tried it and it does for me exactly what Charles said it was doing for him. ("Upon clicking icon on taskbar, it briefly flashes a window with existing applications still not minimized" )

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 20, 2013 @ 10:00 am

      After you copy & paste the command, delete and retype the quotes using your keyboard! (For some reason the quotes doesn't copied right.)
      Please inform me, for the results. Thanks!

      Reply

      • Conan776 (@Conan776)
        May 20, 2013 @ 3:02 am

        That worked. Also not sure if you have to re-pin the corrected version too

        Reply

  103. Charles
    March 8, 2013 @ 7:42 am

    Doesn't work. Upon clicking icon on taskbar, it briefly flashes a window with existing applications still not minimized. Any other ideas?

    Reply

    • lakonst
      March 8, 2013 @ 12:38 pm

      Fixed!!! The command should now work correctly. Please try again to copy and paste it. Thanks for mentioning the error.

      Reply

    • Rick
      June 25, 2013 @ 6:10 pm

      Doesn't work. Same as Charles

      Reply

      • D.
        June 4, 2015 @ 3:21 am

        I know its quite late, but its important to have the quotation marks in place where they are in the command. I thought they were the author just quoting what to put in at first, so I didnt copy in the closing quotation marks. Add them and your good to go

        Reply

    • Hemang
      August 18, 2013 @ 11:06 am

      Dear Sir,

      I followed the steps mentioned in the screen shots but show desktop icon on the taskbar is not working

      Please help, i have tried both the command but it is not working

      Reply

      • lakonst
        August 27, 2013 @ 10:08 am

        The command is working! Please try again.

        Reply

        • Eric
          January 17, 2015 @ 12:47 am

          Still doesn't work in Windows 8.1.

          Reply

      • Paul
        August 8, 2017 @ 2:34 pm

        Don't know what you did, but works fine with me

        Reply

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