windows 11 blank desktop

Question

my desktop just went blank randomly, the only thing left is the background image, the taskbar is still fine, the desktop file is normal

Answer 1

If your Windows 11 desktop has gone blank, showing only the background image while the taskbar remains functional, this issue may be related to the Windows logon process failing to spawn a user application. This can occur if the membership of the local Users group has been altered from its default settings.

To troubleshoot this issue, you can try rebooting your computer and booting into Safe Mode with Networking to see if your normal desktop appears. If it does, this indicates that the problem may be linked to user permissions or group settings.

You might also consider clearing the icon cache or re-registering the Shell Experience Host, as these steps can help resolve display issues on the desktop.

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References:

• Blank desktop in Windows
• Windows 11 overview
• Application shortcuts on the desktop, Start menu, and taskbar show blank icons

Answer 2

Hi juan,

Thanks for your post. If you experience a black or blank screen on your Windows device, try the following:

1. To wake the screen, use one of the following keyboard shortcuts: a. Windows logo key + P to choose a presentation or projection display mode.

b. Ctrl + Alt + Del to display security options.

2. For a black screen, use the following keyboard shortcut: Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset your graphics driver.

If you have a Surface, see Surface won't turn on or start.

Best Regards,

Ian Xue

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