How to Arrange Icons on the Desktop Horizontally

On Windows

This practical guide explains how to arrange icons on the desktop horizontally with clear steps and useful context. It also covers common requirements, potential problems, and the details that can help you get better results.

Hover your mouse pointer over the View menu and uncheck Auto arrange icons. With this setting, Windows will stop rearranging icons every time you restart or add new icons to your desktop.

While this setting is enabled by default, you'll also need to check to make sure that the Align icons to grid option is ticked. This feature will keep the icons evenly spaced and beautifully arranged. If you don't want the icons to be evenly spaced or automatically aligned to the grid, you can uncheck the box.

Drag and drop icons to align horizontally. However, you need to do it manually as there is no automatic setting for this. However, after disabling the Auto arrange icons setting, you will be able to customize the icons horizontally and they will not be automatically rearranged afterwards.

On Mac

Drag and drop icons to align horizontally. You need to do it manually as there is no automatic setting for this.

Right-click an empty space on the desktop and select Show View Options. This option is usually at the bottom of the menu that appears after a right-click.

Adjust the settings you want, then close the window. In the "Show view options" window, you can change how the icons are displayed, such as how big or small the icons are and the grid size. Once done, click the x icon in the upper left corner to close the window.

You can also change the built-in text size of the icon as well as the position for the text label.

Conclusion

Understanding Arrange Icons on the Desktop makes it easier to compare options, avoid common mistakes, and apply the information in this guide more effectively. Review the relevant requirements before making changes or choosing a solution.