Have you ever encountered the “desktop folder missing from user profile” issue? Do you have any idea how to fix it? Now in this post from MiniTool, you can learn where is the desktop folder in Windows 11/10 and how to bring back the missing desktop folder in Windows 11/10.

Many users are troubled by folder-missing issues. We talked about how to fix the Windows Pictures folder missing issue and the problem of the Users folder missing before. Today we are going to guide you to fix the matter of the “desktop folder missing from user profile”.

Where Is the Desktop Folder in Windows 11/10

In general, the desktop folder is located under the user profile. In File Explorer, the default location of the desktop folder is C:\Users\Default\Desktop or  C:\Users\username\Desktop.

Why Desktop Folder Not Showing in User Profile Windows 11/10

Many factors can cause the desktop folder to disappear. Here we list the most common causes.

  • The desktop folder is hidden.
  • The desktop folder location has been changed.
  • There is another folder called Desktop so the default desktop folder not showing up due to folder conflict.
  • The desktop folder is deleted by mistake or removed by viruses.
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How to Fix Desktop Folder Missing From User Profile Windows 10/11

After knowing what causes the desktop folder to disappear, let’s see how to bring back the missing desktop folder in Windows 11/10.

Fix 1. Show Hidden Files and Folders

As said before, when your files or folders are hidden, you can not view them in File Explorer. In this situation, configuring it to show hidden files and folders is an effective way to get back the missing desktop folder.

Fix 2. Restore the Desktop Folder to the Default Path

When the desktop folder missing from user profile but showing up in another location, you can try to restore the desktop folder to its default path.

Step 1. In File Explorer, right-click the Desktop folder to select Properties.

Step 2. In the new window, move on to the Location tab and click Restore Default.

click restore default

Step 3. If prompts are showing up, you need to follow the instructions to accomplish the task. Then click the OK button to exit desktop properties.

Finally, check whether the desktop folder is showing up under your Users folder now.

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Fix 3. Check If There Is Another Desktop Folder

To check whether there is another folder called Desktop that is preventing you from viewing the default desktop folder, you can do as follows.

Tips:

Tip: Before performing the steps below, you need to make sure the Folder Merge Conflicts feature is enabled.

Step 1. In File Explorer, navigate to the location of C:\Users\username.

Step 2. Right-click any blank area to choose New > Folder. Then name the created folder to Desktop. If there is another desktop folder, you will receive a message stating “This destination already contains a folder named Desktop” as follows.

folder merge conflicts

Step 3. Now you need to find the “fake” desktop folder and change its name to another one. Then find the real desktop folder and restore its name to Desktop.

Fix 4. Use MiniTool Power Data Recovery to Recover Lost Desktop Folder

If you cannot find the desktop folder by using all the ways listed above, the desktop folder may get lost due to accidental deletion, virus infection, or other reasons. To get back the missing desktop folder, you need to use a piece of free data recovery software.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is the most recommended data recovery service. It works great on computer hard drive data recovery, USB flash drive data recovery, SD card data recovery, and so on.

Besides, it supports scanning and recovering files from a specific folder, the Recycle Bin, and the desktop individually. So, to restore the desktop folder from the Users folder, you can choose the Users folder to scan.

Now click the button below to get MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free installed and give it a try.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

select a specific folder to scan

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Final Words

This post tells you how to fix the trouble of “desktop folder missing from user profile” by showing hidden files, restoring the desktop folder location to default, renaming the duplicate folder, and recovering the desktop folder by using MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Should you have any questions about this article, please feel free to leave your comments below.

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About The Author

Shirley
Shirley

Position: Columnist

Shirley graduated from English major and is currently an editor of MiniTool Team. She likes browsing and writing IT-related articles, and is committed to becoming a professional IT problem solver. The topic of her articles are generally about data recovery, data backup, and computer disk management, as well as other IT issues. In spare time, she likes watching movies, hiking and fishing.