How to change the icon size in Windows 10

Wish the desktop icons in Windows 10 were bigger and easier to tap on your touchscreen laptop? Or would you rather such shortcuts didn't take up as much real estate space on your laptop? Not to worry, here's how to change the icon size in Windows 10.

How to change the icon size in Windows 10

1. Right-click on an empty space on the desktop.

2. Select View from the contextual menu.

3. Select either Large icons, Medium icons, or Small icons. The default is medium icons.

On laptops with a native 1600 by 900 pixels display, the large option looks huge, the small size is too small, and the medium size looks just right (as Goldilocks would say). Your preference might vary depending on your screen's display resolution. Changing the size of the icons on the desktop doesn't affect the size of the icons elsewhere in Windows 10, but there are ways you can change those, too.

How to change the size of the taskbar icons

If you want to change the size of the icons in your taskbar, there's a different setting for that, which will also change the size of text, apps, and other items across Windows 10.

1. Right-click on an empty space on the desktop.

2. Select Display settings from the contextual menu.

3. Move the slider under "Change the size of text, apps, and other items" to 100%, 125%, 150%, or 175%.

Move the slider to 100%, 125%, 150%, or 175%

4. Hit Apply at the bottom of the settings window. Windows might ask you to log out and log back in for a more consistent experience.

This will not only make the icons in the taskbar a bit larger, but it will also make text bigger in apps like Microsoft Edge and Calendar, as well as in Windows 10 notification windows.

How to change the size of icons in File Explorer

If you'd like larger or smaller icons or thumbnails in particular folders, you can change those on the fly in File Explorer.

Just head to your folder location and use your mouse's scroll wheel to zoom in or out, effectively switching the view between Windows 10's large icons, medium icons, small icons, list, details, tiles, and content views.

Although File Explorer will remember your last setting when you open this folder again, this is a folder-specific setting, so you'll have to adjust each folder you'd want different icon and text sizes for.