Hide desktop.ini for the desktop view only; still show hidden and system files

Desktop.ini files are special files that are created by Windows to store information about the layout and view of a folder. They are typically hidden and not visible by default, but if you have the \show hidden and system files\ option enabled, then they will become visible and can be a bit of an eyesore.

In some cases, you may want to hide these desktop.ini files from the desktop view but still keep them visible in other places, such as in File Explorer. This can be especially useful if you want to keep the desktop clean while still being able to access the desktop.ini files if needed.

There are a few different ways to go about this, depending on what version of Windows you are running and how you want the desktop.ini files to be handled.

The first option is to simply hide the desktop.ini files in File Explorer. This can be done by going to the View tab in File Explorer and selecting the \Hidden items\ checkbox. This will hide the desktop.ini files from the desktop view, but they will still be visible in File Explorer.

The second option is to use the Group Policy Editor to hide the desktop.ini files. This requires that you have access to the Group Policy Editor, which is only available in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. To access the Group Policy Editor, press the Windows key + R, type in gpedit.msc, and press enter.

Once you are in the Group Policy Editor, go to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> File Explorer. Under \File Explorer\, there should be a setting called \Prevent display of the Desktop.ini files\. Double click this setting and choose the \Enabled\ option. This will prevent the desktop.ini files from being displayed in the desktop view.

The last option is to use a third-party tool to hide the desktop.ini files. There are several third-party tools available that allow you to hide the desktop.ini files from the desktop view. These tools can be found online and typically require a small fee or donation.

Whichever method you choose, it is important to remember to back up your files before making any changes. This way, if something goes wrong, you can easily restore your files to their original state.

In conclusion, it is possible to hide the desktop.ini files from the desktop view while still keeping them visible in File Explorer. This can be done by using the \Hidden items\ option in File Explorer, using the Group Policy Editor, or using a third-party tool. It is important to remember to back up your files before making any changes, and to only use third-party tools that you trust.