Desktop is unavailable in Windows: how to fix it

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10. Some steps need an administrator account.

Which version of the error do you have?

The path in the message tells you which fix you need:

Path in the message	What it means	Go to
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop	The system account’s Desktop folder is missing, often after an update or a cleanup tool	Fix 1
C:\Users\YourName\Desktop	Your own Desktop folder was deleted, renamed or its location setting is broken	Fix 2 then Fix 4
C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive\Desktop	The Desktop was backed up to OneDrive, then OneDrive was unlinked, uninstalled or the folder was removed	Fix 3
Another drive, such as D:\Desktop or a network path	The Desktop was moved to a drive that isn’t connected now	Fix 2

You’ll usually see a blank desktop with no icons, sometimes a black background, and the message box may come back each time you sign in.

First: get File Explorer open

Try the simple things first: select OK on the message and restart the PC. The error is sometimes a one-off after an update. If it comes back and you have no desktop or taskbar to work with:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select Run new task (in Windows 10, File > Run new task).
3. Type explorer to open File Explorer, or type cmd and tick Create this task with administrative privileges to open an administrator Command Prompt.

If the screen stays black and nothing responds, see Black screen on Windows 11 or 10 first.

Fix 1: Recreate the systemprofile Desktop folder

This is the fix for the systemprofile\Desktop message, and it’s the one most often suggested on Microsoft’s own Q&A forum. Open an administrator Command Prompt (see above) and run:

mkdir C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

Then restart the PC. If Windows says the folder already exists, the problem is elsewhere: go to Fix 2.

If you can’t get to a desktop at all, you can do the same from the recovery screen: Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. In recovery the Windows drive is usually C:, but check with dir C:\Windows first, because it’s sometimes a different letter there.

Some guides suggest copying the hidden C:\Users\Default\Desktop folder into systemprofile instead. That also works, but the folder only needs to exist; an empty one is fine.

Fix 2: Restore the default Desktop location

Use this when the message shows your own user folder or another drive.

1. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\YourName (replace YourName with your account folder). You can also paste %USERPROFILE% into the address bar.
2. Right-click the Desktop folder and select Properties. If there’s no Desktop folder there, create one first (New > Folder, named Desktop).
3. Open the Location tab and select Restore Default, then Apply.
4. If Windows asks to create the folder or move files from the old location, select Yes.
5. Sign out and back in, or restart.

If the Desktop was on another drive or a network share, reconnect that drive first if you can, so your files can be moved back. If it’s gone for good, the default location will be empty but working.

Fix 3: Fix a Desktop that was moved to OneDrive

When OneDrive folder backup is on, your Desktop lives inside the OneDrive folder. If OneDrive is later unlinked, signed out or uninstalled, or someone deletes the OneDrive folder, Windows can end up pointing at a Desktop that isn’t there.

• If you still use OneDrive, open it and sign in again. Once it syncs, the OneDrive\Desktop folder and your files should come back. Check OneDrive.com first: your Desktop files are usually in the Desktop folder there.
• If you want to stop using OneDrive for the Desktop, open OneDrive Settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup, turn off Desktop and select Stop backup. Then use Fix 2 if the location still points to OneDrive. For the full steps, see How to stop OneDrive from syncing.
• If OneDrive is already uninstalled, use Fix 2, then download any Desktop files you need from OneDrive.com.

Don’t delete the OneDrive folder to “fix” this while OneDrive is still running: it treats that as a delete and removes the files online too.

Fix 4: Check the Desktop path in the registry

If Restore Default is greyed out or doesn’t stick, the setting may be wrong in the registry. Editing the registry incorrectly can cause problems, so make only this change.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit and press Enter.
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders (you can paste it into the address bar at the top).
3. Double-click the value named Desktop.
4. Set its data to %USERPROFILE%\Desktop and select OK. (If the value’s type isn’t REG_EXPAND_SZ, delete it and create a new Expandable String Value named Desktop with that data.)
5. Make sure the folder C:\Users\YourName\Desktop exists, then restart.

Leave the neighbouring Shell Folders key alone; Windows updates it itself. Work or school PCs may set the Desktop location through policy (folder redirection), in which case the setting comes back and you should contact your IT team.

If the error still appears

• Repair system files: in an administrator Command Prompt, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and then sfc /scannow. If SFC fails, see Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.
• If the message mentions access being denied rather than a missing location, check the folder’s permissions; see You don’t currently have permission to access this folder.
• Create a new local user account under Settings > Accounts > Other users and sign in to it. If that account works, your old profile is damaged; copy your files from C:\Users\YourName to the new account.
• Use System Restore (rstrui) to go back to a point before the error started.

Related guides

• How to stop OneDrive from syncing without losing files
• Black screen on Windows 11 or 10? How to fix it
• You don’t currently have permission to access this folder: how to fix it
• Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation: 7 fixes

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s documentation and Q&A:

• Microsoft Q&A: C:\Windows\system32\config desktop is unavailable
• Microsoft Support: Back up your folders with OneDrive

Frequently asked questions

Are my desktop files deleted?

Usually not. The error means Windows is looking in the wrong place. Check C:\Users\YourName\Desktop, C:\Users\YourName\OneDrive\Desktop and the Desktop folder on OneDrive.com before assuming anything is lost.

Why did this start after a Windows update?

Some updates and clean-up tools remove or fail to recreate the systemprofile\Desktop folder. Recreating it (Fix 1) is enough in most of those cases.

Can I just ignore the message?

You can select OK, but your desktop icons won’t show and some apps that save to the Desktop may fail. It’s worth fixing; the steps above take a few minutes.

Does this happen on Windows 11 too?

Yes. The message and the fixes are the same on Windows 10 and Windows 11.