Desktop icons may not be visible after disconnecting HDMI display when Desktop is in Extended mode

This article helps work around an issue where the Desktop icons aren't visible if the HDMI display is disconnected and the computer is rebooted.

Applies to:   Windows 8
Original KB number:   2864242

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:

• You have a computer that is running Windows 8 in a multi-monitor configuration.
• The "Primary Monitory" is connected via HDMI.
• The Desktop is in Extended mode.

In this scenario, the Desktop icons may not be visible if the HDMI display is disconnected and the computer is rebooted.

Workaround

To work around this issue, press the Windows logo key‌+P and select "Duplicate" then "PC screen only."

Data collection

If you need assistance from Microsoft support, we recommend you collect the information by following the steps mentioned in Gather information by using TSS for deployment-related issues.