This is a common problem faced by users on almost all iterations of the OS, but Windows 10 seems more likely to be affected. So, let’s find out how to fix blurry icons in Windows 10.

Why do my icons look blurry?

Here are some of the reasons the desktop icons look appear blurry:

Scaling issues – This is usually the most common problem that leads to blurry icons in Windows. Though, some apps may not respond to scaling changes. Running an outdated graphics driver – If you run a corrupt or outdated driver, it will affect the display clarity. Icon has a low resolution – Often, a few icons designed for older iterations of the OS have a low resolution and appear blurry in the ones released later. A bug in the OS – In case you started encountering the problem after updating Windows, chances are that the issue lies with the installed version.

How do I fix blurry desktop icons?

Before we head to the slightly more complex solutions, let’s first try a few quick ones:

Restart the computer. Check for Windows Update and install the latest available version. If the problem is faced on an external monitor, reconnect it and check if it’s fixed.

If nothing worked, let’s head to the other solutions.

1. Change the View settings

In many cases, it was a problem with the app icon’s resolution, which started to blur when it increased beyond a specific limit. So it would be best if you had them set to a Small icon for the best results.

2. Update the graphics driver

That’s it! The graphics driver should be updated now, and desktop icons shouldn’t be blurry in Windows 10. In case Windows can’t find a newer version, navigate to the manufacturer’s official website and look it up:

NVIDIA AMD/ATI Intel

Update drivers automatically

If you don’t want to download the drivers manually, you can always download them automatically using a third-party tool. The significant advantage of using such a tool is that it finds compatible versions and works on your system. Thus, it keeps you away from damaging your PC by downloading and installing the wrong driver versions. DriverFix is a simple tool that can automatically update all your drivers with just a single click, so if you don’t want to search and download the drivers manually, be sure to try this tool. Its interface is straightforward to use, and once the scan is completed, the tool will compare your current drivers with the ones found in its built-in database. Afterward, DriverFix will fix and update any missing or broken drivers.

3. Modify scaling

Scaling is probably the reason behind pixelated desktop icons if it wasn’t for the drivers. Some users reported that scaling was set to a higher level on their PC, resulting in blurry desktop icons, and putting it to 100% did the trick.

4. Adjust Visual Effects for the best appearance

This is another viable solution suggested by one of the users who had blurry text with high resolution in Windows 10. You can optimize your PC to perform better without the UI visual effects. However, remember that this might affect your system performance, mainly if you use a low-spec PC.

5. Create a new user profile

If nothing else has worked, it’s likely a corrupt user profile to blame for blurry desktop icons. And the simplest solution, in this case, is to create a new one, either Microsoft Account or a Local Account. Once done, use a reliable backup tool to transfer data between the two profiles. By now, the blurry desktop icons would be visible, and the root cause of the problem would be eliminated. Also, the solutions listed here would work for blurry taskbar icons in Windows 10. Besides, find out the best display settings for enhanced Windows graphics. Drop in the comments section if you have any queries or know of another solution.

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