How to Remove Homegroup Icon from Desktop

If you restart your PC and suddenly the Homegroup icon starts in order to appear on the desktop out of nowhere, what would you do? Obviously, you guys will try to delete the icon since you don’t have any use of the Homegroup that has suddenly appeared on your desktop. However, even whenever you try to delete the icon when you guys again start your PC. Then you guys will find the icon again on your desktop, so deleting the icon in the very first place isn’t really helpful. Just read this article to know all about How to Remove Homegroup Icon from the Desktop. Let’s begin!

The main cause of this is when sharing is ON the homegroup icon will then be placed on the desktop by default. If you turn off sharing the icon will go away. However, there is more than one method in order to remove the Homegroup icon from the desktop in Windows 10. Then we would discuss today in the below troubleshooting guide.

Pro Tip: Right-tap on the desktop and select Refresh, this may actually be able to fix your issue. If not then just continue along with the guide below.

How to Remove Homegroup Icon From Desktop

Uncheck Network in Desktop Icon Settings

• Just right-click in an empty area on the desktop and choose Personalize.
• Then, from the left-hand side menu choose Themes and then tap on Desktop icon settings.
• Now in the Desktop Icon Settings window uncheck Network.
• Tap Apply followed by OK. This would definitely remove the Homegroup icon from a desktop. However, if you’re still seeing the icon then just continue with the next method.

Leave Homegroup

• You need to type Homegroup in the Windows search bar and tap on HomeGroup Settings.
• Then just tap on “Leave the Homegroup” and then tap on Save changes.
• Next, it will then ask for confirmation so again tap on Leave the homegroup.

• Now just reboot your PC in order to save changes.

Disable Sharing Wizard

• You have to open File Explorer by pressing Windows Key + E.
• Now just tap on View and then click on Options.
• In the Folder Options window, you need to switch to the View tab.
• Just scroll down till you find “Use Sharing Wizard (Recommended)” and then uncheck this option.
• Tap on Apply followed by OK. Reboot your PC in order to save changes.
• Now again go back to Folder Options and recheck the option as well.

Turn Off Network Discovery | Homegroup icon

• Tap on Windows Key + X and then select Control Panel.
• Just tap on Choose homegroup and sharing options under Network and Internet.
• Now under Share with other home computers, tap on Change advanced sharing settings.
• Next, just check Turnoff Network discovery and tap on Save changes.

This may also help you Remove the Homegroup icon from a desktop but it didn’t then continue as well.

Remove Homegroup Desktop Icon through Registry

• Tap on Windows Key + R and then just type Regedit and then click on Enter in order to open Registry Editor.
• Now navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

• You have to find the key {B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93} in the right window pane.
• Then if you can’t find the above Dword and then you have to create this key.
• Right-click in an empty area in the registry and just choose New > DWORD (32-bit) value.
• Now name this key as {B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93}.
• You have to double-click on it and then change its value to 1 if you guys want to remove the HomeGroup icon from the desktop.

Delete the HomeGroup Registry Key | Homegroup icon

• Tap on Windows Key + R and then type Regedit and click on Enter in order to open Registry Editor.
• Now navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

• Just under NameSpace locate the key “{B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93}” and then right-click on it and choose Delete.
• You have to close Registry Editor and restart your PC.

Disable Homegroup

• Tap on Windows Key + R and then type services.msc and click on Enter.
• You have to scroll till you find HomeGroup Listener and HomeGroup Provider.

• Just right-click on them and choose Properties.
• You have to make sure to set their startup type to disabled and if the services are running, then tap on Stop.
• Just reboot your PC to save changes and check if you were able to Remove the Homegroup icon from the desktop in Windows 10

Run DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) | Homegroup icon

It’s also possible that Windows Files may also be corrupt and you guys are not able to disable homegroup then run DISM and then again try the above steps.

• Tap on Windows Key + X and then select Command Prompt(Admin).
• You have to enter the following command in cmd and click on enter:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Click on enter to run the above command and then wait for the process to complete. m]Mostly, it takes 15-20 minutes as well.

NOTE: If the above command doesn't work then try on the below: 
Dism /Image:C:\offline /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:\test\mount\windows
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:\test\mount\windows /LimitAccess

Note: You have to replace the C:\RepairSource\Windows along with the location of your repair source (Windows Installation or Recovery Disc).

• Then after the DISM process is complete, just type the following in the cmd and click on Enter: sfc /scannow
• Just let System File Checker run and when it’s complete, just restart your PC.

Conclusion