My desktop icons disappeared. My files weren't deleted, but I can't right click to bring the icons back.

[Shromp]

I was pressing key combinations to see what would happen and I accidentally caused my desktop icons to disappear. The taskbar still worked so I was able to access my files. I looked through the internet on how to fix my problem, but most of their solutions involved using right-clicking on the desktop which I can't do.

(I can edit my files though, just not the desktop. Also, it's the alt, shift, and function keys I was playing with. I've definitely learned my lesson.)

 

[Colif]

Probably alt shift F4

desktop shortcut location is - C:\Users\*Your account name*\Desktop\

Save any documents you have open before proceeding
To view them on the desktop, press the Windows key+R and type 'taskmgr' into the run box, click the processes tab at the top and find 'explorer.exe', click it once then click End Process at the bottom, at this point your task bar will also disappear but no worry, click file, then run, then type 'explorer' into the box, then press enter, at which point everything should return to normal!

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111027142101AArWo32

Why doesn't the right click menu exist?

 

[uchchaydugal]

You can reboot your PC and then try right-clicking
If the right click works, then go to view -> show desktop icons and enable it
If that doesn't work then try booting your PC into safe mode.
Else the final solution (which worked for me) is open cmd with admin rights and run the command sfc /scannow.
Hope this helps