One of our users recently experienced the following, surprisingly common, problem:

“When I boot Windows, all I see is a blank desktop. There is no task bar or no icons are visible. I booted in Safe Mode and here everything appears as normal – what has caused this?”

Cause of blank desktop issue

We decided to post this issue, and the solution, as it seems to be experienced by more and more users. There are various reasons for this problem but the most common and likely cause is malware infection.

Solution to blank desktop issue

If the issue is due of malware infection, you can resolve it by running a virus scan using a trusted antivirus tool in the Safe Mode. It is advisable to run a malware check anyway as, if this is not the cause, it will at least rule it out.