For some obsessive-compulsive geeks out there, there’s nothing better looking than a clean desktop – especially if one wants to flaunt a great wallpaper. However, even if one really tries to keep the desktop organized, eventually, a darned icon will pop up somewhere.

If you really want to have a clean desktop, you can actually do it in two or so strokes. Just select everything and send them all to the Recycle Bin and hid all the desktop items (Computer, Documents, and Recycle Bin via desktop personalization). If you’re feeling all power user-y, however, you can do this nifty registry hack that would hide your icons.

Warning: Even a slight boo-boo with the registry can cause major crashes. Better create a Restore Point first before messing around with the registry.

• Run RegEdit
• Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software -> Microsoft -> Windows -> CurrentVersion -> Policies -> Explorer If it doesn’t exist just right-click in Policies and select new key and name it Explorer.
• Create the value by right-clicking the Explorer folder, selecting NewBinary value and naming it NoDesktop (If it exists, then just double-click it)
• Type 01 00 00 00 in the Value data box. RegEdit automatically creates spaces. Click OK.
• Close all dialogs/windows by clicking OK, exit regedit and restart your PC.
• Marvel at a clean desktop.