Desktop.ini Documentation

Desktop.ini is a standard text file that can be added to any Microsoft Windows folder to customize certain aspects of the folder's behaviour.
Occasionally DESKTOP.INI is used by other programs for their own settings.

Desktop.ini Syntax

[.ShellClassInfo]

CLSID = CLSID value	for creating system and special folders
CLSID2 = CLSID value	makes desktop.ini invisible to Explorer and the DOS dir, even after setting attrib -s -h
UICLSID = CLSID value	makes the entire folder (and branch?) invisible to Explorer and to the DOS dir
ConfirmFileOp = 0	no warning when doing file operations on a read-only or system folder
NoSharing = 1	prevents the folder from being shared (pre-XP)
Sharing = 1	the folder is shared (XP)
IconFile = path	specifies an icon for the folder (ico, bmp, exe, dll, icl), eg.: c:\test.ico
IconIndex = number	specifies the index for an icon (0=first icon), if negative it's a resource ID
IconResource = path, number	specifies an icon for the folder, see IconFile and IconIndex (Vista)
InfoTip = text	text string or string ID in a resource module, eg.: @shell32.dll,-12689
HTMLInfoTipFile = file://Comment.htt	HyperText file containing InfoTip string (pre-XP)
URL = https://www.website.com	for opening the folder as a web page (pre-XP)
Logo = file://C:\WINDOWS\clouds.bmp	small logo when you open the folder as a web page
WideLogo = file://C:\WINDOWS\clouds.bmp	large logo
LocalizedResourceName = @shell32.dll,-21765	specifies a resource module and the string ID to use as the folder name
BuyURL = SamplePictures	link which opens when you click Buy Pictures in 'Sample Pictures' folder
MusicBuyUrl = url	link which opens when you click Buy Music in 'Shared Music' folder
RunWizard = 1	used when Windows creates a Briefcase folder
DefaultToFS = 0	(?) used in some History folders
FolderType = string (see NOTE 1)	DEFAULT Folder Type if Show Common Tasks in Folders is selected
DefaultDropEffect = number (see NOTE 2)	default action when you 'Drag and Drop' files in the folder
EmptyText = ?	(Vista)

NOTE 1:

FolderType =	Documents
	MyDocuments
	Pictures
	MyPictures
	PhotoAlbum
	Music
	MyMusic
	MusicArtist
	MusicAlbum
	Videos
	MyVideos
	VideoAlbum
	UseLegacyHTT
	CommonDocuments
	Generic

     This works only if the Folder Type is not already placed in the registry. Place a Desktop.ini file with the FolderType entry in a
     folder. In Explorer, choose Tools, Folder Options and click the View tab, click the button labeled Reset All Folders

   NOTE 2:

DefaultDropEffect =	1 - Copy
	2 - Move
	4 - Create a shortcut

[.ExtShellFolderViews]

Default = {5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}	default view
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC} = {BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}	folder settings
{8BEBB290-52D0-11d0-B7F4-00C04FD706EC} = {8BEBB290-52D0-11d0-B7F4-00C04FD706EC}	thumbnail view
{5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262} = {5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}	web view

[{5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}]

PersistMoniker = file://template.htt	HyperText Template
WebViewTemplate.NT5 = ImgView.htt
PersistMonikerPreview = \web\imgview.htt

[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]

Attributes = 1
IconArea_Image = C:\WINDOWS\clouds.bmp	background picture
IconArea_Text = 0x00000000	text color
IconArea_TextBackground = 0x00000000	background text color

[{8BEBB290-52D0-11d0-B7F4-00C04FD706EC}]

MenuName = T&humbnails
ToolTipText = T&humbnails
HelpText = Displays items using thumbnail view	status bar message
Attributes = 0x60000000

[Channel]

CDFURL =	website
ScreenSaverURL = file://test.htm	URL of HTML page to display as screen saver
Logo = file://C:\WINDOWS\web\chang_sl.gif	small logo
WideLogo = file://C:\WINDOWS\web\chang_wl.gif	large logo
Icon = file://C:\WINDOWS\web\chang.ico

[LocalizedFileNames]

Windows-catalogus.lnk = @%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-22075

maps filenames to string values

[Encryption]

Disable = 1

disables EFS encryption for the specified folder

[DeleteOnCopy]

If you copy the desktop.ini to another location this section will not appear in the copied desktop.ini

Owner = %username%	if 'Owner' has a different name than the user's, the folder is labeled with a different user's logon name
Personalized = 5
PersonalizedName = My Documents	means that without the desktop.ini file, the 'My Documents' folder would be called Documents

[DeleteOnCopy.A]

same as [DeleteOnCopy] on non-English, non-Western systems (?)

[DeleteOnCopy.W]

same as [DeleteOnCopy] on non-English, non-Western systems (?)

[ViewState]

Mode = ?
Vid = CLSID key (see Note 3)
FolderType = see under ShellClassInfo
Logo = see under ShellClassInfo

NOTE 3:

CLSID Key	Description	Mode
{0057D0E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}	Icons	1
{0E1FA5E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}	List	3
{137E7700-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}	Details	4
{8BEBB290-52D0-11D0-B7F4-00C04FD706EC}	Thumbnail	5
{65F125E5-7BE1-4810-BA9D-D271C8432CE3}	Tiles	6
{8EEFA624-D1E9-445B-94B7-74FBCE2EA11A}	Filmstrip	7

[{F29F85E0-4FF9-1068-AB91-08002B27B3D9}]

Prop2 = 31,Title	adds metadata to folders (Vista)
Prop3 = 31,Subject
Prop4 = 31,Author
Prop5 = 31,Keywords(Tags)
Prop6 = 31,Comment

Desktop.ini Tips

DESKTOP.INI files can be exploited by viruses, malware and spyware.
These files are on its own NO viruses but can be used for instance to make a folder invisible to the user
or store configuration data.
See this link for a detailed explanation, W32.Flamer: Spreading Mechanism Tricks and Exploits
So keep Windows up-to-date and use a good firewall and virusscanner.

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\desktop.ini

C:\Windows\Installer\$PatchCache$\Managed\ and subfolders

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\desktop.ini

C:\Boot\desktop.ini

      [ViewState]
      Mode=
      Vid=
      FolderType=
      Logo=
      [.ShellClassInfo]
      IconResource=

If a folder does NOT have a desktop.ini file, do the following:
      Right click in an empty area of the folder
      Click Properties
      Click Customize tab
      Click Change Icon button
      Select the normal folder icon
      Click Apply, OK
      Now there is a DESKTOP.INI file
      Delete the icon information and it's ready to use.

It's better NOT to delete DESKTOP.INI files because the display settings of the folder will be restored to default.

If you're know what you're doing:
To delete DESKTOP.INI files in the CMD or DOS prompt:
attrib desktop.ini -h -s
del desktop.ini

When you do not want DESKTOP.INI files to be shown on the desktop or anywhere in Windows,
go to the Folder Options window of Windows Explorer.
In the Advanced settings section of the View tab,
check "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)".
Click OK.

DESKTOP.INI files in folders like 'Google Drive', 'Microsoft Office' or folders ready for CD burning, are normal.
These are special folders. When a folder is created by Windows, it has no DESKTOP.INI
Only when the default view is changed, a DESKTOP.INI is created.

.DS_Store files in Mac OS X are similar to Windows DESKTOP.INI files.

To manually edit DESKTOP.INI in a folder (foldername) do the following:
      Navigate to the folder before foldername
      type: attrib -s -h foldername
      type: cd foldername
      Update the DESKTOP.INI file with Notepad
      type: attrib +s +h desktop.ini
      type: cd..
      type: attrib +r foldername

To edit DESKTOP.INI in a folder (foldername) with a software program do the following:
      Download UINI.ZIP
      Navigate to the folder before foldername
      type: attrib -s -h foldername
      type: cd foldername
      Update the DESKTOP.INI file with UINI.EXE
      type UINI.EXE section key value
      type: attrib +s +h desktop.ini
      type: cd..
      type: attrib +r foldername